Remote Sensing Gis For Environmental Studies

"This book is a critical reference source for the latest research on innovative methods for analyzing geographic data and utilizing sensor technologies for environmental monitoring. Featuring extensive coverage across a range of relevant perspectives and topics, such as land use, geospatial analysis, image interpretation, and site-suitability analysis"--

Emerging technologies have enhanced the various uses of geographic information systems. This allows for more effective analysis of available data to optimize resources and promote sustainability. Remote Sensing Techniques and GIS Applications in Earth and Environmental Studies is a critical reference source for the latest research on innovative methods for analyzing geographic data and utilizing sensor technologies for environmental monitoring. Featuring extensive coverage across a range of relevant perspectives and topics, such as land use, geospatial analysis, image interpretation, and site-suitability analysis, this book is ideally designed for engineers, professionals, practitioners, upper-level students, and academics actively involved in the various areas of environmental sciences.

Most government agencies and private companies are investing significant resources in the production and use of geographical data. The capabilities of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for data analysis are also improving, to the extent that the potential performance of GIS software and the data available for analysis outstrip the abilities of managers and analysts to use and analyze the information. This is especially true for environmental applications. Here the need to keep up-to-date is essential for providing effective and efficient services. Environmental Modeling with GIS and Remote Sensing derives from a training course run by ITC for professionals and managers in the environmental sciences, detailing the applications of remote sensing and GIS for environmental modeling and assessment. It sets out the current research results and provides operational methods for environmental mapping and monitoring.

Remote sensing and geographical information science (GIS) have advanced considerably in recent years. However, the potential of remote sensing and GIS within the environmental sciences is limited by uncertainty, especially in connection with the data sets and methods used. In many studies, the issue of uncertainty has been incompletely addressed. The situation has arisen in part from a lack of appreciation of uncertainty and the problems it can cause as well as of the techniques that may be used to accommodate it. This book provides general overviews on uncertainty in remote sensing and GIS that illustrate the range of uncertainties that may occur, in addition to describing the means of measuring uncertainty and the impacts of uncertainty on analyses and interpretations made. Uncertainty in Remote Sensing and GIS provides readers with comprehensive coverage of this largely undocumented subject: * Relevant to a broad variety of disciplines including geography, environmental science, electrical engineering and statistics * Covers range of material from base overviews to specific applications * Focuses on issues connected with uncertainty at various points along typical data analysis chains used in remote sensing and GIS Written by an international team of researchers drawn from a variety of disciplines, Uncertainty in Remote Sensing and GIS provides focussed discussions on topics of considerable importance to a broad research and user community. The book is invaluable reading for researchers, advanced students and practitioners who want to understand the nature of uncertainty in remote sensing and GIS, its limitations and methods of accommodating it.

Remote Sensing Applications in Environmental Research is the basis for advanced Earth Observation (EO) datasets used in environmental monitoring and research. Now that there are a number of satellites in orbit, EO has become imperative in today’s sciences, weather and natural disaster prediction. This highly interdisciplinary reference work brings together diverse studies on remote sensing and GIS, from a theoretical background to its applications, represented through various case studies and the findings of new models. The book offers a comprehensive range of contributions by well-known scientists from around the world and opens a new window for students in presenting interdisciplinary and methodological resources on the latest research. It explores various key aspects and offers state-of-the-art research in a simplified form, describing remote sensing and GIS studies for those who are new to the field, as well as for established researchers.

Significant advances have been made in mapping and monitoring our environment from Earth Observation satellites, but now, in the 1990s, remote sensing has reached a new technological and scientific frontier. Advances in Environmental Remote Sensing not only describes recent technological advances but also emphasises the parallel progress that has been made in interpreting and applying data to solve environmental problems. A team of scientists working at the research edge examine applications using examples from their own current work, and identify key paths for the development of remote sensing into the next century. This is an essential book for students of geography, environmental science, ecology, forestry and geology, as well as an important reference tool for anyone interested in applications of remote sensing.

This is a book about how ecologists can integrate remote sensing and GIS in their daily work. It will allow ecologists to get started with the application of remote sensing and to understand its potential and limitations. Using practical examples, the book covers all necessary steps from planning field campaigns to deriving ecologically relevant information through remote sensing and modelling of species distributions. All practical examples in this book rely on OpenSource software and freely available data sets. Quantum GIS (QGIS) is introduced for basic GIS data handling, and in-depth spatial analytics and statistics are conducted with the software packages R and GRASS. Readers will learn how to apply remote sensing within ecological research projects, how to approach spatial data sampling and how to interpret remote sensing derived products. The authors discuss a wide range of statistical analyses with regard to satellite data as well as specialised topics such as time-series analysis. Extended scripts on how to create professional looking maps and graphics are also provided. This book is a valuable resource for students and scientists in the fields of conservation and ecology interested in learning how to get started in applying remote sensing in ecological research and conservation planning.