Module 10: Flowline Mapping

This weeks assignment was to create a flowline map in Adobe Illustrator depicting immigration to the United States.  Flowline maps are used to show movement phenomena and generally utilize weighted lines (lines of proportional thickness) based on the value they represent.  In the map above, the thickness of the line is proportional to the number of individuals from a particular region who immigrated to the United States.  This was done by setting a maximum line thickness for the greatest value (Asia), then scaling down from there using a square root proportionality function.  The audience should be able to quickly determine which regions had high and low immigration rates using this visual scale. Embedded is also a simple choropleth map showing the ultimate state distribution of immigrants in the U.S.

Module 10: Vector Analysis 2

This week's assignment was to explore and implement multiple Overlay tools, as well as become familiar with ArcPy.  There are several Overlay tools in which features on a map, most commonly polygons, are spatially analyzed relative to each other.  The common Buffer tool was used to created polygon features surrounding roads and water (Lakes and Rivers), then Unions, Intersections, and Erases of these buffers were performed.  The ultimate goal was to selectively remove bits and pieces of an original buffer feature so that we had specific areas isolated.  The map above shows the product of this process.  Regions within a certain distance from access roads (one buffer layer) and within a certain distance of water bodies (another buffer layer), but outside of conservation ares (a third polygon layer) are highlighted as potential camping areas.

Module 9: Isarithmic Mapping

This week's assignment involved generating isarithmic maps, which are thematic maps often used to depict continuous spatial phenomena. Rainfall is a phenomenon that varies in such a manner based on regional climate and geologic features.  Above are two maps of average annual precipitation in Washington over a 30 year period.  The top map uses continuous tone symbology in which each point (cell) on the map has a corresponding value, and the values vary continuously over the landscape.  The bottom map, which also contains contours of precipitation values, uses only hypsometric symbology in which precipitation ranges are represented by corresponding colors.  Overall, isarithmic maps are useful thematic maps for continuous phenomena, but are limited to these usages.

Module 8: Proportional Symbol Mapping

This weeks assignment was to compare the different capabilities of ArcMap and Adobe Illustrator in making proportional symbol maps.  To do this, we were required to create a map displaying the same phenomenon - wine consumption in European countries - in these two programs.

A proportional symbols map uses standard shapes/symbols of varying sizes assigned to each enumeration unit with a size proportional to the relative value of that phenomenon.  I chose to use solid and translucent circles to map wine consumption in European countries.  The top map was created in ArcMap, the bottom in Adobe Illustrator.  Symbol and text placement was difficult because the large size of some symbols inherent overlap with neighbors.  To combat this I moved some symbols to minimize overlap and shrunk some text for the same reason.  Overall, this lab provided an opportunity to become more familiar with AI and it's symbol editing features.

Module 7: Data Search

This week's assignment was to apply the knowledge we've gained about searching for and locating GIS data online and projecting the data correctly.  Ultimately we were responsible for making a map about a specific county in Florida; my county was Columbia.  We were further required to map two county-specific environmental features of our choice; I chose invasive plants and Strategic Habitat Conservation Areas.  My maps focus on two large cities (Lake City and Columbia, respectively) in Columbia County, FL.

The first map (top) displays invasive plants by species in a particular public land unit, "Alligator Lake", located in Lake City, FL.  I chose to use two inset maps - one of Florida and one of Columbia County - with additional in-map labels to help the viewer better orient themselves with the location of interest.  The second map (bottom) is very similar in layout, but displays Strategic Habitat Conservation Areas near Columbia, FL of varying priority levels.  The Digital Elevation Map used in this map allows the viewer to imagine the topography - slope, aspect, etc. - at these conservation areas.  

Overall, I am satisfied with the presentation and completeness of these two maps.  I felt the ability for me to choose what to emphasize in my maps allowed me to play around with different ArcMap features I was unfamiliar with.