Introduction to GIS

Lab 4: Vector Analysis with ArcGIS

Goal:
The goal for this lab is to follow five different objectives that involve using geoprocessing tools for vector analysis in order to determine suitable habitat for bears in a specific study area located in Marquette County, Michigan.

Background:

This data could primarily be used by the DNR in order to locate suitable bear habitats in Marquette County. In order to portray data that would be beneficial for the DNR in this circumstance several factors needed to be taken into consideration. The data provided had shown the GPS coordinates of where black bears were located in the study area. Putting into context which primary vegetation covers majority of bears were located and how close they are in proximity to streams are factors that are important in order to establish where a suitable black bear habitat is located. Black bears were primarily located in evergreen forests, forest wetlands, and mixed forest land making these areas a distinct habitat. Also 49 out of the 68 bears that were tracked where within 500 meters of a stream. Because majority were located within these three cover types and near a stream, these two features are the primary features in which need to be displayed to represent a suitable bear habitat. By producing an image of a bear habitat, I could then put the boundaries of the DNR management areas in the overall study area properly showing the extent to the DNRs role in a suitable bear habitat. Once I did this I then displayed the urban areas in this county and show a five kilometer perimeter around them. These urban areas with a five kilometer buffer can then been seen and taken into consideration by the DNR for an even more suitable bear habitat away from urban areas.

Methods:

The first step was to add the bear locations by their GPS coordinates. This was done by adding the data as XY data in a proper coordinate system (NAD 1983 HARN Michigan GeoRef (meters)). Once the GPS data was portray on the map in XY coordinates I could then use other features to create a proper map for a suitable bear habitat.

The next step was determine the specific bear habitat. To do this I had to first spatially join the bear locations to the land cover feature in order to see which type of cover type majority of the bears were located in. Once I determined the primary cover types I could make a layer displaying the suitable bear population based on cover type. Not only is cover type a significant factor in determining bear habitat but proximity to streams is also important. I then put a buffer of 500 meters around each stream and discovered 72% of the bears were located within this buffer.

The third step after establishing these two factors for a suitable bear habitat was to combine them together through the union tool. Once the buffered stream and the primary cover types were combined I then cleaned them up with the dissolve tool to display a solid habitat area.

The next objective once the suitable bear habitat was displayed in Marquette County was to incorporate the DNR Management areas. I added the DNR management layer and used to clip to clip out these areas within the study area. After the DNR boundaries were displayed within the study area, I used the dissolve tool to show each DNR management area as one. After I had these boundaries established I overlaid them on the suitable bear habitat layer I already created in order to show the habitat areas the DNR are responsible for.

The final step was to include urban areas within the map. A proper bear habitat should lay outside of urban areas by a significant distance. To show this I created a layer of urban areas from the land cover layer. After I had this layer I established a 5 kilometer buffer surrounding these areas. These areas then needed to be clipped within the study area extent and dissolved for a clean solid feature. Once a solid feature of a 5 kilometer urban area extent was displayed the map is complete in showing the proper suitable bear habitat and the DNR management areas outside urban disturbances.

Results: