Land Use Change in New Spain: A Three-Dimensional Historical GIS Analysis

The introduction of European livestock into the New World resulted in extensive land use changes. Studying the spatiality of these changes as they actually transpired in a three-dimensional landscape can enhance our knowledge of the environmental transformations that accompanied colonization. This article focuses on a case study area in New Spain, roughly equivalent to present-day Mexico, wherein forty-seven sheep ranches were established through viceregal land grants between 1535 and 1610. An integration of fieldwork, textual analysis of land grants, and imagery analysis enables these ranches to be mapped in a three-dimensional geographic information system (GIS) environment. Once mapped in a GIS, the spatial statistics of each ranch's elevation, slope, and aspect (slope orientation) can be calculated to identify spatio-temporal patterns of land use change. These spatio-temporal patterns can be interpreted within the highly localized contexts of land granting to amplify our understanding of human–environment interaction in New Spain. This article's key findings are that grantees harbored a persistent preference for south-facing land; ranches clustered most heavily on isolated elevations; viceregal ordinances were effective at keeping livestock away from low-lying, agriculturally productive zones; and, as a consequence of native population decline and forced native resettlements, the midelevations experienced a land use change from semiterraced agriculture to ranching. These results offer a fresh perspective on the local-scale processes of land use change that resulted from the European colonization of the New World.     

GIS research to address tensions in geography

The rise of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies has been producing powerful tools for spatial data processing, management, analysis, modeling, and visualization. While supporting many tasks, GIS technologies have evoked new thinking and advanced intellectual inquiries in geography. Technological advances in other fields often stimulate new research questions and lead to revolutionary discoveries. The Hubble telescope revolutionizes our understanding of the universe, and 3D digital microscopes transform our knowledge of the coordination among biological, neurological, and physiological systems in living organisms. Can GIS claim similar revolutionary effects on geography? The answer is much up for debate. With GIS technologies, geographic studies can explore a broader extent across multiple scales in space and time and tackle problems through increasingly complex spatial statistics, visual analytics, computation, simulation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Both the Hubble telescope and 3D digital microscope were built based on scientific research that subserves the technological advances for inquiries into space and life systems. Likewise, GIScience research innovates GIS methods that enable novel geographic investigations and therefore contribute to geographic knowledge production. For the sake of simplicity, the term GIS used here represents both GIScience and GIS technologies. This essay attempts to clarify the intellectual contributions of GIS to geography on the following two questions: (1) What novel geographic thinking is driven by GIS? (2) How may GIS provoke new geographic inquiries and knowledge? Building on Nystuen's notion of four tensions that trigger geographic questions, the essay discusses how GIS innovations mediate historical tension, space‐time tension, dimensional tension and scale tensions.     

MAPPING KENTUCKY'S FRONTIER TRAILS THROUGH GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION AND CARTOGRAPHIC APPLICATIONS*

Historical first‐generation frontier roads in America's trans‐Appalachian West often evolved from buffalo and Indian trails into pioneer routeways such as Daniel Boone's Trace and, eventually, into twentieth‐century hard‐surface highways. Period cartographers found these routes difficult to document accurately, and present‐day scholars often depict them only on small‐scale maps, which simply illustrate connections between origin and destination points. Accurately mapping Kentucky's first‐generation roads at large scale requires detailed site and contextual topographic information over long distances, but historical maps, diaries, surveyors' reports, and other period documents often lack sufficient detail for route‐related sites to support mapping. Use of gis software enables positioning historical routes onto U.S. Geological Survey contour‐ and hill‐shaded base maps by mapping verifiable locations and linking them through interpretation of best‐choice routes that consider frontier migrants' transportation priorities, such as direction, distance, gradient, and land‐surface character.     

京奉铁路之历史地理研究(1881-1912年)

京奉铁路是近代中国第一条干线铁路,全长840 km,起始于1881年的唐胥铁路建设,经历许多波折,兴建时间长达31年,可以视为近代中国铁路发展的缩影。在中国近代化的过程之中,近代交通的发展受到守旧派的阻力相当巨大,其中铁路建设阻力更大。京奉铁路从清帝国首都北京修筑至陪都盛京,并非一帆风顺,而是在各种错综复杂的因素影响下艰难分段延展。在地理空间的展布上,京奉铁路的路线走向受到多种因素的影响,其中包含政治因素、军事因素、经济因素、地理因素、风俗习惯等。本研究将藉助GIS,对相关区域旧版大比例尺地形图(包含战前日本所制的地形图在内)做定位与套迭,取得旧日铁路路线、城垣、河道、皇家苑囿等地理信息进行分析,探讨影响京奉铁路路线与各种因素的关系。在地图资料之外,本研究将与其他的文字史料相互参照,以分析在唐山—胥各庄段、北京附近、以及奉天附近三个研究区域里,前述各种因素对京奉铁路发展上的影响。     

FROM NIMBY TO FAIR SHARE: THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW YORK CITY'S MUNICIPAL SHELTER SITING POLICIES, 1980-1990

A trajectory of city siting policies for homeless shelters is examined, reflecting either community opposition per se or the city's fear of community opposition. Furthermore, these policies created distinct geographic patterns of shelter siting. New York City's shelter siting history, from the beginning of mandatory shelter provision in the early 1980s to the institution of fair-share planning for the dispersal of city-owned facilities in 1990, is examined. City siting responses—isolation, circumvention, and cooperation—correlate with the type of community opposition being mounted.     

起伏地形下黄河流域太阳直接辐射分布式模拟

基于数字高程模型(DEM)数据和气象站观测资料建立了起伏地形下太阳直接辐射分布式计算模型,模型充分考虑了地形因子(坡向、坡度、地形相互遮蔽)对起伏地形下太阳直接辐射空间分布的影响;以1km×1km分辨率的DEM数据作为地形的综合反映,计算了起伏地形下黄河流域1km×1km分辨率太阳直接辐射的空间分布;深入分析了起伏地形下太阳直接辐射受地理、地形因子影响的变化规律。结果表明:受地形起伏和坡向、坡度等局地地形因子的影响,山区年太阳直接辐射量的空间差异比较明显,向阳山坡(偏南坡)的年直接辐射量明显高于背阴山坡(偏北坡)     

Using open‐ended geographic information system assessments to allow students to construct relevant geographies given the internationalisation of tertiary education in New Zealand

The geospatial skills shortage in New Zealand requires the development of more undergraduate geographic information system (GIS) courses. However, the internationalisation of New Zealand's tertiary education system has resulted in an increasingly diverse tertiary student population, which makes it challenging to teach GIS in a way that maximises relevance to all tertiary students. One approach to this challenge is to make use of the recent proliferation of openly available GIS data, and to internationalise GIS curricula by using open‐ended assessments that provide students with the opportunity to learn GIS by constructing their own geographies of relevance.     

起伏地形下黄河流域太阳直接辐射分布式模拟

1 Introduction Directsolarradiation (DSR)isthe key com ponentofthe globalradiation reaching the Earth.For the influence of terrain factors,calculation of DSR quantity of rugged terrain is considerably com plex (Oliphantetal.,2003). The solarradiation quan…     

A Spatial View of American Book Publishing

Abstract

New York City has long been the focus of the book publishing industry and will continue this role in spite of a recent trend toward decentralization. This study attempts to analyze the locational factors of this industry. The industry's historical origins are briefly presented and the dominance of New York is explained. The influence of materials and manufacturing costs on locational decisions are examined. Also, the somewhat strange relationship with markets is considered. The study is supported by quantitative data and two special measurements are presented — the Index of Productivity and the Sales Index.     

洪泛平原农村居民地空间分布特征定量研究及应用探讨

通过对影响居民地空间分布因素的分析,探讨了洪泛平原农村居民地空间分布特征;利用地理信息系统技术对不同高程带内居民地分布规模、等级和空间分布密度作了定量研究,得到了居民地空间分布密度和人口空间分布密度参数;并结合洪灾淹没区居民地损失的估算,对研究结果的应用作了探讨。     

MYTHOLOGIES OF THE GRID IN THE EMPIRE CITY, 1811–2011*

In this article, I examine the performative dimensions of historical narration as a form of modern mythmaking by reconsidering conventional narratives on the “origins” of Manhattan's grid street plan of 1811. The historical mythology of the grid espoused in canonical readings of the Plan of 1811 relies extensively on a rearticulation of the official explanation that the grid's designers provided in a foundational text known as the “Commissioners’ Remarks”. I argue that such accounts result in an extraordinarily narrow and formulaic interpretation of the utilitarian motives and intentions behind the city's grid plan, one that reinforces a form of “morphological essentialism”. To support this argument, I shift the focus of attention beyond the “Commissioners’ Remarks” in order to complicate readings of the intentionality that gave rise to the 1811 street plan. I conclude by suggesting that the mythic search for the “origins” of the grid in the realm of founding intentions can most effectively be challenged by drawing attention to the proliferation of countermyths of gridded space.     

基于遥感数据的元江县植被/土地利用类型研究

元江县山区面积占全县总面积的96．8％，垂直高差达2253m，地形复杂，植被类型存在明显的垂直分布。只用一个解译体系来解译这一有较大差异地区的影像是有困难的。因此本研究为提高影像解译的准确性，在对2002年2月9日覆盖元江全景的TM卫星影像进行数据校正、影像融合、影像分层、计算机自动监督分类的基础上，利用全球卫星定位系统(GPS)，结合野外踏察及地形图、土地利用相关信息对机读结果进行目视检验和GIS分析校正，最终划分出18类植被类型、9类土地利用类型。判读结果经检验，土地利用的判读精度为84．2％，植被类型的判读精度为80．6％。     

起伏地形下黄河流域太阳直接辐射分布式模式

基于数字高程模型(DEM)数据和气象站观测资料建立了起伏地形下太阳直接辐射分布式计算模型,模型充分考虑了地形因子(坡向、坡度、地形相互遮蔽)对起伏地形下太阳直接辐射空间分布的影响;以1km×1km分辨率的DEM数据作为地形的综合反映,计算了起伏地形下黄河流域1km×1km分辨率太阳直接辐射的空间分布;深入分析了起伏地形下太阳直接辐射受地理、地形因子影响的变化规律.结果表明受地形起伏和坡向、坡度等局地地形因子的影响,山区年太阳直接辐射量的空间差异比较明显,向阳山坡(偏南坡)的年直接辐射量明显高于背阴山坡(偏北坡).     

川渝地区气温随地形、经度和纬度的变化(英文)

Using the daily temperature data of 95 meteorological stations from Si-chuan-Chongqing Region and its surrounding areas, this paper adopted these methods (e.g., linear regression, trend coefficient, geographical statistics, gray relational analysis and spatial analysis functions of GIS) to analyze the relations of temperature variability with topography, latitude and longitude. Moreover, the rank of gray correlation between temperature variability and elevation, longitude, latitude, topographic position and surface roughness also was measured. These results indicated: (1) The elevation affected temperature variability most obviously, followed by latitude, and longitude. The slope of the linear regression between temperature change rate and elevation, latitude and longitude was 0.4142, 0.0293 and -0.3270, respectively. (2) The rank of gray correlation between temperature change rate and geographic factors was elevation > latitude > surface roughness > topographic position > longitude. The gray correla-tion degree between temperature change rate and elevation was 0.865, followed by latitude with 0.796, and longitude with 0.671. (3) The rate of temperature change enhanced with the increase of elevation. Especially, the warming trend was significant in the plateau and mountain areas of western Sichuan, and mountain and valley areas of southwestern Sichuan (with the warming rate of 0.74℃/10a during the 1990s). However, there was a weak warming trend in Sichuan Basin and its surrounding low mountain and hilly areas. (4) The effects of latitude on temperature change rate presented the specific regulation, which the warming rate of low-latitude areas was more significant than that of high-latitude areas. However, they were consistent with the regulation that the increasing of low temperature controlled most of the warming trend, due to the effects of terrain and elevation on annual mean temperature. (5) Ba-sically, temperature variability along longitude direction resulted from the regular change of elevation along longitude. It was suggested that, in Sichuan-Chongqing Region, special features of temperature variability largely depended on the terrain complexity (e.g., undulations, mutations and roughness). The elevation level controlled only high or low annual mean temperature and the range of temperature change rate in the macro sense.     

Geographic Information Technologies and the History of a Shoreline: The Case of Chapter 91 in New Bedford,Massachusetts

Abstract

This article discusses the use of geographic information technologies to assist researchers in the exploration of historical databases. The case study is a pilot project in which we used geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) to study the history of the Public Waterfront Act (the “Chapter 91” program), a policy designed to balance private property rights, public interest, and environmental protection in the Massachusetts tidelands. The issues discussed range from the role of GIS in society and its limitations as a representational tool to the ability of current GIS to deal with historical data and to manage temporal attributes.

     

地理学区域研究与区域历史地理学的取向

地理学的区域研究传统由来已久,后形成了独立的分支学科——区域地理学,经历了古代地志的分区书写、区域差异的描述解释、空间关系的定量分析和社会过程的深度建构4 个阶段的发展过程。区域地理学演进中遭遇的计量革命与理论创新,实质上是对传统区域学派过分强调区域所导致的静止、孤立的研究僵局的打破与修正,是区域地理学不断总结和完善自身的发展之路。区域历史地理学的学科性质、研究范式与研究内容和方法深受区域地理学的影响和启发,并形成了连续的地理剖面复原研究、区域的景观文化生态研究、区位与结构—功能体系研究和分区分类分级的综合研究等多个分支。与西方相比,中国区域历史地理学的研究在研究内容和方法方面显得比较滞后,今后应加强对特定地方的社会、文化及经济空间的深度剖析,进一步深化人地关系理论及研究方法,不断拓展研究思维的深度和广度,争取有更多、更有影响力的区域历史地理研究成果问世。     

历史城区旅游化：时空过程、功能转换及关联协调——以甘肃省天水市历史城区为例

借助史料、历史地图及谷歌POI数据,运用空间句法和GIS空间分析探讨天水古城自明清以来空间和功能的演化过程及其内在关联。研究发现：① 明清以来,天水古城的旅游化经历了传统游憩的普及（明清）、衰落（民国）、停滞（1949—1987年）阶段,现代旅游兴起与传统游憩恢复（1988—2000年）及融合创新（2001年至今）阶段。古城传统格局逐渐消失,但是历史轴线的主轴线地位延续,可达性、穿越性最好,协同度最高,“空间结构惯性”规律作用明显。② 在不同施动主体的共同作用下,天水古城由安全防御、军事政治、集市商贸等传统功能向工业生产,进而向现代旅游、居住功能转变,游憩休闲功能显著增强。③ 居民和游客共享公共活动空间,但服务功能相互分离。游客活动空间与功能服务协调性较好,居民公共活动空间与服务设施一致性较差。     

GIS在历史、文化地理学研究中的应用及展望

通过对文献的综合分析,总结了GIS应用于历史地理学、文化地理学、考古和文化资源管理以及空间社会科学的研究进展,并介绍了我国历史文化地理信息系统的建设实践。尽管在历史地理和文化地理研究中GIS应用仍面临一些问题,但它拥有巨大的潜力。因此,国内历史地理和文化地理学者应该重新认识GIS的作用,开发适合的GIS应用软件,搭建跨学科的合作研究平台,争取将GIS在历史文化研究中的应用纳入数字城市计划之中。     

Topographic solar radiation models for GIS

Abstract

Incident solar radiation at the Earth's surface is the result of a complex interaction of energy between the atmosphere and the surface. Recently much progress has been made towards the creation of accurate, physically-based solar radiation formulations that can model this interaction over topographic and other surfaces (such as plant canopies) for a large range of spatial and temporal scales. In this paper we summarize our current work on solar radiation models and their implementation within both GIS and image processing systems. An overview of the effects of topography and plant canopies on solar radiation is presented along with a discussion of various options for obtaining the data necessary to drive specific solar radiation models. Examples are given from our own work using two models, ATM (Atmospheric and Topographic Model), a model based within an image processing framework, and SOLARFLUX, a GIS-based model. We consider issues of design, including GIS implementation and interface, computational problems, and error propagation.