Abstract:              Now that geographic information system (GIS) web mapping is widely available in the forms of Google Maps, ArcServer Manager, and ArcGIS Explorer, this has created a more comfortable environment for many users. Companies generally have a limited number of staff in their GIS departments and therefore a backlog of work.  In an effort to alleviate excessive workloads and to add efficiency, geoprocessing tools and web maps can be created. These tools can then be used by other employees outside the GIS department to aid them in gathering the information they need for their projects. With just a small amount of training, a large number of employees will be able to familiarize themselves with the ArcServer and ArcGIS Explorer interfaces and utilize the geoprocessing tools created by the GIS department. To illustrate the possible uses of geoprocessing and web mapping tools, I have created an interactive web map showing archaeological site data as well as contour and land management along with published geoprocessing tools.  One of the primary tools will allow users to select a boundary that will identify the topographic contours that intersect that boundary. The tool then returns the statistics for those selected contours: maximum, minimum, and mean elevations within the selected boundary. These tools were created using ArcGIS model builder and published to the web for consumption. The geoprocessing tool allows the user to get the information they need without adding extra GIS department time to the project budget. 

Abstract:              The City of Tucson has 28 existing historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and 3 pending. The problem is most cities have few resources to track historic properties and make it available to the public through GIS. This map can be used as a model for other cities to follow. The new interface, built with ArcGIS Viewer for Flex, would be similar to other online mapping systems widely available, making the map easier and more intuitive for the user, which solves the problem of the current map not being user friendly. The map allows property owners access to digital documents that have previously been difficult to obtain; these include official documentation for historic districts and individual properties. The web map is constructed using data from the city vector geodatabase and includes a base map, legend, information pop-up boxes, and widgets. The result of the project is a common map that provides a lot of detail in a user friendly way. The map raises awareness of important properties and districts through pictures and links to forms. The benefits of having the data on the web map include users being able to identify what properties fall within historic districts, have historic designation, and which properties might qualify the owner for important local, State, and Federal tax incentives and funding programs. City staff will have a resource that identifies City-owned historic properties, important zoning areas, and digital access to official documentation through the click of a button.

Abstract:              Geologic modeling of gold deposits from data gathered through exploration is necessary in determining if a deposit has the potential to be economic.  GIS aides in the exploration by creating the models using data extracted from a small diameter core of rock from the ore deposit by drilling exploratory holes within the project area.   The rock cores are assayed in a lab to extract the amount of gold within each sample.  The assay values along with the down hole survey data are compiled into tables to be used in a GIS.    The drill holes are recreated and cross-sections are then produced showing the location of the highest concentrations of gold in each sample, from here the ore deposit  can then be extracted and modeled in a three dimensional space. This project takes the data from 102 drill holes to demonstrate how a geologic model of a gold deposit is created using GIS software.  There are a number of different software packages used for the project including MapInfo and the Discover extension, which produced twenty-one cross-sections from the data.   Discover 3D and the geology and mine planning software Surpac is used to create the resulting geologic model.  The geologic model of the gold deposit will be used in the future for determining if the deposit is or could be a viable economic mining project.

Abstract:              A gateway crime is a type of crime that has little to no consequences but can lead to other, more serious crimes in the future. By themselves or in conjunction with demographic trends, gateway crimes have the capability of uncovering and predicting other, more serious crime trends. This paper examines the gateway crime that is easiest to track: graffiti. The location specific, semi-permanent nature of this crime type lends itself to density analysis and comparison with other crime data. The data used in this analysis includes graffiti locations cleaned by the City of Tucson and dispatch reports from the Tucson Police Department spanning from January of 2009 to June of 2011. Utilizing spatial statistics and geographic information systems (GIS) tools, the paper assesses the spatial and temporal relationship between graffiti incidents and crime locations over the aforementioned time period. The overall results show that there is a spatial relationship between graffiti and other types of crime but more accurate trend predictions require additional geographic or demographic variables.

Abstract:              GIS integrates data from different sources for use in spatial analysis and mapping.  The ability to integrate data from sources using different collection methods, varying scales, accuracy, and skill  presents challenges.  The 2011 BioBlitz, a joint venture between Saguaro National Park and National Geographic, presented the opportunity to work with a dataset that was created by a group made up of researchers, citizen scientist, high school and grade school students.  The integration of data of varying quality is a common situation in GIS analysis but the data is not normally collected in a situation as controlled as a BioBlitz event.  All data collectors were provided with a standard form that allowed all data to be integrated into a Microsoft Access database.  The coordinates were recorded by many methods: coordinates from gps units of varying accuracy, drawn on maps, derived from a UTM grid, linear referencing, referencing a page in a mapbook created for data collection, georeferencing images.  This project assessed the quality of the data and used ArcMap and the Spatial Analyst extension to create different distributions and all cartographic products. Results show that while the data does provide insight, citizen scientist projects should provide as much training as possible to achieve the best results.

Abstract:              The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a natural history interpretive facility situated in desert habitat just south of the Tucson Mountains. Its grounds and surrounding environment are home to many native species, including the western diamondback (Crotalus atrox). In an effort to better understand the habits and movements of this common rattlesnake in the context of a popular public facility, museum staff worked with a local veterinarian to surgically implant radio transmitters into the body cavities of wild, resident rattlesnakes, and subsequently used radio telemetry to locate and record their positions at regular intervals over an extended period. More than 2000 data points for two dozen animals were mapped and analyzed to determine how large an area was inhabited by each snake, whether distribution was affected by features of the physical or biological environment, how much variation occurred in monthly activity levels, and whether any overall trends could be identified as gender-specific.

Title:                     Overcoming Siting Challenges with GIS Predictive Models - Infrastructure Site Selection Based on Locations of Protected Resource Elements

Author:                Lirain Urreiztieta, lirainu@email.arizona.edu

Keywords:          Site Selection, Predictive Models, Sensitive Resources, Raster

Abstract:              The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires government agencies to evaluate the environmental impacts of proposed projects. For federal agencies, environmental review is based on the preparation of Environmental Assessments (EA) or Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) to identify and evaluate potential impacts to sensitive resources. This report documents the use of predictive modeling with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify areas with a low, medium or high probability of containing sensitive resources which could influence the siting and development of infrastructure. Data collected within the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge in Lincoln County, Nevada provided locations and attributes of sensitive resource elements that were used to create a predictive model for the refuge. The model is based on reclassified grid themes developed by executing raster data operations with the goal of creating a composite map analyzing surface data. The resulting product is a predictive model-based map of the refuge that can be used by land managers and planners who are considering project feasibility for the development of infrastructure and preservation of sensitive resources.

Abstract:            Surrounded by Nevada desert, the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge in Lincoln County is a 5,380 acre ecological oasis of lakes, marshes, wet meadows and desert uplands. Located on the Pacific Flyway, the variety of lakes and wetlands of the refuge provide precious fish and wildlife habitat in the arid southern Nevada climate. Designated by The Nature Conservancy as one of the nation's prime biological "hotspots", the refuge is an essential stopover for hundreds of different species of birds, including several threatened and endangered species. This study attempts to analyze temporal landcover change within the refuge using remote sensing analysis techniques. Satellite imagery acquired over recent decades, including LANDSAT and commercial high-resolution data, was used to analyze landcover change from the 1980s to the 2000s by employing image differencing and post-classification comparison methods.  Percentages of landcover categories that have remained or changed are presented as a basis for further studies about possible causes of landcover change within the refuge. With so many wildlife species dependent upon the thin stretch of critical habitat that Pahranagat provides, analyzing the nature and direction of landcover change within the refuge is vital to future wildlife management decisions and policy-making.

Abstract:              Social capital is generally looked upon as being a constructive force due to the benefits gained from the mutual understanding, cooperation, and coordination that it fosters. A question that arises when investigating social capital is whether a relationship exists between the social capital characteristics an individual possesses and how that individual interacts with their environment in a spatial context.  This study serves to provide an answer to this question using GIS, linear regression, and spatial analysis investigation methods, utilizing data gathered from a National Science Foundation questionnaire distributed to 388 residents of the Garfield Neighborhood in Phoenix, Arizona. These surveys were distributed in order to discern demographic, social capital and social trust characteristics for each respondent. Additionally, location questions were asked and subsequently geocoded in order to obtain a geographical activity space for each survey participant. Questions designed to measure social capital were extracted from the survey, weighted, and indexed to assign a comprehensive social capital score to gauge the amount of social capital each participant possessed. Social capital scores were subsequently evaluated against both the demographic and activity space attributes for each survey participant using a combination of spatial analysis techniques and linear regression. Overall, the results indicate that correlations exits between social capital characteristics and spatial interaction attributes, however more detailed examination is warranted in order to identify the underlying causes of these relationships.

Abstract:              In 2006, 400 people were surveyed in the dominantly Hispanic neighborhood of Little Havana in Miami, Florida.  The survey consisted of 56 questions, ranging from demographics to activity space (where their kids attend school, where they grocery shop, etc.), social trust (based on a study conducted by the Pew Research Center) and social capital (based on the Social Capital Community Survey used in Robert D. Putnam’s Ethnic Diversity paper published in 2006).  We compiled the Putnam and Pew research surveys and indexed the questions and their responses based on a pre-determined weight.  For example, respondents who were registered to vote or participated in the last election were given a higher social trust weight than those who were not as politically active.  These indices were then compared to the respondents’ activity polygons in an attempt to determine whether or not there was a significant relationship between the area of a respondent’s activity space and their level of social trust and civic engagement. 

Abstract:              This project analyzes concepts of social capital and trust as compared to the activity space described by inhabitants in the neighborhood of Pilsen in Chicago, Illinois. Data from 402 surveys conducted in Pilsen in the mid-2000s for the National Science Foundation (NSF) was utilized to create a social capital index in order to assess how trusting and engaged people are with their neighbors and toward their neighborhood. Using this project’s index, each respondent was ultimately scored based on their answers, followed by an examination for correlation between these responses and area of activity. Further analysis was completed to determine the statistical significance of social capital on activity space. It is understood from this project’s end that the index reveals that there may be other variables of importance, in addition to those assessed.

Abstract:              The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest living terrestrial animal on Earth. Its considerable demands for land and resources have brought the elephant into direct conflict with an ever increasing human population. Human-elephant conflict (HEC) exists where these human and elephant populations meet. Effective land-use planning is seen as the best long term solution to HEC. Because of the geographic nature of land-use planning, geographic information systems (GIS) can be used to propose the creation of new protected areas and wildlife corridors. This study used GIS to mitigate HEC by identifying protected areas with elephant population densities greater than 0.5 animals per km², the unsustainable population threshold, which would benefit from the creation of a wildlife corridor. Forty-seven areas were identified as having unsustainable populations using ESRI’s ArcGIS 10.0 software. After these areas were identified, neighboring protected areas with low elephant population densities were considered for the terminus of a potential wildlife corridor. Analysis showed that twenty-three of the forty-seven areas would benefit from a corridor. Eighteen potential corridors were proposed and prioritized based on their biological importance, current threats, and potential opportunity. One high priority corridor in Malawi between the Nkhotakota Wildlife Refuge and Kasungu National Park was selected as a case study. A habitat suitability model of the area was created and used to develop a resistance (travel cost) model. A cost-distance analysis was then performed and a corridor representing the most permeable ten percent of the landscape was selected to create the final corridor model.

Abstract:              Tangerine Road in Marana, AZ has been identified by the Regional Transportation Authority as a major northern route for the Tucson metropolitan area for East/West directional traffic.  It is also a main artery for connecting the Town of Oro Valley to Interstate 10.  The Marana Economic Road Map points out the Tangerine Road corridor “…as a key location for high technology businesses and business park development.”  Using the Marana General Plan, The Marana Economic Road Map and the Draft Marana Habitat Conservation Plan, analysis was conducted on the roughly 6 mile stretch of road, encompassing over 6,000 acres of land.  The analysis provided for the location and size of developable as well as further possible constraints for development.  Working in collaboration with members of the Town of Marana Development Services division, a land use scenario based on 6 distinct districts was created.  Each district is dictated by a different arrangement of land use percentages, giving them a distinctive theme and the ability to cluster.  Utilizing scholarly work to outline the potential economic development, ArcGIS and the CommunityViz software provided by Pathways, LLC, this paper will look at the specific economic impacts defined by the land use and create a 3D visualization for District 2, Industrial and R&D.

Abstract:              The method of profiling serial criminals is not a recent phenomenon nor is the existence of those serial criminals who are profiled.  The FBI employs forensic psychologists, criminal analysts, computer networks, and contracts external consultants to assist in the apprehension of serial criminals. One tool which is being increasingly adopted by law enforcement is the science of Geographic Profiling. This type of analysis is used in a crime series that consist of three or more incidents in a specific geographic area. Geographic Profiling takes into account many factors such as, pattern analysis, specific type/nature of crime, temporal characteristics, and human psychology. This study will attempt to qualify, or disqualify, the primary suspect believed to be killer in the unsolved serial murder series that took place in Cleveland from 1934-1950. This study will focus on the spatial attributes and characteristics associated with the crime scenes, witness reports, police files, and geographic locations that qualify as anchor points to be used in the profile.  In addition, this study will explore the psyche, typology, and methods of serial murders; these methods will be used to assist the profile and qualify the suspect.

Abstract:              Tucson, Arizona is a city in the process of expanding its mass transit system. With the aim of promoting ridership, this project used bus route and stop data from the University of Arizona and Tucson’s SunTran bus system to create a mobile application that provides routing information to bus riders on their mobile devices. The source data that formed the basis of the service consumed by the client application began as separate centerline, street and bus route polyline layers.  To properly model cost, these layers were combined and bus routes were segmented at their stops. Cost attributes of distance and time for pedestrian travel were either taken directly from the street layer (distance) or calculated as a function of the distance of the street segment divided by a constant walking rate of five km/h (in the case of time). The resulting route and stop layers provided the basis for a network dataset which was then built and published to an instance of ArcGIS Server in Amazon’s EC2. The client, a native Android application, queries the server with departure and destination coordinates, receiving back a route that optimizes travel time for the rider.

Abstract:              Diminishing breeding habitat for the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher has led to alarming declines in population. Large scale riparian mitigation across the Southwest has stabilized some of the breeding areas. Using a multiscaled breeding habitat model, mitigation projects can determine on a large scale what areas are best suited for breeding habitat. Creating geoprocessing tools which operate the model that users of any skill level can use is increasingly important in the workforce. This project developed a geoprocessing tool that utilizes the multiscaled breeding habitat model and raster files from Landsat and Digital Elevation Models. ArcGIS Model Builder was the base for the tool design with adjustments using Python script interface. Using existing ArcGIS Spatial Analyst tools I was able to design the geoprocessing tool so that all levels of the raster analysis are executed in the correct order and loaded into the raster calculator that provides the final output using the probability equation from the habitat model. It was developed so that minimal understanding of the process is needed, requiring only the selection of raster data. The tool was then published so that internal network and online distribution would allow any number of users to interact with the base raster data.

Abstract:              The Eastern Shore of VA is part of the Delmarva Peninsula that is flanked by the Atlantic Ocean on the eastern side and the Chesapeake Bay on its western side.  The Eastern Shore is comprised of two counties: Accomack and Northampton. This Gap analysis is for federal priority species and their habitats on the Eastern Shore.   This region is a critical area for migratory birds and has one of the highest concentrations of tier 1-4 species. The tier 1-4 species are ranked based on threat levels and possible extinction of the species.   The project’s analysis is closing gaps in the protection of federally endangered and threatened species and their specific habitats.  Due to the high costs of restoration and acquisition, efforts must be focused in high priority areas.   The major objectives of this project are to (1) identify protected species within specified land cover types that are currently under federal protection, (2) identify and produce species GIS databases and cartographic products describing distributions, land stewardship, and land management status versus areas that will have the biggest impact with appropriate restoration and acquisition.  The final product includes cartographic products and databases depicting areas that should be targeted for restoration, acquisition, and protection throughout the partners’ program.

Abstract:              As part of a University of Arizona College of Science 6-part lecture series this coming spring (2012) called Living Beyond 100 that is addressing the effects of long lifespans, this project compares life expectancy data from the United Nations, Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, and United States Census in order to find patterns and variables that correlate with higher (and lower) life expectancies. By highlighting changes in life expectancy from 1950-2010, this project also quantitatively illustrates the impact of war, famine, natural disasters, genocides, and public health crises on the life expectancies of populations. This project also studies the effects of race, income, and gender on life expectancy on a county-by-county basis in the United States and in Arizona. Possible influential factors in determining life expectancy by county may be socioeconomic status, race, or access to healthcare facilities. Migration patterns may also be considered in the raising or lowering of life expectancy by county within Arizona.

Abstract:              The Barry M. Goldwater Range – West (BMGR-West), managed by the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, is nearly 1,100 square miles of remote, largely undisturbed Sonoran Desert habitat.  Within the BMGR-West, however, there are areas which are disturbed by off-road vehicle (ORV) use by the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  These disturbed areas have the potential to increase soil erosion and ecosystem degradation on the Range.  Part of BMGR-West’s Inventory and Monitoring Plan requires establishment of soil erosion monitoring sites.  Because BMGR-West covers a large area, soil erosion potential maps will help locate these monitoring sites.  This project uses study areas within the Range to test the effects of adding ORV data to the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) in order to model soil erosion potential.  Off-road vehicle use was digitized using high-resolution (1-foot) aerial photography and integrated into the USLE Cover factor.  The resulting soil erosion potential models were compared to the non-ORV models.  The results from this project will determine if the same method will be used to model soil erosion potential across the entire Range.

Abstract:              Increased populations of both humans and mountain lions in Arizona have lead to a greater need for understanding mountain lion habitat use and interactions with their environment. GIS and spatial analysis provide powerful tools for understanding patterns in animal movement and habitat use. This project used GPS collar data collected by the Arizona Game and Fish Department from 2005-2008. Position fixes from the collars were used to estimate home ranges for 22 male lions and 8 female lions using kernel density analysis. Percent volume contours were calculated from the kernel density analysis to show areas of 95% probability for each animal’s occurrence and 50% probability, known as the animal’s core area. These estimated home ranges were compared to land cover data to assess habitat selection for each lion. ESRI’s Tracking Analyst extension and Spatial Ecology’s Hawth’s Tools were utilized for visualization of both spatial and temporal patterns in movement of mountain lions throughout their home range. Overlapping areas of estimated home ranges were calculated to evaluate possible interactions between multiple cats.  Mountain lion movements across roads and urban areas were analyzed for a greater understanding of how these animals interact with human environments.

Abstract:              This project maps fire and medical incident trends in Tonopah, Arizona to advance current fire department efficiency. The project modeled trends to assist the local fire department in a number of various planning projects. The first, being the expansion of district boundaries to increase tax revenue. This expansion was executed by implementing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to query adjacent land parcels which met the department’s criteria and merged them into the current district. Following the expansion, a location was identified to construct a future fire station within the new boundaries. This site had to deliver optimal fire and medical coverage and contribute to a reduction in response times. The data provided by Tonopah Valley Fire Department is response call data between 2005 and 2010 and current district boundaries. The attribute data provided response call location, incident type, response time, and incident date and time.  Utilizing location data, calls were geocoded to produce a point density map which revealed patterns, exposed trends, and isolated areas of high response call volume. A travel time model was then yielded by running a network analysis to identify gaps in coverage. The future station location was determined through what-if scenarios using possible future locations and historical response times. The results produced a dynamic map that incorporated the new district boundaries and future fire station coverage.