GIS 1 Lab 3: Vector Analysis with ArcGIS

Optimal Bear Habitat Management Areas

PURPOSE

The purpose of this analysis was to determine suitable habitat for pares in Marquette County, Michigan. I was given bear x,y coordinates in an excel file, and a map including the study area, DNR managed lands, land cover, and streams. The pedagogical goal was to learn how to import x,y coordinates as points in ArcMap, and to practice using overlay tools. Additionally, I learned how to organize and build a Data Flow Model. Also, I used Python for the first time.

METHODS

The methods of my analysis are outlined in the Data Flow Model below. To summarize, I first imported x,y coordinates from an excel file to create points on a the map representing the locations bear have been found in Marquette County. Second, I summarized which landcovers the bears were found in to determine which forest types are preferred by the bears. Third, I determined whether bears are found near streams. In this data, 72% of bears were found within 500 meters of a stream. Fourth, using these two criteria and the Intersect tool, I found the ideal bear habitat. Fifth, I clipped this habitat to only include areas managed by the Michigan DNR. Sixth, and lastly, I eliminated the managed habitat areas that were within 5 kilometers of an urban or built up area using the Erase tool. This produced the final suitable bear habitat located on the DNR management lands.

PYTHON SCRIPT

>>>arcpy.Buffer_analysis("streams", "stream_buff", "1 kilometer", "FULL", "ROUND", "ALL")

<Result 'Q:\\StudentCoursework\\Strand\\GEOG.335.001.2175\\BRUSHADE\\Blog\\LAB3\\marquette_bear_study.gdb\\stream_buff'>

>>>arcpy.Intersect_analysis(["stream_buff", "habitat_dis"], "land_stream")

<Result 'Q:\\StudentCoursework\\Strand\\GEOG.335.001.2175\\BRUSHADE\\Blog\\LAB3\\marquette_bear_study.gdb\\land_stream'>

>>>arcpy.Erase_analysis("habitat_dis", "urbanbu_buffer", "hab_w_o_urban")

<Result 'Q:\\StudentCoursework\\Strand\\GEOG.335.001.2175\\BRUSHADE\\Blog\\LAB3\\marquette_bear_study.gdb\\hab_w_o_urban'>

>>> 

DATA FLOW MODEL

MAP

RESULTS

The resulting area is pink on the map. It appears very few bears were actually found within this area. This is reasonable since the ideal bear habitat areas (which are green on the map) cover much more area than the final selection due to low management areas.

SOURCES

Angeli, E., Wagner, J., Lawrick, E., Moore, K., Anderson, M., Soderlund, L., & Brizee, A. (2010, May 5). General format. Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Hupy, C (Spring 2016). Lab 2: Vector Analysis with ArcGIS.

USGS NLCD. Landcover. http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mgdl/nlcd/metadata/nlcdshp.html.

DNR. Management Units. http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/spatialdatalibrary/metadata/wildlife_mgmt_uni ts.htm.

State of Michigan. Streams. http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mgdl/framework/metadata/Marquette.html.