GIS for Science

See how scientists working on the world's most pressing problems apply geographic information systems—GIS. GIS for Science brings to life a collection of real-world examples of scientists using geographic information systems (GIS) to expand our understanding of the world. They are part of a global effort to find ways to sustain a livable environment for all life on the planet. At Esri, we call this The Science of Where®, a concept that merges our impulse to dream, discover, and understand with the rigor and discipline of the scientific process and the foundation of geography. As such, GIS provides a framework for applying science to almost every human endeavor as we aspire to transform the world through mapping and analytics. The stories in this book are written for professional scientists, the swelling ranks of citizen scientists, and anyone interested in science and geography. The contributors represent a cross section of scientists who employ data gathered from satellites, aircraft, ships, drones, and myriad other remote-sensing technologies. This data is brought to life with GIS to study a range of issues relevant to our understanding of planet Earth and beyond. Scientists are documenting an array of geographically oriented issues ranging from climate change, natural disasters, and loss of biodiversity to political strife, disease outbreaks, and resource shortages. The examples in this collection show how ArcGIS® software and the ArcGIS® Online cloud-based system work as a comprehensive geospatial platform to support research, collaboration, spatial analysis, and communication across many settings and communities. In these chapters, you’ll learn about research on the effects of climate change on glaciers, advances in drone-based archaeological methods, the creation of a data-derived map of the world’s ecosystems, efforts to preserve iconic avian habitats, and much more. These stories present GIS ideas and inspiration that users can apply across many disciplines, making this volume relevant to diverse scientific audiences. GIS for Science presents a collection of real-world stories about modern science and a cadre of scientists who use mapping and spatial analytics to expand their understanding of the world. The accounts in this book are written for a broad audience including professional scientists, the swelling ranks of citizen scientists, and people generally interested in science and geography. Scientific data are brought to life with GIS technology to study a range of issues relevant to the functioning of planet Earth in a natural sense as well as the impacts of human activity. In a race against the clock, the scientists profiled in this volume are using remote sensing, web maps within a geospatial cloud, Esri StoryMaps, and spatial analysis to document and solve an array of issues with a geographic dimension, ranging from climate change, natural disasters, and loss of biodiversity, to homelessness, loss of green infrastructure, and resource shortages. These stories present geospatial ideas and inspiration that readers can apply across many disciplines, making this volume relevant to a diverse scientific audience. See how scientists working on the world's most pressing problems apply geographic information systems—GIS.