Introduction to Spatial Data Analysis

An Introduction to Spatial Data Analysis introduces spatial data handling using the open source software Quantum GIS (QGIS). In addition, readers will be guided through their first steps in the R programming language. The authors explain the fundamentals of spatial data handling and analysis, empowering the reader to turn data acquired in the field into actual spatial data. Readers will learn to process and analyse spatial data of different types and interpret the data and results. After finishing this book, readers will be able to address questions such as "What is the distance to the border of the protected area?", "Which points are located close to a road?", "Which fraction of land cover types exist in my study area?" using different software and techniques.

This book is for novice spatial data users and does not assume any prior knowledge of spatial data itself or practical experience working with such data sets. Readers will likely include student and professional ecologists, geographers and any environmental scientists or practitioners who need to collect, visualize and analyse spatial data.

The software used will be the widely applied open source scientific programs QGIS and R. All scripts and data sets used in the book will be provided online at book.ecosens.org.

This book covers specific methods including:

- what to consider before collecting in situ data

- how to work with spatial data collected in situ

- the difference between raster and vector data

- how to acquire further vector and raster data

- how to create relevant environmental information

- how to combine and analyse in situ and remote sensing data

- how to create useful maps for field work and presentations

- how to use QGIS and R for spatial analysis

- how to develop analysis scripts

Martin Wegmannhas a PhD in remote sensing focusing on time-series analysis on land cover change and fragmentation in Africa. He is an assistant professor at the Global Change Ecology Msc program at the University of Würzburg, Germany and runs courses in remote sensing analysis for biodiversity and conservation.

Stefan Dech is director of the German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD) since 1998, and current spokesman of the Earth Observation Center (EOC) at the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Since 2001 he has held the Chair for Remote Sensing at the Institute of Geography and Geology of the University of Würzburg.