Lab 1 PDF
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School
Weber State University *
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Course
3710
Subject
Geography
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
Pages
5
Uploaded by ProfFire10957
Lab 1
Part 1
1. a) GIS is a collection of systems (network, hardware, software, data, procedures, people)
designed to capture, store, update, query, analyze/model, and display geospatial data and
collection (Cited from lecture slides from class).
b) GIS is a computer system that looks at geographically referenced information.
c) A geographic information system is a tool that can be used to store, manipulate, and
contextualize biotic and abiotic maps layers and features (Price, 2019).
I found the first definition (sourced from the lecture slides) the most helpful as someone who is
extremely new to GIS and has only started using it this semester. This definition efficiently
encompasses the different components to GIS and how a user can utilize them.
2. Major components of GIS: Computer system, GIS software, people, geospatial data,
methods/infrastructure (Cited from lecture slides from class).
3. Utilizing GIS as within the environmental science world is becoming extremely relevant as it
can often times portray pertinent ecological information in a visual and interactive way.
a) One way is through the monitoring of factors relating to endangered species, whether it is the
species itself, the environment it inhabits, or the resources and food supply that’s required for it
to survive (Freeman, 2023).
b) GIS can also be a powerful tool when communicating with stakeholders, such a private,
federal, or national entities. There will also be a need to relay information from one party to
another, such regarding a possible development project and working with a civic planner and a
conservation organization (Sustainability and GIS).
c) Additionally, being able to understand and visualize aspects of the terrain and vegetation
allows for better risk and impact analysis (Geospatial World, 2009).
4. QGIS -
https://www.qgis.org/en/site/
Utah Geospatial Resource Center -
https://gis.utah.gov/data/
ArcGIS Dashboards -
https://doc.arcgis.com/en/dashboards/gallery/
ArcGIS -
https://www.arcgis.com/index.html
USC Dornsife Spatial Sciences Institute -
https://gis.usc.edu/blog/the-4-fastest-growing-career-
fields-in-gis/
5. a) 40,000-60,000
b) 75,000-90,000
c) 90,000+
(GISGeography)
6. As I look more into a career within environmental science and conservation, I’ve learned how
GIS is an extremely relevant and beneficial tool that can communicate an immense amount of
information in a legible and discernible way. Interpreting data and results of a test can even be
difficult for professionals trained within their craft but then being able to relay that information
to the general public can require an additional set of skills and being able to use GIS to best
communicate the information is incredibly beneficial.
Part 2
Chapter Review Questions
1. Discrete data is contained to a distinct location and does not exist outside of that point, line, or
polygon. This could be landmark such as a mountain peak, or a commercial building, or the
acreage of a National Park. Continuous data is present everywhere, such as temperature, a
measurement of elevation, or soil pH.
2. 1:2500
3. When using GIS the source scale represents the scale that is displayed at the current view of
the map but because GIS data sets are dynamic and can be interacted with and the view can be
changed, there is no map scale.
7. Price, M. (2022). Mastering ArcGis Pro (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education (US).
https://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781264528905
8. Windows can show either views or panes, both things that a user can interact and work with.
Panes contain the tools that allow the user to manipulate the data and views can display what the
user is working on such as an active map or a scene, or table containing information about a
feature.
10. Core ribbons are tabs that are always present and can be used within the project. Contexual
ribbons only appear when an appropriate layer or feature is selected and contain more options
and tools.
I chose Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado because I recently camped in the park during Labor
Day weekend. I visited the park with two Weber State University professors and another student in order
to collect soil samples for a research project that I am working on with Dr. Hilbig. Between the drastic
elevation ranges and the beautiful alpine forests and tundra, Rocky Mountain National Park contains awe-
inspiring geographic features. After spending the weekend in Rocky Mountain National Park, I fell in
love with the mountainous park and the serene alpine lakes so I was naturally curious to view and interact
with the terrain through the use of GIS.
I learned that there is a vast network of stream systems that cover the Rocky Mountain National Park
region. On several hikes through the park, I took note of how often we trekked alongside a stream or
passed by large ponds and lakes and we were constantly adjacent to bodies of water. Another set of
features I layered on top of the map were the Visitors Centers as well as the campsites in the front country.
A large portion of these features were found along Highway 34, which is the primary road that travels
through the park. There are also a handful of these sites clustered on the East side of the park, closest to
Estes Park where many visitors will stay at. The last feature layer I included was the Wilderness
Designated area and this encompasses much more area than accessible through Highway 34. Through the
attributes table, I learned that this area covers 249,125 acres.
Fig 2. Map and 3D scene of the Rocky Mountain National Park region. Feature lays are sourced from
ArcGIS Online and include the Campsites Frontcountry, Visitors Centers, Streams, and Wilderness
Designated. RF: 1:500,000.
Rocky Mountain NP Citations
ROMO GIS (2019) [downloaded file]. EsriTM on ArcGIS Online. URL:
https://www.arcgis.com/home/user.html?user=romo_gis. [July 7, 2023]
IMR GIS (2022) [downloaded file]. EsriTM on ArcGIS Online.
URL:https://www.arcgis.com/home/user.html?user=imrgis_nps
. [July 7, 2023]
6a. Hosted feature layers are accessible features that have been published to ArcGIS Online.
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6b. If data is stored on ArcGIS online/Portal, it is accessible even if the data is not downloaded or
saved onto your personal device. This can also mean that if you cannot access the cloud, there is
no other way to access that data.
When data is stored onto a hard drive, it is secured within that hard drive and accessible as long
as that device is physically present. When information is stored within a physical device, it does
lead it to being more vulnerable and non-usable if the device were to become damaged or
inaccessible for any reason.
Citations
Freeman, Demetrius. “The Application of Geographic Information Science in Earth Sciences.”
USC GIS Online, Feb. 2023, gis.usc.edu/blog/the-application-of-geographic-and-
information-science-gis-in-earth-sciences.
Geospatial Media & Communications. “GIS in Environmental Studies – an Overview.”
Geospatial World, Sept. 2016,
www.geospatialworld.net/article/gis-in-environmental-
studies-an-
overview/#:~:text=GIS%20is%20a%20powerful%20tool%20for%20environmental%20d
ata,in%20order%20to%20view%20spatial%20information%20and%20relationships
.
GISGeography. “GIS Technicians: What to Expect in an Entry-Level Job?” GIS Geography,
Aug. 2023, gisgeography.com/gis-technician-jobs-salary.
Price, M. (2019). Ise Mastering Arcgis Pro. (pp. 11).
Sustainability and GIS | EnvironmentalScience.org.
What is a Geographic Information System (GIS)?. U.S. Geological Survey. 1 Jan. 2012,
www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-geographic-information-system-gis
.