Browsing by Author "Jacobson, Dan"

Now showing 1 - 12 of 12
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    Civil Society Opposition to Nonferrous Metals Mining in Guatemala
    (Springer, 2008-11-01) Holden, William N.; Jacobson, Dan
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    Civil Society Opposition to Nonferrous Metals Mining in Montana
    (Springer, 2007-09-22) Holden, William N.; Jacobson, Dan; Moran, Kirsten
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    Increasing the dimensionality of a Geographic Information System (GIS) Using Auditory Display
    (McGill University, 2007-06) MacVeigh, Ryan; Jacobson, Dan
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    An Integrated Software Environment for Object-Based Cellular Automata: An Application to the Study of Land-Use Changes
    (2019-09-12) Amini Tareh, Mahsa; Lichti, Derek D.; Lévy, Richard M.; Jacobson, Dan; Li, Songnian; Stefanakis, Emmanuel
    Cellular automata (CA) is a well-established modelling approach used to study patterns and dynamics of land-use/land-cover (LULC) systems and to predict their evolution. Increased computer performance, along with the need to improve how geographic space is represented have resulted in the recent development of object-based CA models. Their main advantage over conventional cell-based models is that they allow for the representation of meaningful, real-world entities. However, their use remains limited due to issues with data model inconsistencies between calibration and simulation, simple neighborhood configurations and driving factors, overlooking spatial and temporal scaling effects on simulated results, increased computation time required to handle vector geometrical transformations and topology, and lack of an integrated framework that encompasses the functionalities required for calibration and simulation. The objective of this research is to describe the architecture and functionality of a novel, object-based CA model that were tested in two study areas in the Elbow River watershed in southern Alberta at 5 m and 60 m resolution. A change detection analysis is first performed on a series of historical LULC maps in vector format to identify the trends and speed of change in LULC and the driving factors responsible for these changes. This information is stored in a spatial database accessible from the software environment. Calibration is conducted with several neighborhood configurations and drivers using the multi-class weight of evidence method to calculate the transition probabilities. Simulation is performed by allowing for the change of state and geometry of each object over time. Time-consuming vector-handling operations are optimized or parallelized to increase the speed of execution. The final model results indicate a positive agreement with an independent map used for comparison. The model reproduces realistic urbanization patterns along the main roads and the river. Also, it is apparent that there is a substantial improvement in computation time. This model represents a powerful exploration and application tool that will enable a large community of users to exploit the potential of CA modelling for understanding the dynamics of LULC systems.
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    An Investigation of Coordinates as Mathematical Evidence for Cadastral Surveying in Alberta
    (2021-04-27) Sakatch, Matthew Michael Philip; Rangelova, Elena; Detchev, Ivan; Lichti, Derek; O'Keefe, Kyle; Jacobson, Dan
    This research delves into the topic of coordinates as legal survey evidence for boundary positions. It is spurred by the recently adopted Hybrid Cadastre project in Alberta, Canada and the evidentiary changes concurrent with this initiative. A review of literature pertaining to how survey evidence in assessed historically under the Hierarchy of Evidence, as well as the implications of modern evidentiary initiatives with coordinates is provided. Hypotheses are formed from this literature review and enlighten the qualitative study design. Key informant interviews apprise of the profession’s perspectives on this form of evidence are assessed using qualitative methods. Informants included practicing land surveyors, academics, members of the public, and government officials. A descriptive narrative approach was applied to the informant’s feedback to generate emergent themes. Informant feedback was assessed against the themes by incorporating an ordinal scale to provide a parameterized data set. Inferences made from this dataset prime the synthesis and theory development. In synthesis, an emergent theory on coordinates as evidence is provided as well as a continuum for assessing coordinate based evidentiary initiatives. When properly framed within the legislative framework and in specific de facto applications coordinates can govern legal survey boundaries and be considered a sui generis form of boundary evidence. An emergent continuum is proposed to provide a metric for assessing future applications of coordinates as evidence in alternate jurisdictions. This continuum is founded in the principles of cadastral management, and ensuring the public's continued faith in the land framework. Conclusions are provided relating to the adoption of coordinates as evidence currently within the land framework and case law. Ultimately future adoption of coordinates as evidence is a topic that requires legislative intervention to provide for widespread adoption and acceptance.
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    Is there an association between spatial access to parks/green space and childhood overweight/obesity in Calgary, Canada?
    (BioMed Central, 2009-11-20) Potestio, Melissa L.; Patel, Alka B.; Powell, Christopher D.; McNeil, Deborah A.; Jacobson, Dan; McLaren, Lindsay
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    Map of 19th Century Writers
    (arcgis.com, 2024) Jacobson, Dan; Falahatkar, Hawjin; Brosz, John; Bourrier, Karen
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    Modelling Whitebark Pine Distribution in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem
    (2019-07-09) Blackadder, Shannon; McDermid, Gregory J.; Jacobson, Dan; Quinn, Michael S.
    Whitebark Pine (Pinus albicaulis; WBP) is a species facing serious threats throughout its range. To support ongoing WBP conservation efforts in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem (CCE), this thesis builds a multi-jurisdictional species distribution model (SDM). There are many critical decisions in building SDMs and little consensus on what works best. In this thesis, I consider how parameters of model type, pseudo-absence selection methods, and the number of pseudo-absences affect model performance. To deal with imperfect input data, I first build and test these model parameters on five WBP-like virtual species (VS). The results show that there are many model parameter combinations that perform equally well, but they predicted different spatial patterns of occurrence. Ensemble models (EM) were used to combine the information in these models into a final EM that outperforms any single model. Building a number of simple and ecologically sound models to use in an EM may be more useful than searching for the best single model. Whether VS are suitable proxies for real species is still unknown, but, used with caution, they have the potential to inform modelling parameter choices in circumstances where input data are imperfect. The final model built in this study is suitable for understanding the broad-scale relative probability of WBP across the CCE, and should complement finer scale work.
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    Place on the Plains: Modelling Past Movement Along the Red Deer River
    (2018-08-31) Beaulieu, Terry; Oetelaar, Gerald A.; Walde, Dale; Dawson, Peter Colin; Jacobson, Dan; Kennedy, Margaret
    This study explores the results of acknowledging philosophical and theoretical biases when undertaking a landscape archaeological investigation of movement by past people through one of the warmest and driest regions in the province of Alberta - the edges of the Red Deer River valley and adjoining coulees. Models of movement through the environment that reflect actual avenues of travel rather than just gross movement patterns of people are constructed employing Geographic Information Systems techniques. Prior to addressing the specifics of that movement, however, the current study explores the nature of reality, placing the research within a realist philosophical perspective, and examines the implications of acknowledging that objectivity in archaeology is but a myth. It also details some key concepts critical to understanding a landscape archaeological approach: space, place, and environment. By employing a Newtonian conception of space it draws from objectivist landscape archaeological techniques while, by defining place as wholly dependent upon human perception, simultaneously embraces subjectivist landscape archaeological views. The study thus attempts to bridge some of the divisions separating objectivist and subjectivist landscape archaeological approaches. Two seasons of field work led to the discovery and recording of close to 1,000 cobble features, comprised of rings, cairns, medicine wheels, and numerous other feature types. Recognizing the relational affordances active between past people and the environment enabled the identification of past significant places, revealed by the lasting imprints left by past place making activities, and the GIS modelling of probable past pedestrian routes through the study area. Such modeling uncovered past travel patterns that led to the locating of a previously unrecognized river crossing and illustrated the critical role place occupies in archaeological investigations. Additionally, the acknowledged importance of visibility was employed to identify possible physical locations of an as yet unknown medicine wheel. This study revealed that, while we exist within a world limited to biased perceptions of reality, when archaeologists acknowledge the existence of such perceptive biases they can subvert much of the negative effect caused by the inability to achieve true objectivity and uncover richer, more satisfying, pictures of the past.
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    Reflexive geovisualization: addressing conceptual and practical exposures in geographic visualization
    (2011) Mueller, Shawn Jospeh; Draper, Dianne L.; Jacobson, Dan
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    SeaTouch: A Haptic and Auditory Maritime Environment for Non Visual Cognitive Mapping of Blind Sailors
    (Springer, 2009-09) Simonnet, Mathieu; Jacobson, Dan; Vieilledent, Stephane; Tisseau, Jacques
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    Sketch Recognition and Interpretation Using a Web-Based PGIS Framework for Urban Planning
    (2017) Mohammadi, Ehsan; Wang, Xin; Feick, Robert; Lichti, Derek; Liang, Steve; Jacobson, Dan
    Internet and web mapping technologies have provided the public with a new understanding of maps and how they can participate in different types of activities. Access to these technologies offers opportunities for the provision of services that utilize users’ tacit knowledge to enhance the quality of engagements. This has led to the advent of applications that rely on users’ knowledge. However, participation in planning and decision-making using mapping technologies used by GIS and urban planning experts can be difficult and problematic for lay people as it requires expert knowledge. To address this issue, and other associated limitations (such as: validating the users’ input, defining the implication of planning based on users’ input and so on), this research investigates the difficulties and limitations related to participation and offers a solution based on semantics that models urban feature relationships to help recognize and validate users’ contributions collected as a set of sketches in an urban context. This methodology aims to help community members to engage in participatory GIS activities with minimal cognitive effort. The overall process requires an approach to help participants convey their cognitive maps in a valid and logical way that matches with standard urban patterns generally, or for an application specifically. Developing an ontology to model urban entities and their relationships is crucial for this matter. Utilizing spatial reasoning to check and validate logical relationships between sketches and existing features based on the developed ontology for the domain is also essential. In this thesis, the main objective was to overcome the aforementioned difficulties of user interaction with a PGIS system. To achieve the objective, an ontology was developed to present the semantic, topological and geometric relationships among the urban planning entities. Then, spatial reasoning rules were applied to recognize and validate users’ input and give them feedback based on the nature of their input. Finally a web-based system called PYPsketch for participatory GIS was developed. The user interface of the system was also evaluated in terms of urban feature recognition.