Graduate Study in Urban Forest Ecology Ohio University

We are looking for capable students to join our Urban Forest research team at the Masters or PhD level. Students will work on population dynamics of the urban forest. Remote sensing and ground truthing will be used to characterize change in urban tree communities through decades and centuries, comparing tree demography across gradients of urban development and land ownership. In addition to research commitments, students will take courses and serve as teaching assistants in the Department of Environmental and Plant Biology. Both positions are fully funded including tuition waivers.

Applicants should have a GPA of at least 3.2 and GREs above the 60th percentile. A strong work ethic, quantitative skills, and the ability work independently are essential. Applicants should be physically fit and capable of field work under less-than-ideal conditions. Previous field experience is desirable.

The Department of Environmental and Plant Biology (https://www.ohio.edu/cas/plant-biology) is a community of mutually supportive faculty and students at Ohio University. The University is situated in the small city of Athens, nestled in the forested hills of the Allegheny Plateau. The positions will begin in Summer or Fall of 2020; applications must be received by January 15. Application procedures are described at https://www.ohio.edu/cas/plant-biology/graduate/admissions. If you are interested please contact Glenn Matlack at Matlack@ohio.edu. See my web page at https://www.ohio.edu/cas/matlack.

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History of GIS

The history of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is rooted in early efforts to understand spatial relationships and patterns, long before the advent of digital computers. While modern GIS emerged in the mid-20th century with advances in computing, its conceptual foundations lie in cartography, spatial analysis, and thematic mapping. Early Roots of Spatial Analysis (Pre-1960s) One of the earliest documented applications of spatial analysis dates back to 1832 , when Charles Picquet , a French geographer and cartographer, produced a cholera mortality map of Paris. In his report Rapport sur la marche et les effets du choléra dans Paris et le département de la Seine , Picquet used graduated color shading to represent cholera deaths per 1,000 inhabitants across 48 districts. This work is widely regarded as an early example of choropleth mapping and thematic cartography applied to epidemiology. A landmark moment in the history of spatial analysis occurred in 1854 , when John Snow inv...

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Platforms in Remote Sensing

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In Geographic Information Systems (GIS) , data is categorized based on its nature (discrete or continuous) and its measurement scale (nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio). These distinctions influence how the data is collected, analyzed, and visualized. Let's break down these categories with concepts, terminologies, and examples: 1. Discrete Data Discrete data is obtained by counting distinct items or entities. Values are finite and cannot be infinitely subdivided. Characteristics : Represent distinct objects or occurrences. Commonly represented as vector data (points, lines, polygons). Values within a range are whole numbers or categories. Examples : Number of People : Counting individuals on a train or in a hospital. Building Types : Categorizing buildings as residential, commercial, or industrial. Tree Count : Number of trees in a specific area. 2. Continuous Data Continuous data is obtained by measuring phenomena that can take any value within a range...

History of GIS

1. 1832 - Early Spatial Analysis in Epidemiology: - Charles Picquet creates a map in Paris detailing cholera deaths per 1,000 inhabitants. - Utilizes halftone color gradients for visual representation. 2. 1854 - John Snow's Cholera Outbreak Analysis: - Epidemiologist John Snow identifies cholera outbreak source in London using spatial analysis. - Maps casualties' residences and nearby water sources to pinpoint the outbreak's origin. 3. Early 20th Century - Photozincography and Layered Mapping: - Photozincography development allows maps to be split into layers for vegetation, water, etc. - Introduction of layers, later a key feature in GIS, for separate printing plates. 4. Mid-20th Century - Computer Facilitation of Cartography: - Waldo Tobler's 1959 publication details using computers for cartography. - Computer hardware development, driven by nuclear weapon research, leads to broader mapping applications by early 1960s. 5. 1960 - Canada Geograph...

Vineesh V, Geography

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