My practical interest in GIS began with analysing model results and terrain. As I learned more, it opened further questions and applications. That led to my GIS Day session on “GIS applications in environmental studies”: an event connecting basic concepts to real data for environmental practitioners, students and researchers, rather than claiming to compress the whole GIS discipline into one meeting.
Why I organised the session this way
I wanted the content to be accessible even to someone meeting GIS for the first time. We therefore began with geographic data and maps before downloading and combining datasets. Understanding what a layer represents allows a user to question it, instead of collecting files whose relationships are unclear.
The practical question was environmental: how can species occurrence records be examined alongside terrain and land cover? That connected the exercises within one project and gave each step a purpose.
Spatial and attribute data
Spatial data describe location and geometry: a point for an animal observation, a line for a road or river, or a polygon for a facility boundary or habitat. Attributes add names, species, dates, notes and other explanatory information.
They belong together in practice. A point without a date or species name cannot answer the same question as a documented occurrence. A rich table without suitable coordinates may not support the intended spatial analysis. We examined how a record in the table connects to the feature on the map.
Vector, raster and different kinds of maps
Vector data represent points, lines and polygons. Raster data hold values or classes in grid cells, such as elevation or land cover. Their different structures affect the operations we use, including distances, areas and extracting grid values.
We also discussed topographic maps, thematic maps of a particular issue and basemaps providing context. Paper and digital maps differ not only in how they are viewed, but in the opportunities for querying, changing the display, analysis and linking information.
The elements that make a map readable
A title identifies the subject, a legend explains colours and symbols, and scale relates mapped distance to distance on the ground. North orientation, sources and dates help the reader understand position and limitations. These are part of the explanation, not decoration added after analysis.
Visual decisions affect interpretation too. Poorly chosen colours or symbols can merge layers or conceal a relevant feature. Presentation should follow the question, audience and scale without implying greater accuracy than the evidence supports.
The first application: GBIF occurrence records
We used the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to select records containing locations of species observations. After download, the data were added to ArcGIS Pro, where participants could connect mapped points with names, dates and locations in the attribute table. [2]
That demonstrates the transition from a data file to a queryable layer. It also introduces necessary checks: coordinate quality, uncertainty, record date and the possibility that missing points indicate limited sampling rather than species absence.
The second application: elevation from Earthdata
We added a DEM accessible through sources such as NASA Earthdata and SRTM products. The exercise concerned reading terrain and deriving contours while understanding that grid spacing and product accuracy limit the detail that can be inferred. [3]
We could then ask whether observations occurred within particular elevation ranges or on certain slopes. A spatial relationship suggests a question, not proof of causation: survey effort, timing and accessibility may also influence the observed pattern.
The third application: Copernicus land cover
Copernicus Land Monitoring Service data added categories such as agriculture, built areas, water and woodland according to the selected product. The project then contained occurrence, elevation and land-cover layers together. [4]
Coordinate systems, scales and reference years needed review before asking what cover surrounds the records or whether conditions differed between observation and mapping dates. Visual overlap alone does not establish that every comparison is valid.
From collecting layers to explaining an analysis
The intended result was not simply a colourful image. It was a project in which the origin and meaning of each layer were known and the route from download to display, query and integration could be explained. The map could then describe connections between wildlife, the physical environment and human activities.
The same reasoning applies to other environmental tasks, such as preparing model receptors or examining terrain around emission sources. The layers change, but purpose, definitions, spatial compatibility and documentation remain central.
The event and the resources that followed
GIS Day gave me an opportunity to share these applications. Esri supplied three one-year ArcGIS for Personal Use licences for the event, valued at US$100 each in my original announcement. That describes the initiative at the time, rather than a current price or continuing giveaway.
Afterwards I shared the recording on YouTube, sent attendance certificates to the registered participants who attended and provided links for further practice. The recording link appears in the references, alongside the data platforms and Esri training resources. [1][5] Participants’ questions and contributions were an important part of the experience.
References & original writing
Adapted and expanded from the author’s LinkedIn writing. Technical references are listed below.
