Description
Introduction to geographic information systems. Cartographic models and map algebra. Fundamentals of remote sensing.
Applicable subject in all the fields related to the research of the master as auxiliary tool.
General competencies
- Understand the function, structure, and dynamics of ecosystems, both terrestrial and marine, and territories that are traditionally manipulated to exploit their resources.
- Understand and value diversity in all the senses of living things, not only referring to other organisms, but also in social and cultural diversity.
- Be capable of designing and developing sustainable strategies for Mediterranean ecosystem management in both protected natural areas as well as areas of human influence.
- Assess global change, analyzing the speed of the processes and changes caused by human activity within the territory.
- Manage in practice, in order to solve environmental problems, the technology and methods that currently range from genomic and proteomic analysis in organisms all the way to remote sensing technologies.
- Develop the capacity for multidisciplinary teamwork that adds specialists from diverse competence areas of the environment.
- Be capable of solving environmental problems related with business and governmental activities.
- Oral and written communication skills in English.
- Skills related with computing tools and information and communication technologies, as well as accessing online databases, such as scientific literature, patent databases, and legislation.
- Oral and written communication skills in Spanish. Capacity to produce and defend projects in the field of scientific research.
Specific competencies
- Interpret the interrelationships between environmental factors and ecological processes of the Mediterranean Sea, and their importance for the conservation and management of biodiversity and marine resources.
- Apply methods to quantify key environmental, biotic, and systemic descriptors of any type of Mediterranean terrestrial ecosystem.
- Identify the basic functional processes of a Mediterranean terrestrial ecosystem and the risk to it from degradation and collapse.
- Understand the importance and applications of interactions between organisms from Mediterranean environments.
- Understand the implications of the historical process of human colonization on ecosystems, its effects, and the transformation of the current landscape.
- Understand the geomorphologic processes that have shaped the Mediterranean basin throughout its history and its future prospects.
- Assess the cultural needs and necessary agricultural practices on farms within the Mediterranean environment.
- Be capable of analyzing the fertility and use capacity of soils and designing conservation practices therein.
- Be capable of characterizing the climate and analyzing the problems of water availability in ecosystems.
- Use, manage, and produce digital cartographic bases for obtaining environmental information from images deriving from remote sensing.
- Develop models for structured populations and apply them to predict their evolution in various scenarios.
- Model time series of marine resource abundance.
Objectives (Learning outcomes)
- The student will know the recent cartographic methodology, the last dispositions and cartographic applications to the study the environment, and the spatial methodologies for the resolution of environmental problems.
- Use and management of informatics systems based on the use of GIS, on free software and under campus licenses, attending specially the aspects relative to the structure of the databases, algebra of maps and environmental modeling.
Contents
Teaching units
Complementary bibliography
- Alcalá, A. R. aut. / Otero, Isabel coord. "Diccionario de cartografía topografía, fotogramatría, teledetección, GPS, GIS, MDT". Madrid Ciencias Sociales D.L. 1995.
- Lunetta, Ross S., ed. lit. / Lyon, John G., ed. lit. "Remote sensing and GIS accuracy assessment ". Boca Raton (Florida) CRC Press [2004].
- Atkinson, Peter M. / Martin, David, 1965 July 18-. "GIS and geocomputation [electronic resource] /". London ; New York, NY : Taylor and Francis, 2000.
Links
Software
- Geomedia Professional 06.01.05.19
- gvSIG 1.9
Methodology and grading
Methodology
- Case studies: Learning through the analysis of actual or simulated cases in order to interpret and resolve them by employing various alternative solution procedures.
- Lecture: Pass on knowledge and activate cognitive processes in students, encouraging their participation.
- Problem-based learning: Develop active learning strategies through problem solving that promote thinking, experimentation, and decision making in the student.
- Project-based learning: Realization of a project to solve a problem, applying acquired learning and promoting abilities related to planning, design, performing activities, and reaching conclusions.
- Solving exercises and problems: Exercise, test, and apply previous knowledge through routine repetition.
Grading
- The qualification of the subject will decide depending on the knowledge, performance and skills acquired by the student.
The final note will be obtained of the participation in all the activities and will consist proportionally of:
For participation in the classes and practices in the classroom of computer science: 25 %
Presentation of personal project: 25 %
Test of contents (theoretical final evaluation): 50 %