Introductory-level treatment - This book is written for those who know very little about geographic information systems and spatial analysis. Relatively complex GIS principles are introduced in as simple a manner as possible, often using graphics to communicate principles rather than complex mathematical equations. When equations are required, they are presented using simple algebraic and/or trigonometry terms. Versatile presentation - Although the book is written for a college audience, many professionals wishing to learn the fundamentals of GIS will also find the book useful. This book is a resource for physical, natural, and social scientists interested in how GIS can be used to solve real-world problems. Ideally, the reader should have education or practical experience in a systematic body of knowledge (e.g., physical geography, geology, forestry, biogeography, planning, wildlife biology, etc.
) where they will apply the GIS principles and procedures described in this book. Timely, practical examples and applications appear in each chapter. Many of the GIS principles and spatial analysis methods introduced in the book are adapted from GIS research projects conducted by Drs. John and Ryan Jensen during the past 10 years. Content is not oriented toward any single commercial GIS software program . The majority of the geospatial analysis examples used in the book were created using ESRI ArcGIS and ERDAS Imagine. Nevertheless, the illustrative examples are crafted so that the book emphasizes theoretical and practical GIS processing without advocating or advertising the use of one GIS or digital image processing system over another. Unique illustrations are included throughout.
The book contains hundreds of entirely new illustrations and tables created by the authors to make complex principles easy to understand. Most are in color, which facilitates the description and discussion of important geospatial concepts. All of the illustrations and tables in the book are available in a digital format. All the illustrations and tables are included in Microsoft PowerPoint files associated with each chapter. Educators can use these illustrations in addition to their own teaching materials to prepare accurate and visually stunning lecture and laboratory materials. Consistent pedagogy in each chapter, including Chapter-opening Overviews and Learning Outcomes, and end-of-chapter Summaries, Review Questions, and References, provides students with a structured learning path to help master GIS concepts. Large, full-color format optimally showcases the figures and diagrams, ensuring that they are readable and visually informative. The most important GIS and cartographic design principles are more effectively communicated using color.
Selected appendices containing information about societies and organizations that promote the effective use of GIS, reliable sources of data for input to a GIS, and sources of GIS software and hardware are provided. A premium website at www.mygeoscienceplace.com contains self-study quizzes, "In the News" RSS Feeds, data files, and additional resources to extend learning beyond the text.