The objective of this study was to deploy a conceptual framework developed by M. Forbes using a geographic information system (GIS) approach to assess the functionality of wetlands in the Galveston Bay Area of Texas. This study utilized geospatial datasets which included National Wetland Inventory maps (NWI), LiDAR data, National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery and USGS National Land Cover data to assess the capacity of wetlands to store surface water and remove pollutants, including nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, and organic compounds. The use of LiDAR to characterize the hydrogeomorphic characteristics of wetlands is a key contribution of this study to the science of wetland functional assessment. LiDAR data was used to estimate volumes for the 7,370 wetlands and delineate catchments for over 4,000 wetlands, located outside the 100-yr floodplain, within a 2,075 square mile area around Galveston Bay. Results from this study suggest that coastal prairie freshwater wetlands typically have a moderate capacity to store surface water from precipitation events, remove ammonium, and retain phosphorus and heavy metals and tend to have a high capacity for removing nitrate and retainremove organic compounds. The results serve as a valuable survey instrument for increasing the understanding of coastal prairie freshwater wetlands and support a cumulative estimate of the water quality and water storage functions on a regional scale.

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Environmental Management / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Geography and Geology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Ecology and Biodiversity / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

published_or_final_version / abstract / Geography / Master / Master of Geographic Information System

published_or_final_version / abstract / Urban Planning and Environmental Management / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Geography and Geology / Master / Master of Philosophy

While the globalized restructuring of manufacturing economies has marked many cities in the Midwest as places in decline, urban residents continue to mold the changing landscape to meet their needs and desires. Gardening is one socio-spatial practice that has expanded within the spaces left behind by a shrinking population and vacated industrial, commercial and residential properties. But not enough researchers have grappled with the social and political aspects of gardening. Gardens in general, and vegetable gardens in particular, sit at the nexus of a range of human constructs: urban land use, aesthetics, property law, social and class structure, economy and food. More specifically, little has been written on the distinguished history of urban gardening in Muncie, especially within the context of the “Middletown Studies” sociological tradition. Qualitative GIS represents an emerging mixed methods approach to geographic inquiry and a promising venue for an embedded exploration of gardening. Engaging with several “channels” of data collection, including participant observation, I use such an approach to combine fieldwork, spatial analysis, ethnographic inquiry, and an archival survey into an examination of how urban gardening in Muncie relates to broader economic forces. I ask what roles does gardening play in the physical landscape and social sphere of the south side of Muncie. / Department of Geography

There is an increasing demand for information for the rational assessment and reporting of the state the environment, to detect change and to assess the effectiveness of policy or management measures. The research investigated the use of information by conservation organisations through case studies in the Statutory Nature Conservation Agencies and the North York Moors National Park. The results highlighted a number of key problems in the organisational use of information and in the content and utility of the data available. These included the lack of an organisational culture of information use, imperfect knowledge and utilisation of available data, the need to meet changing information demands and the requirement to produce comparable local, regional and national habitat stock estimates. Many of the data deficiencies highlighted would appear to be met by the Countryside Survey (CS) initiative. Despite offering potentially suitable data, with a combination of an environmental stratification (the ITE land class system), field survey and remotely sensed data, this source was little used. Thus, the study sought to assess the scope for comparing CS data with other habitat estimates and for improving the accuracy of these data through the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Three main techniques were employed, modified areal weighting, modified areal weighting with control zones and intelligent weighting’ a hybrid approach in which Land Cover Map of Great Britain (LCMGB) data were employed to redistribute Countryside Survey 1990 (CS9O) totals within ITE land classes. The research found that sub-land class estimates from CS9O data could be improved in some circumstances. In most cases, LCMGB provided better estimates of habitat location and quantity than CS9O. In a few cases, the intelligent weighting method improved the interpolation of CS9O estimates. It is suggested that regional habitat estimates may be improved further through greater within-land class differentiation, an increase in within-land class sampling intensity or stratification and the further development of the LCMGB. The problems faced in integrating, analysing and using available geographic data are considered and conclusions presented