This thesis deals relationship between geographical information systems and decision support systems. Its objective is to verify hypothesis, if it is possible to consider geographical information systems as decision support systems. Opening chapter attends to explanation what is GIS and its usage in practise. Second part is engaged in definition of decision support systems. There are some examples from practise, which help us confirm or refuse the hypothesis, in the last chapter.

Bacillus anthracis is the causal agent of anthrax which primarily affects ungulates, occasionally carnivores and less frequently humans. The endospores of this soil-borne bacterium are highly resistant to extreme conditions, and under ideal conditions, anthrax spores can survive for many years in the soil. The bacterium is generally found in soil at sites where infected animals have died. When these spores are exposed, they have the potential to be ingested by a mammalian species which could lead to an anthrax outbreak. Anthrax is almost never transmitted directly from host to host, but is rather ingested by herbivores while drinking, grazing or browsing in a contaminated environment, with the exception of scavengers and carnivores consuming infected prey. Anthrax is known to be endemic in the northern part of Kruger National Park (KNP) in South Africa (SA), with occasional epidemics spreading southward into the non-endemic areas. The aim of this study is to identify and map areas that are ecologically suitable for the harbouring of B. anthracis spores within the KNP. Anthrax surveillance data and selected environmental variables were used as inputs to the maximum entropy (Maxent) species distribution modelling method. Five-hundred and ninety-seven anthrax occurrence records, dating from the year 1988 to 2011, were extracted from the Skukuza State Veterinary Office’s database. A total of 40 environmental variables were used and their relative contribution to predicting suitability for anthrax occurrence was evaluated using Maxent software (version 3.3.3k). Variables showing the highest gain were then used for subsequent, refined model iterations until the final model parameters were established. The environmental variables that contributed the most to the occurrence of anthrax were soil type, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), land type and precipitation. A map was created using a geographic information system (GIS) that illustrates the sites where anthrax spores are most likely to occur throughout the Park. This included the known endemic Pafuri region as well as the low lying soils along the Shingwedzi-Phugwane-Bubube rivers and the Letaba-Olifants river drainage area. The outputs of this study could guide future targeted surveillance efforts to focus on areas predicted to be highly suitable for anthrax, especially since the KNP uses passive surveillance to detect anthrax outbreaks. Knowing where to look can improve sampling efficiency and lead to increased understanding of the ecology of anthrax within the KNP. / Dissertation (MMedVet)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Production Animal Studies / unrestricted

African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) are the most endangered large carnivore in Southern Africa. There are as little as 5,000 individuals globally and less than 450 African wild dogs in South Africa alone. African wild dogs are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Therefore, the time has never been more crucial to conserve the species. With increased human encroachment and inhabitation in and around protected areas, so are increased conflicts between humans and carnivores. Human-wild dog conflict is likely to rise where a common resource is found. Human-carnivore conflicts have often been induced by the uncomfortably close inhabitation of humans in areas predominantly occupied by large carnivores. For this reason, it is becoming vital to establish a harmonious relationship between carnivores and humans. This research investigated the extent and causes of human-carnivore conflict specific to private landowners and the African wild dog in the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo Province, South Africa between April 2018 and January 2019. The causes of conflict in the Waterberg and levels of tolerance by the farmers for African wild dogs were investigated. The methodology was two-fold, using spatial analyses and an online survey. Three African wild dogs from the same pack were collared using telemetry collars (Tag 2651, Tag 2953 and Tag 3017). These data were used for the spatial analysis part of the research, using Geographic Information System (GIS) to determine the African wild dogs’ home ranges, movement patterns, and proximities to commonalities with humans and preferred land use. The private landowners possibly experiencing human-carnivore conflict were surveyed using an online survey (n = 81), and this information was used to determine the extent of conflict and tolerance of African wild dogs amongst the farmers in the Waterberg. The information gathered will be used by the Endangered Wildlife Trust to develop an early warning system for private landowners affected by the presence of free-roaming African wild dogs in the area. In general, English speaking farmers in the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve were more tolerant of African wild dogs compared with Afrikaans speaking farmers. Results also showed that areas near food and water sources are high potential conflict hotspots. The results also showed that African wild dog movement patterns in Waterberg Biosphere Reserve have an influence on conflict hotspot areas during denning season, wet and dry months, different phases of the moon, and overall hunting patterns of African wild dogs. This research facilitated an understanding of aspects of utilisation, persecution, and how to mitigate conflict between humans and African wild dogs within the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve. / Dissertation (MSc (Environment and Society))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / GreenMatter Fellowship Mapula Trust Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) National Research Foundation (NRF) / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / MSc (Environment and Society) / Unrestricted

Address data within geographic information systems (GIS) is used as reference data to link personal and administrative information, thus making it possible to locate and deliver goods and services to eligible persons. Preferably, every country must develop and maintain a single national address database (NAD) to eliminate data redundancy and provide a common point of reference across the board. In South Africa, the challenge is that there are separate address databases, which are developed and maintained by various public and private organizations – with little or no cooperation on data sharing. Currently, the establishment of a Committee for Spatial Information (CSI) which is tasked with the implementation of the South African Spatial Data Infrastructure (SASDI) and the publication of the South African Address Standard (SANS 1883) offer organizations an opportunity to collaborate towards the creation of a single address dataset. This research posits that the implementation of a successful data sharing initiative depends on the understanding of motivators and barriers of organizations participating in it. The research applied the case study method – with a semi-structured questionnaire – to assess the issues that motivate or obstruct GIS data sharing among three address organizations in South Africa. The results identified significant motivators that underlie the data sharing activities, e.g. reduced cost of data collection, improved data quality; and equally identified significant barriers that make organizations reluctant to enter into a data sharing initiative, e.g. data copyright and ownership, high staff-turnover, and lack of financial and technical resources. Although the case studies focused on address data in South Africa, the research findings can equally apply to other spatial datasets and are relevant for the successful implementation of the South African Spatial Data Infrastructure (SASDI). / Dissertation (MIT)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Computer Science / Unrestricted

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / The seaweed Gracilaria gracilis has been shown in previous studies to have potential for mariculture along the West Coast of South Africa. However, the selection of suitable sites is crucial for the success of a farming enterprise. The variables important in the success or sustainability of suspended raft culture, and the environmental factors influencing these variables, were identified through a literature review. A suitable site was defined as a site with surface water temperature of between 10 and 17 "C, water depth of between 2 and 10 m below surface, and wave heights of less than 4 m. Data and information about these factors were obtained from sources such as the Sea Fisheries Research Institute, the SADCO database, the CSIR and from volunteers in St Helena Bay. The objectives of this study were to convert available data into formats that could be used in a Geographical Information System (GIS), and to predict suitable and available sites for suspended cultivation of Gracilaria gracilis in Saldanha Bay, Langebaan Lagoon and St. Helena Bay. Data were converted to digital format and data layers created. Each data layer represented suitable and unsuitable areas. Areas with existing mariculture, harbours, ship traffic zones and other uses were excluded to determine the real available areas. The Saldanha Bay-Langebaan lagoon system and St Helena Bay, have sites that show potential for suspended cultivation of G. eracilis. The total sizes of the areas selected as suitable are 975.4 ha in Saldanha Bay and 474.8 ha in St. Helena Bay. Some sites predicted as suitable are located in areas known to be subject to conditions not suitable for seaweed mariculture, and led to the conclusion that the accuracy of input data or method of analysis must be improved.

[pt] Este estudo apresenta uma avaliação do projeto BRT Transoeste, no município do Rio de Janeiro - RJ, sob a perspectiva da mobilidade e do desenvolvimento urbano sustentáveis. O BRT Transoeste consiste no primeiro sistema Bus Rapid Transit implantado no município e foi proposto inicialmente visando atender a compromisso, em termos de mobilidade urbana, da Prefeitura da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro com o Comitê Olímpico Internacional – COI para realização dos Jogos Olímpicos de 2016. Este sistema, que atravessa bairros das Áreas de Planejamento 4 (Barra da Tijuca) e 5 (Zona Oeste) da cidade, foi concebido para exercer a função de sistema estruturador de transporte de passageiros de sua área de influência. Com o auxílio de Sistema de Informações Geográficas - SIG, foram analisados indicadores associados à cobertura espacial do sistema, às condições de circulação no espaço urbano, ao uso e a ocupação do solo e ao ordenamento territorial em sua Área de Influência Direta. Os resultados obtidos a partir da análise destes indicadores espaciais foram avaliados através de seis princípios de desenho ou projeto para cidades sustentáveis desenvolvidos pelo Grupo de Pesquisa Móbile, da COPPE/UFRJ. Estes princípios evidenciam a necessidade de integração do planejamento de transporte e do uso do solo para promoção da mobilidade e do desenvolvimento urbano sustentáveis. / [en] This study presents a BRT Transoeste project evaluation in the city of Rio de Janeiro, from a sustainable mobility and urban development perspective. The BRT Transoeste is the first Bus Rapid Transit system implemented in the municipality and was proposed initially to fufill the agreement between Rio de Janeiro City Government and the International Olympic Committee for the 2016 Olympic Games. This system crossing the city neighborhoods in Planning Area 4 (Barra da Tijuca) and 5 (West Side) was envisioned to work as a passenger transportation structuring system for its area of influence. The Geographic Information System – GIS helped analyze indicators associated with the system s spatial coverage, urban space circulation conditions, land occupation, use and zoning laws in its direct area of influence. The Móbile Research Group (COPPE/UFRJ) developed six principles for sustainable city design to analyze results obtained for these spatial indicators. These principles make clear the need to integrate transportation and land use planning to promote sustainable mobility and urban development.

<p> This research examined the geographic variability as well as the individual-and neighbourhood-level determinants of overweight and obesity in Canada. Overweight and obesity represent a significant public health problem with grave implications for individuals as well as populations. Over the past two decades, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has reached epidemic proportions with the most substantial increases observed in economically developed countries. The World Health Organization indicated that globally 1.6 billion adults (age 15+) are overweight and at least 400 million adults were obese. In a Canadian context, recent data from Statistics Canada confirms that over the past twenty-five years, adult obesity rates in Canada have doubled (23% ), while childhood obesity rates have nearly tripled. </p> <p> Until recently, research has focused on biological and behavioural determinants of obesity, and currently there is a great deal of knowledge regarding the relationships between weight status and various risk factors at the individual-level (e.g. age, sex, socioeconomic deprivation, diet, physical activity). However, the majority of existing research has ignored the potential role played by the environment in the development of these conditions, despite a growing consensus that environmental and/or societal constraints may be major influences on increasing prevalence rates. </p> <p> Using data from the Canadian Community Health Surveys and the Desktop Mapping Information Technologies Incorporated spatial database, this research addressed the following objectives: (I) to examine sex-specific spatial patterns of overweight/obesity in Canada as well as investigate the presence of spatial clusters (2) to investigate the prevalence and determinants of overweight and obesity in Canada using spatial analysis and geographical information systems (GIS) and (3) to identify heterogeneities associated with the relationships between individual and socioenvironmental determinants and overweight and obesity at the individual-and community-levels. </p> <p> Results revealed marked geographical variation in overweight/obesity prevalence with higher values in the Northern and Atlantic health-regions and lower values in the Southern and Western health-regions of Canada. Significant positive spatial autocorrelation was found for both males and females, with significant clusters of high values or 'hot spots' of obesity in the Atlantic and Northern health-regions of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. Results also demonstrate the important role of the built-environment after adjustment demographic, socio-economic and behavioural characteristics. With regard to the built environment measures, landuse mix and residential density were found to be significantly associated with BMI. This study also demonstrated significant differences at the area-level of analysis, supporting related research that has suggested that individual-level factors alone cannot explain variation in obesity rates across space. In particular, average dwelling value was related to BMI independently of individual-level characteristics. Ultimately, this research has demonstrated that Canadian urban environments play a small but significant role in shaping the distribution of BMI. Yet, reversing current trends will require a multifaceted public health approach where interventions are developed from the individual-to the neighbourhood-level, specifically focusing on altering obesogenic environments. </p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Neste trabalho é apresentado o resultado de estudo sobre a acidentalidade no transporte coletivo da cidade de São Carlos - Brasil, utilizando como fontes de informações os registros contidos em boletins de ocorrência de acidentes da polícia militar e em relatórios de ocorrências, elaborados pela empresa operadora do transporte coletivo, ambos relativos aos anos de 2005 e 2006. O método utilizado compreende as seguintes etapas: i) Coleta dos dados; ii) Processamento e sistematização dos dados; iii) Caracterização dos acidentes; iv) Análise das informações e preparação de diagnóstico; e, v) Elaboração de ações mitigadoras. O processamento e a sistematização dos dados foram realizados utilizando o Banco de Dados de Acidentes de Trânsito (BDAT) da cidade de São Carlos, ao passo que a caracterização foi realizada com foco na gravidade, tipologia, distribuição temporal e espacial dos acidentes. De forma a identificar os pontos, interseções, trechos e regiões críticas de ocorrência de acidentes de trânsito, utilizou-se um sistema de informação geográfica - SIG, aplicado à área de transportes. Como principais resultados obtiveram-se: i) maior ocorrência de acidentes que resultaram em danos materiais e de acidente do tipo colisão transversal; ii) acidentes que resultaram em vítimas não fatais ocorreram em maior número às sextas-feiras e os que resultaram em vítimas fatais aos finais de semana; iii) os acidentes encontraram-se espalhados por toda a cidade, com maior concentração no eixo norte-sul e próximo a pólos de serviços de saúde, dentre outros. As ações mitigadoras propostas foram de caráter geral, como por exemplo, melhoria da sinalização, realização de campanhas educativas, dentre outros; e de caráter específico, direcionada para o cruzamento que apresentou o maior número de acidente no período em estudo. / This work presents the results of a study on accident occurrence in public transportation (buses) in the city of São Carlos - Brazil, using as information sources the records from police accident reports from the local police and accident reports performed by the company responsible for the public transportation (buses), both for calendar years 2005 and 2006. The method applied comprises the following steps: i) Data collection; ii) Processing and data systematization; iii) Accident characterization; iv) Information analysis and diagnosis preparation; and v) Development of mitigation actions. Processing and data systematization were carried out using Traffic Accident Database (BDAT) from the city of São Carlos, whereas characterization was done focusing on severity, typology, temporal and spatial distribution of accidents. Geographic information system (GIS) applied to transportation field was used to identify intersections, road stretches and critical areas of traffic accident occurrence. The main results obtained were: i) most accidents resulted in property damage and side impacts ii) most nonfatal accidents occurred in greater number on fridays and fatal ones on weekends ii) accidents took place throughout the city, with greater concentration on north-south routes and around heath care centers, among others. Proposed mitigation actions were of general nature, such as improvements to signals, educational campaigns, among others; and specific ones towards the intersection that presented the highest number of accidents during this study.

Atualmente existem diferentes definições para o conceito de fragilidade ambiental, o que dificulta sua aplicação e a comparação entre os resultados de diferentes métodos. Este trabalho realiza uma revisão bibliográfica sistemática a cerca desse conceito e adota a definição considerada mais adequada. Com base na definição adotada foi proposto e aplicado um método para avaliar a fragilidade ambiental de uma área de estudo. Esse método utiliza pesos para ponderar os diferentes atributos (meio físico, biótico e socioeconômico) envolvidos na análise de fragilidade ambiental, que são definidos com a aplicação do Processo de Análise Hierárquica (AHP). O método proposto também se fundamenta na utilização de um programa de Sistema de Informação Geográfica (SIG) para a estruturação da base de dados, a realização das análises espaciais e a ponderação dos mapas necessários. A área de estudo corresponde a um setor do oleoduto São Paulo &#8211; Brasília (OSBRA), com extensão de 18,5 km e largura de 2 km (área total de 83,99 km²) e utilizou-se uma base cartográfica digital na escala 1:10.000. Foram realizadas vistorias de campo para levantar pontos de observação de superfície e para coletar amostras de solo. Realizaram-se ensaios geotécnicos, químicos e mineralógicos com as amostras coletadas. A aplicação do método consistiu na geração de mapas de suscetibilidade intermediários, que combinados geraram o mapa de fragilidade ambiental. Foi importante a utilização do método AHP, pois ele reduz a subjetividade das ponderações qualitativas realizadas. Os resultados obtidos esclarecem a definição do conceito de fragilidade ambiental, além de mostrar a importância da seleção e ponderação dos atributos utilizados no método. O mapa final gerado também permitiu avaliar a sensibilidade do método e seu potencial de aplicação prática. / Currently there are different definitions to the concept of environmental fragility; it complicates its application and makes difficult to compare between different methods. This work addresses the main definitions to this concept and adopts the one considered the most proper. Based in the adopted definition it was proposed a method to evaluate the environmental fragility of a study area. This method applies weights to the different attributes (physical, biotic and socioeconomic) related to the environmental fragility analysis, which are assigned using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The method also uses Geographic Information System (GIS) software to structure the database, to conduct the spatial analysis and to assign weights to the maps. The study area is a sector of the São Paulo &#8211; Brasília oil pipeline (OSBRA), covering 18.5 km length and 2 km wide (total area of 83,99 km²) and it was used a digital cartographic map at the scale of 1:10,000. Field trips were made to obtain surface observation points and to collect soil samples. Geological and geotechnical tests, mineralogical tests and chemistry analysis were conducted with the soil samples. The method application consists in generating intermediates susceptibility maps, that were combined to generate the environmental fragility map. It was important to use the AHP method, because it reduces the subjectivity of the qualitative weight assignment. The obtained results elucidate the environmental fragility concept and show the importance of the selection and weight assignment of the attributes used in the method. Moreover, the final map provided to evaluate the method sensitivity and its potential of practical application.

No Brasil existe a perspectiva de crescimento expressivo do volume de dados a ser processado pelas prestadoras de serviços de rastreamento em decorrência do aumento natural do uso de sistemas de rastreamento e também para atender a Resolução 330 de 2009 e Deliberação 135 de 30/01/2013 do Conselho Nacional de Trânsito (CONTRAN). Este crescimento gera a necessidade da incorporação de ferramentas analíticas nos sistemas de gerenciamento do rastreamento e monitoramento de veículos e na gestão de risco, para aumentar a sua eficiência e atender o crescimento do mercado. O objetivo desta dissertação é de propor uma metodologia que permita caracterizar o comportamento de movimentação de um veículo, com a finalidade de auxiliar o processo de tomada de decisão no gerenciamento e monitoramento de veículos. A caracterização do comportamento de movimentação do veículo foi feita pela geração de um modelo analítico do comportamento de movimentação, coletando os dados pretéritos da posição espacial e temporal. Este modelo baseia-se na movimentação e considera os aspectos comportamentais espaciais e temporais de forma independente. A caracterização do comportamento gera informações para identificar o comportamento espacial e temporal do veículo monitorado para um determinado nível de confiabilidade. / In Brazil there is the prospect of growth in the volume of data to be processed by the tracking service providers due to the natural increase of the use of tracking systems and also to meet the Resolution 330 of 2009 and Resolution 135 of 01.30.2013 of the National Traffic Council (CONTRAN), due to this growth the need of incorporation of analytical tools in systems management tracking and monitoring of vehicles and risk management are created, to increase their efficiency and meet market growth. This study objective is to propose a methodology to characterize the moving vehicle behavior, in order to assist the process of decision making in management and vehicle tagging. The vehicle handling behavior will be characterized by generating an analytical model of the vehicle movement, collecting bygone data of spatial position and time. This model will consist of a motion model taking into account that the spatial and temporal aspects of behavior are taken independently. The behavior characterization generates reports able to identify the spatial and temporal behavior of the monitored vehicle for a given level of reliability.