RS / GIS for Conservation - Spring 2006.
Objectives
1) To give students a grounding in the theory of Earth Observation and practical exposure to image
data, processing techniques and a "standard" software package.
2) To give students a grounding in GIS as a way of analysing and presenting spatial data (of whatever
type), to introduce spatial analysis techniques, and to give students practical exposure to a "standard"
GIS software package.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module the students should:understand how Earth Observation data can contribute to environmental mapping and monitoring
including particular examples of applications of the data;
should have some familiarity with the fundamental properties of EO data;
understand the foundations of techniques for analysing spatial data;
have some practical exposure to software packages for processing EO data and for GIS applications.
Structure
Week 1 - "Remote Sensing as a source of data and information about the Earth's surface"
Week 2 - "GIS as a means of analysing spatial data" (of whatever type / source)
Week 1- "Remote Sensing as a source of data and information about the Earth's surface"
Day 1
morning - introductory lecture, aims of the module, structure, content, assessment
computer orientation (basic UNIX)
afternoon - lecture on nature of EO data, data processing
Day 2
morning - practical - introduction to software (imagine or ENVI/IDL), series of structure "exploratory
tasks" using a range of different EO data sources (AVHRR, then multi-temporal data, then high
resolution (IKONOS) data
afternoon - lecture on EO applications (relevant to "conservation"...) - land surface and coastal
mapping, monitoring, how application requirements impact on the EO data that are appropriate
Day 3
morning - continue with the practical explorations
afternoon - Start self-directed research (library and online) to prepare for ten minute presentations (day
5 = Friday) in groups of two or three.
Day 4 - morning - self-directed research., afternoon - continuing practicals and lecture
Day 5 - morning - preparation for presentations, afternoon - presentations, summary lecture
Week 2- "GIS as a means of analysing spatial data" (of whatever type / source)
Day 6
morning - introductory lecture (definitions, basic principles and components of a GIS, GIS literature)
afternoon - continuing introductory lecture (working with a GIS, data analysis, mapping)
Day 7
morning - introductory lecture to ArcGIS software, series of "exploratory tasks", familiarisation with
the software
afternoon - continuation of practical explorations
Day 8
morning - lecture on examples of environmental issues and their analysis using a GIS
afternoon - Start self-directed research to prepare for a ten minute presentation in groups of two or
three.
Day 9 - morning - self-directed research, afternoon - practicals and lecture
Day 10 - morning - preparations for presentations, afternoon - presentations, summary lecture
Assessment
2000-word essay on a title to be agreed (during the module) with the module convenor. Preparation
either in one's own time, but may also be driven by the self-study and the oral presentations.