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GIS in Conservation Science

Module description

This module aims to provide you with a good working knowledge of the theory and practice underpinning the application of GIS and geospatial analysis in the fields of conservation and ecology. Throughout the module you will be introduced to, and gain practical experience of using open-source GIS software (QGIS and R) to acquire, create, manipulate analyse and visualise a range of spatial datasets. These practicals will underpin a range of complementary assessments that focus on enhancing your data visualisation, analytical and problem-solving skills using GIS software; thereby providing you with a breadth of experience for a career in applied scientific research, industry or as a conservation practitioner.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The ability to use and understand Geographical Information System (GIS) software to create, manage and analyse spatial data is a highly sought-after skillset that will enhance your employability in the fields of biodiversity conservation and management, and more broadly in the environmental sciences. GIS tutorials and practical sessions will provide training in a range of spatial data acquistion, processig and visualisation techniques using the most widely used open-source software packages (QGIS and R). Topics covered will progress from basic skills - including building confidence with installing and interacting with GIS software interfaces, data import and creation, and map making – through to more complex techniques for manipulating and combining point, line, polygon and raster data. Later tutorials and practical sessions will apply the techniques learned to some common uses of GIS in ecology and conservation, including analysis and visualisation of animal movement data, species distribution modelling, and spatial planning and prioritisation. As part of the module you will develop your data visualisation and analytical experience, and gain experience of producing a high-quality consultancy report (and supporting visuals to support your rationale and decision-making process) – all key skills that are essential for working in the conservation sector, and for disseminating information to key stakeholders (e.g., NGOs, policy makers, conservation practitioners and implementing agencies).

Transferable skills include:

• the application of GIS as a means of solving spatial problems (linking theory to practice, responding to novel and unfamiliar problems, data handling);
• time management (managing time effectively);
• experience of presenting and disseminating key findings effectively using multiple formats.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Recognise and critically evaluate the utility of GIS in conservation science and environmental management applications
• 2. Apply critical thinking approaches to best direct the collection and use of spatial data for questions with specific relevance to marine/terrestrial conservation science
• 3. Correctly identify the relevant tools required to conduct scientific (spatial) research in marine/terrestrial ecosystems

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Critically describe current problems and/or new insights in marine/terrestrial conservation science.
• 5. Identify critical questions from the literature and synthesise research-informed examples from the literature into written work
• 6. Describe in detail some techniques applicable to research in conservation and biodiversity and identify and implement, with guidance, appropriate methodologies and theories for addressing specific research problems
• 7. Describe and evaluate approaches to our understanding of biosciences with reference to primary literature, reviews and research articles

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate your conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences
• 9. Tackle and solve problems independently and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level
• 10. Work independently to advance your knowledge and understanding and develop new skills to a high level
• 11. Reflect effectively on learning experiences and summarise personal achievements
• 12. Effectively communicate and visualise complex ideas, principles and theories fluently using a variety of formats in a manner appropriate to the intended audience

Syllabus plan

Lectures have been designed to provide a brief overview of the application of GIS in ecology and conservation, thereby providing background context for tutorial and practical sessions that will cover the following topics:

• Installing and interacting with free open-source software
• Understanding raster and vector data
• Loading, interacting with, and saving spatial data
• Creating, digitising and editing spatial data
• Layer styling
• Data visualisation (creating maps)
• Working with and processing vector and raster data
• Performing spatial joins and queries
• Downloading and pre-processing remote sensing data
• Processing and visualising animal movement data

Basic species distribution modellingSpatial planning and prioritisation using decision support toolsField skills – including the acquisition of spatial data using handheld GPS devices and drones
Practical sessions will be delivered in two main phases aimed at building familiarity with different software packages. Earlier sessions will be taught using QGIS (a graphical user interface-based software) to introduce spatial data constructs and gain experience performing a range of common geoprocessing and data visualisation tasks. Later sessions will then build on and extend the techniques learned using the statistical programming software R, which provides an alternative and complementary environment for spatial data analysis and visualisation in scientific research.

Practicals will be delivered through a combination of fully-worked examples and self-guided follow-up exercises that illustrate a range of potential applications in ecology and conservation. Timetabled help sessions (GIS clinics) are also included to ensure additional support is available. Please note, whilst the module primarily uses examples of the application of GIS in marine conservation science, the skills gained are transferrable to terrestrial systems and species.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to redo the original assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will count for 100% of the final mark and will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• McHaffie, P., Sungsoon, H. & Follett, C (2019) GIS: an introduction to mapping technologies. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group. 363p.
• Krygier, J. & Wood, D. (2016) Making maps. A visual guide to map design for GIS. Third edition. The Guildford Press. 293p.
• Wegman, M. & Leutner, B. (2016) Remote sensing and GIS for ecologists. Pelagic Publishing. 333p.
• Borra, S., Rohi, T. & Dey, N. (2019) Satellite Image Analysis: Clustering and Classification. Springer. 110p.
• Lovelace, R., Nowosad, J. & Muenchow, J. (2021) Geocomputation with R. (https://bookdown.org/robinlovelace/geocompr/)

Please note each of these books are accessible as e-books through the library.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE page: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk
• CLUZ software, user guides and video tutorials: https://anotherbobsmith.wordpress.com/software/
• Marxan software, user guides and key references: https://marxansolutions.org/
• QGIS tutorials: http://www.qgistutorials.com/en/ (for additional support and guidance)
• R spatial help forum: https://r-spatial.org/

Key words search

Geographic Information Systems (GIS), R, spatial analysis, spatial planning, conservation planning, spatial prioritisation, systematic conservation planning, protected areas, biodiversity management, spatial ecology, decision science, conservation, research, animal movement, species distribution models