Question 1

GIS itself does not provide functions to&#10;A) georeference field observed species distribution data&#10;B) combine dependent environmental data layers&#10;C) predict probabilities of species distribution&#10;D) derive topographic variables

Accepted Answer

GIS itself does not inherently provide predictive modeling functions, such as predicting probabilities of species distribution, which typically require specialized statistical or machine learning tools.

Question 2

Land allocation scenarios can be developed using multi-criteria decision analysis in GIS by&#10;A) changing ratings or scores on criterion maps&#10;B) changing weights of criteria&#10;C) changing standardisation methods

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

A land mapping unit in a land suitability assessment is a mapped area defined in terms of&#10;A) administration boundary&#10;B) land uses&#10;C) arbitrary areal units&#10;D) variation in soils, or soils and landforms

Accepted Answer

A land mapping unit is defined based on the variation in soils, or soils and landforms within a specific area. This helps to identify areas with similar characteristics and determine their suitability for specific uses. Administered boundaries, land uses, and arbitrary areal units may not necessarily correspond with the soil and landform characteristics of an area, and are therefore not suitable criteria for defining a land mapping unit in a land suitability assessment.

Question 4

Which of the following is a land characteristic?&#10;A) erosion hazard&#10;B) water availability&#10;C) soil organic matter content&#10;D) conditions for ripening

Accepted Answer

Soil organic matter content is a characteristic of land, as it directly relates to the soil's health, fertility, and productivity, which are intrinsic qualities of the land itself.

Question 5

Before collecting data for habitat potential mapping, the potential habitat preferences of target species need to be inferred based on&#10;A) scientific literature or experts' knowledge&#10;B) common sense&#10;C) statistics&#10;D) simulation modelling results

Accepted Answer

Inferring potential habitat preferences of target species based on scientific literature or experts' knowledge is considered the best approach as it is based on established scientific evidence and expert opinions. Common sense may not always be reliable, statistics alone may not provide a complete understanding of the species' preferences, and simulation modelling results may have limitations and uncertainties.

Question 6

Which of the following is not a step in habitat potential mapping?&#10;A) identifying an appropriate sampling strategy for collecting species observation data&#10;B) eliciting value judgements from resource managers&#10;C) selecting appropriate spatio-temporal resolutions&#10;D) selecting appropriate modelling methods&#10;E) selecting appropriate methods for assessment of the predictive accuracy

Accepted Answer

Eliciting value judgements from resource managers is not a step in habitat potential mapping. The other four steps (identifying an appropriate sampling strategy, selecting appropriate spatio-temporal resolutions, selecting appropriate modelling methods, and selecting appropriate methods for assessment of the predictive accuracy) are all crucial steps in the process.

Question 7

It is believed that a rare tree species is distributed in the regions with an altitude from 1100 to 1500m and on southeast facing slopes of 10-20 degrees. Which of the following is the right sequence of GIS operations for mapping the habitat potential of the species with the environmental envelope approach? (Suppose you were provided with DEM, slope and aspect raster layers.)

A) Reclassify the DEM, slope and aspect layers into multi-class maps respectively (with 1100-1500m as one of the classes on the reclassified DEM layer, southeast as one of the classes on the reclassified aspect layer and 10-20 degrees as one of the classes on the reclassified slope layer), and then overlay the three multi-class maps with the arithmetic operator 'Multiply'.
B) Reclassify the DEM, slope and aspect layers into multi-class maps respectively (with 1100-1500m as one of the classes on the reclassified DEM layer, southeast as one of the classes on the reclassified aspect layer and 10-20 degrees as one of the classes on the reclassified slope layer), and then overlay the three multi-class maps with the logic operator 'AND'.
C) Reclassify the DEM, slope and aspect layers into binary maps respectively (with 1100-1500m as 1 and others as 0 on the reclassified DEM layer, southeast as 1 and others as 0 on the reclassified aspect layer and 10-20 degrees as 1 and others as 0 on the reclassified slope layer), and then overlay the three binary maps with the logic operator 'AND' .
D) Reclassify the DEM, slope and aspect layers into binary maps respectively (with 1100-1500m as 1 and others as 0 on the reclassified DEM layer, southeast as 1 and others as 0 on the reclassified aspect layer and 10-20 degrees as 1 and others as 0 on the reclassified slope layer), and then overlay the three binary maps with the logic operator 'OR'.

Accepted Answer

The best option is to reclassify the three input layers into binary maps with 1 representing the range of suitable values and 0 representing the unsuitable range. This is because the question requires mapping the environmental envelope of a rare tree species, which means identifying the specific conditions in which it can grow. The AND logic operator should be used to overlay the binary maps because the species can only exist where all three conditions (altitude, slope aspect) are present simultaneously.

Question 8

The abundance of dunlin in northern Scotland can be predicted using the following multiple regression model where D is the distance from pool-system edges, and NIR (near infrared) reflectance represents the scaled intensity of near infrared radiation reflected from the ground which is sensitive to ground wetness). Suppose you were provided with the NIR band of Landsat imagery and a vector data layer of pool systems covering the area, which GIS operation or sequence of GIS operations should you use to create an abundance map?

A) Reclassify the NIR band image into a multi-class map layer, rasterise the pool systems layer and reclassify it into a multi-class map layer, and combine the reclassified multi-class maps via map algebra with the model.
B) Reclassify the NIR band image into a multi-class map layer, rasterise the pool systems layer and generate a proximity map using it as the input layer, reclassify the proximity map into a multi-class map layer, and combine the reclassified multi-class maps via map algebra with the model.
C) Reclassify the NIR band image into a multi-class map layer, generate a proximity map using the pool systems as the input layer, reclassify the proximity map into a multi-class map layer, and combine the reclassified multi-class maps via map algebra with the model.
D) Generate a proximity map using the pool systems layer as the input layer, and combine the proximity map and the NIR band image via map algebra with the model.

Accepted Answer

The model requires the distance from pool-system edges (D) and NIR reflectance. Generating a proximity map from the pool systems layer directly provides the distance (D) needed. The NIR band image already represents NIR reflectance, so it doesn't need reclassification for this purpose. Combining these two directly via map algebra with the model is the most straightforward and accurate approach.

Question 9

Which step is not involved in mapping economic values of ecosystem services using the value transfer method?&#10;A) establish a land cover typology&#10;B) map land cover and associated ecosystem service values&#10;C) elicit ecosystem service values perceived by the public&#10;D) calculate total ecosystem service values by cover class

Accepted Answer

The value transfer method involves collecting data on the economic value of ecosystem services in a specific area and transferring that value to a similar area that lacks data. The steps involved are: 
1) establish a land cover typology, 
2) map land cover and associated ecosystem service values, 
3) calculate total ecosystem service values by cover class, and 
4) transfer values to the target area. 
Eliciting ecosystem service values perceived by the public is not typically part of the value transfer method, as it focuses on economic values rather than perceptions or preferences.

Question 10

Mapping and analysing perceived landscape values can help&#10;A) protect privacy&#10;B) promote personal values&#10;C) resolve land use conflicts&#10;D) satisfy individuals' preferences and desires

Accepted Answer

Mapping and analyzing perceived landscape values can help resolve land use conflicts by identifying areas where conflicting views and interests exist, and finding ways to reconcile them. It can also inform decision-making to ensure that land use is sustainable and meets the needs of different stakeholders. While mapping perceived landscape values can help protect privacy and promote personal values, it is primarily used as a tool for resolving conflicts and promoting sustainable land use. Satisfying individuals' preferences and desires may not always be possible or desirable in the context of land use planning and management.

Question 11

Values suitability analysis involves&#10;A) interviews or questionnaire surveys&#10;B) value mapping&#10;C) density mapping&#10;D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

The answer of Values suitability analysis involves&#10;A) interviews or questionnaire...

Question 12

Participatory assessment in values suitability analysis is to elicit&#10;A) values people associate with their land properties&#10;B) values people associate with the places&#10;C) values people associate with their work&#10;D) values people associate with their activities

Accepted Answer

The answer of Participatory assessment in values suitability analysis is...

Question 13

Density mapping in values suitability analysis is to&#10;A) show varying densities of population&#10;B) show varying densities of significant places&#10;C) show varying intensities of landscape values&#10;D) show varying intensities of land use

Accepted Answer

The answer of Density mapping in values suitability analysis is...

Question 14

Density mapping creates a surface from discrete objects, on which the value at a point is&#10;A) the interpolated value of the discrete objects at that point&#10;B) the number of the discrete objects at that point&#10;C) the ratio of the sum of the values of the discrete objects in the specified neighbourhood of that point to the area of the neighbourhood&#10;D) the ratio of the number of the discrete objects in the specified neighbourhood of that point to the area of the neighbourhood

Accepted Answer

The answer of Density mapping creates a surface from discrete...

Question 15

Hot spots of a landscape value refer to&#10;A) places having high densities of a landscape value&#10;B) places having low densities of a landscape value&#10;C) places having the highest rating of a landscape value by a respondent

Accepted Answer

The answer of Hot spots of a landscape value refer...

Question 16

The extent of a hot spot of a landscape value can be delineated by&#10;A) arbitrarily defining a density threshold&#10;B) visually identifying a grey scale on a density map&#10;C) using spatial statistics&#10;D) using spatial query

Accepted Answer

The answer of The extent of a hot spot of...

Deck 10: Environmental Applications of GIS