The Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) provides a comprehensive framework of common terminology for organizing physical, chemical, biological, and geological information about marine ecosystems. Federally endorsed as a dynamic content standard, all federally funded data must be compliant by 2018; however, applying CMECS to deep sea datasets and underwater video have not been extensively examined. The presented research demonstrates the extent to which CMECS can be applied to deep sea benthic habitats, assesses the feasibility of applying CMECS to remotely operated vehicle (ROV) video data in near-real-time, and establishes best practices for mapping environmental aspects and observed deep sea habitats as viewed by the ROV’s forwardacing camera. All data were collected during 2014 in the Northern Gulf of Mexico by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) ROV Deep Discoverer and ship Okeanos Explorer.

Spatial data management within the environmental field has a large range of application possibilities and comes with great advantages. In this study methods and technologies for spatial data management of soil contamination has been assessed in Geographical Information Systems (GIS), in order to identify in which way spatial data applications and tools can contribute with valuable information for these type of projects. The spatial assessment has been applied on a case study site in Kagghamra, Stockholm, exposed to high levels of contaminants, arsenic in particular. Subjects that have been evaluated are arsenic contamination distribution pattern, estimation of volume contaminated soil and amount of samples needed for spatial analyses. Furthermore, two versions of an exploratory soil sensitivity estimation model based on site specific ground and landscape parameters as well as literature references have been developed. The data management included large quantities of primary and secondary data of the commination levels as well as geological and ground properties. First hand collected geophysical field data obtained from Electromagnetic (EM) and Induced Polarisation (IP) measurements was also interpreted. The benefits of using geophysical measurements in soil contamination projects has been investigated. In this case the benefits were few due to difficult measuring conditions with disturbance noise. Spatial interpolations with the Natural Neighbour  (NN) technique are proven to be useful in transforming point contamination data into continuous layers. From the interpolation surfaces (arsenic distribution map) a variety of information can be extracted, such as a first hand volume estimation of contaminated soil, possibilities of reduction in amount of field sampling or to investigate statistical information and relations to different site specific ground conditions. The soil sensitivity estimation models are combined maps consisting of data layers that are relevant for the arsenic behaviour and interaction in the subsurface. Site specific Model (1) is based the data layers Soil type, Iron level, Soil depth, Slope  and illustrates mainly areas exposed to high concentrations of arsenic as high sensitivity areas. The more general, literature supported Model (2) also includes Vegetation cover and Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) and is not related highly to the arsenic distribution in the site area, but could contribute with general implications of sensitive areas if applied on a another, larger site area. Efficient management of large data quantities, economic and time saving benefits from less physical sampling and good representation and visualisation possibilities of the site conditions, as a tool for stakeholder communication and decision-making are the main contributions from the spatial data management.

Evapotranspiration (ET) is the sum of the evaporation of water from the Earth’s surface and the total transpiration from plants.  Spatially calculating ET is necessary because it is a major component in quantifying a water budget, and maps provide the spatial ability to display the distribution.  Geographic information systems (GIS) are a powerful and capable tool which can spatially process and integrate equations in order to quantify ET rates.  Probable ET equation types that best fit with ArcMap software were investigated, and the methodology of España et al was evaluated in terms of usefulness and ease of replication, while beneficial areas for future expansion were also commented on.  Interpolation of some weather and other variables, as well as the use of the raster calculator in ArcMap was the basis of the project methodology.  Temperature based ET equations were selected as the best equation category, and then specifically the Blaney-Criddle, Thornthwaite, and Hargreaves equations were used to calculate potential evapotranspiration (PET) rates in British Columbia (BC), Canada. The methodology of España et al provided a relatively easy way to spatially display algebraic evapotranspiration equations.  The results were compared to values of sixteen reference stations, which had been computed by the Penman-Monteith equation.  PET values that were interpolated were not as accurate as hoped, however the Hargreaves and Blaney-Criddle methods produced better results than the Thornthwaite method, which resulted in underestimates.  Nonetheless, the PET distribution pattern was displayed, and of use to show the areas of highest and lowest rates of PET.  In order to produce more accurate values, regional or crop coefficients could be applied to calculate actual evapotranspiration (AET), but time constraints placed on the project restricted the trial of this.

The purpose of the study is to develop a method that generates areas in the municipality of Karlstad that satisfies the habitat area requirement for the bird species lesser spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor). The purpose is also to compare two different databases (kNN-Sweden and the Vegetation Map). Habitat area requirement for lesser spotted woodpecker is 40 ha of forest dominated by deciduous trees, which may be fragmented over a maximum of 200 ha. The software ArcMap was used to developed method to generate habitat areas, based on input from the kNN-Sweden and the Vegetation Map databases. The habitat areas were reviewed and compared by overlay analysis and compared to reported observations. Generated habitat areas from the kNN-Sweden database and generated habitat areas from the Vegetation Map database differed significantly. The format of the input data and the threshold values are probably contributing reasons of the difference. An important shortage of the kNN-Sweden database is that a buffer zone around the water surfaces at generalization has been masked off and hence the volume of mature deciduous forest generally underestimated. The number of observations of lesser spotted woodpecker within the habitat areas differed between the kNN-Sweden and the Vegetation Map that fulfilled the requirement. The Vegetation Map had 138 observations of lesser spotted woodpecker while the KNN-Sweden only had 38 observations. / Karlstads kommun behöver finna potentiella habitat för fågelarten mindre hackspett, som är en förslagen ansvarsart i kommunen. Mindre hackspett behöver minst 40 ha äldre lövdominerad skog inom ett område på upp till 200 ha för häckning. Behovet kan ses som artens habitatvillkor vid utsökning av potentiella områden för dess habitat. Syftet med studien är att utveckla en metod för att finna områden i Karlstads kommun som uppfyller habitatvillkoret för mindre hackspett. Syftet är även att jämföra två olika databaser, kNN-Sverige och Vegetationskartan, vid dess användning som indata. kNN-Sverige är en rikstäckande databas med information om Sveriges skogar och dess grundformat är digitala kartor i rasterformat med en upplösning på 25 meter. Informationen i kNN-Sverige bygger på en kombination av fältdata från Riksskogstaxeringens stickprovsinventering och heltäckande data från satellitbilder. Vegetationskartan består av polygonskikt innehållande klassning av olika vegetationstyper. Underlaget för vegetationsdata är flygbilder av närainfrarödkänslig färgfilm som har tolkats och karterats utifrån dominansförhållanden hos olika vegetationstyper, med stöd från aktivt fältarbete. Med hjälp av programvaran ArcMap 10.3 utvecklades en metod som genererade habitatområden, baserade på indata från kNN-Sverige respektive Vegetationskartan. Därefter granskades och jämfördes resultaten genom överlagringsanalys och kontroll mot inrapporterade observationer av mindre hackspett. Genererade habitatområden för kNN-Sverige respektive Vegetationskartan skiljde sig åt och det genererades betydligt fler områden med kNN-Sverige. Grundformatet på indata och valet av gränsvärden är troligen en bidragande faktor till skillnaderna.   Resultaten från analysen av Vegetationskartan bedöms rimligare än kNN-Sveriges resultat. För kNN-Sverige saknades även en del områden där det finns mycket lövskog, till exempel vid Klarälvsdeltat. Vegetationskartans resultat påvisade däremot att det fanns områden med mycket lövskog kring Klarälvsdeltat. En stor brist hos kNN-Sverige är att en zon kring vattenytor har maskats bort vid generaliseringen och volymen av äldre lövskog generellt har underskattats, vilket bland annat kan förklara varför inte viktiga områden kring vatten kommit med. Antal observationer som låg inom habitatområden skilde sig betydligt mellan kNN-Sverige och Vegetationskartan, inom habitatområden som uppfyllde villkoret hade Vegetationskartan 138 observationer av mindre hackspett medan kNN-Sverige endast hade 38 observationer.

The subject of this bachelor's thesis was to create, from a point cloud, a suitable digital surface model for analysis of vegetation gaps of natural spruce-fir-beech forest. The input data were obtained by means of 2010 airborne laser scanning and 2004 airborne photogrammetry in the territory of Žofín primaeval forest. To create the digital models, several interpolating methods were utilized by means of the AcrMap 10.2 software using the free LAStools toolbox. Subsequently, cuts were created from these models. The cuts were compared in the Pointools View 1.7 software and their capability to truly copy the canopy surface and suitability to search for vegetation gaps were evaluated.

Utredning av lakvattnets ursprung på Brista deponiJoel NordinBrista deponi har uppvisat oväntat höga lakvattenflöden trots att deponin har sluttäckts. Före sluttäckning var genomförd förväntades flödena reduceras till 700 m3 per år från flöden på några tusen m3. Brista deponi är belägen utanför Märsta i Mellansverige.Söder om deponikroppen finns lakvattendammar som är nyrenoverade med täta dukar från vilka förorenat vatten pumpas upp underifrån dammarna. Pumpningen sker då dammduken annars bucklar upp på grund av för högt grundvattentryck. Vattnet som pumpas upp är för påverkat, av främst närsalter, för att direkt släppas ut till recipienten vilket gör att det pumpas in i de befintliga dammarna. Syftet med detta arbete har varit att utreda ursprunget till de höga lakvattenflöden som fortsätter att rinna ut från deponin samt att utreda ursprunget till de föroreningar som pumpas upp underifrån lakvattendammarna.Marken under deponikroppen har undersökts genom att geologin från flera olika befintliga undersökningar och flygfoton har bearbetats i ArcMap och lagts in i programvaran Rockworks. I programvaran har en modell byggts upp och tvärsektioner över marken tagits ut och tolkats tillsammans med grundvattenytor. Utifrån modellen i Rockworks framkommer det att huvuddräneringen under deponikroppen ligger lågt i förhållande till dräneringen runt deponikroppen. Denna information tillsammans med att deponin inte har någon tät botten har lett till en slutsats att den huvudsakliga anledningen till de höga lakvattenflödena är inträngande grundvatten.Det påverkade vattnet under lakvattendammarna har undersökts med hjälp av programvarorna SIMCA, Rockworks och genom att studera analysserier av provtagningar på vattnet som pumpas upp och vatten från provpunkter på anläggningen. I SIMCA har analysserier lagts in från olika provpunkter i området t.ex. grundvattenrör, och en principalanalys genomfördes för att hitta mönster i föroreningsnivåer. Rockworks användes för att se relationen mellan dammarna, grundvattnet och geologin. Efter sammanställning av kemin, där närsalter varit den kraftigaste föroreningen, tillsammans med analys av redoxförändring, har de olika delarna från SIMCA och Rockworks vägts ihop med kemin. Sammanvägningen gav slutsatsen att det påverkade vattnet under lakvattendammarna härstammar ifrån tiden före lakvattendammarna renoverats och belagts med täta dukar. / Investigation of leachate water origin at the Brista landfillJoel NordinBrista landfill has showed unexpectedly high volumes of leachate out from the landfill even though it has been covered. Before the cover over the landfill was done, leachate volumes were expected to be 700 m3 after the cover would be finished compared to leachate volumes of a couple of thousand m3. Brista landfill is situated south of the city Märsta, in the middle part of Sweden.South of the landfill are newly renovated leachate ponds where polluted water is pumped up from beneath the ponds. The water is pumped up due to high pressure from the groundwater which makes the liner to buckle up if the water is not removed. The water is too polluted, mostly by nutrients, to be released to the recipient directly and is therefore pumped in to the ponds. The purpose of this project has been to investigate the origin of the high volumes leachate water from the landfill and to find an answer to the origin of the polluted water under the leachate ponds.The ground beneath the landfill has been investigated by putting the geology from several old investigations and aerial photos together in ArcMap and exported that information to Rockworks. With the help of Rockworks a model was build and cross sections of the soil could be produced with levels of the groundwater. From the cross sections, it can be seen that the main drainage under the landfill body is lower than the drainage that is around the landfill body. This information together with the information that the landfill doesn’t have any liner in the bottom, have concluded in the conclusion that the main reason of the high volumes of leachate water is due to groundwater intrusion.The polluted water beneath the leachate ponds have been investigated with the software SIMCA, Rockworks and by studying the test results from analyses of the water from different sample points on the facility, compared to the water that is pumped up. In the software SIMCA the test results from the different sample points, as groundwater wells, was imported and a principal component analysis was done to find patterns in the pollutants. Rockworks was used to see the relation between the ponds, geology and the groundwater. After revision of the chemistry, where nutrients were the biggest problem, together with studies of the redox change, the different parts from SIMCA and Rockworks has been weighted together with the chemistry. The parts combined led to a conclusion that the polluted water beneath the leachate ponds is derived from the time before the ponds was renovated and installed with liners.

The aim of the diploma thesis was the study of common facilities in the town of Zálesí u Bítova. A comprehensive land consolidation was carried out with assessment of the network of field roads, erosion ratios, drainage rates and environmental protection elements. Measures for land access, erosion measures for the protection of the natural soil fund, water management measures and measures to protect and create the environment have been proposed in the area. An analysis of the current state of the territory and the subsequent design of the measures was carried out using DMT using ArcMap, AutoCad, DesQ, USLE 2D, LS convertor.

The thesis content study of land use in municipality Lelekovice and its connection with software for geographic information system. It describes processing data especially historical cadastre maps, archival aerial imagery and orthophotos which were used for analyzing of this area. Analysis were performed in software ArcGIS. Appendixes of thesis are graphs and visualization of development of study area.

Due to biodiversity loss being large as well as threatening ecosystem functions necessary for oursociety, the UN and EU have created regulations, strategies, and targets to improve biodiversity.Nationally in Sweden, and locally in Stockholm municipality, actions have also been taken. Oakhabitat is especially interesting for the municipality due to its high biodiversity values. This is whyin this study biodiversity connected to potential oak habitats was analysed by a GIS-basedconnectivity model; through which maps depicting possible movements by a model speciescomplex were created. An interview study was performed to investigate the use of GIS-basedplanning support tools for biodiversity, from the perspectives of professionals. Results suggestthat the methods for making choices regarding friction values need to be more transparent andbetter communicated, or standardised, both alternatives with the goal of facilitating interpretationof maps by physical planners. Also, depending on where in the planning process GIS-basedplanning support tools are used, they can be used in different ways. Early in the process, or evenbefore planning starts, they can act as decision support. After the implementation of a plan, theycan instead be beneficial for follow-up of biodiversity aspects. / Förlust av biologisk mångfald är problematisk och påverkar effektiviteten hos naturligaekosystem. De planetära gränserna för biologisk mångfald har sedan länge överskridits. Mål,lagar, och strategier från FN, EU och nationellt visar att frågor kopplade till biologisk mångfald ärbåde viktiga och aktuella. År 2020 antogs Stockholms stads första Handlingsplan för Biologisk Mångfald, vilken påverkarflertalet lokala åtgärder och mål. Ekar, som är en del av det svenska ädellövsbeståndet, ärprioriterade i Stockholms arbete med biologisk mångfald. I GIS-analyser har vissa skalbaggsarteranvänts som indikatorer för bedömning av naturvärden hos dessa bestånd. I denna studie genomfördes en litteraturstudie och fyra intervjuer för djupare insikt i relationenmellan GIS-baserade verktyg för planeringsstöd för biologisk mångfald, och fysisk planering, iStockholms stad. Ytterligare litteraturstudier genomfördes, inriktade på modellarter för biologiskmångfald i ekhabitat, samt tillvägagångssätt vid skapande av friktionsraster.Konnektivitetsanalyser av potentiella ekhabitat, i studieområdet Skarpnäck i södra Stockholm,genomfördes i ArcGIS och Linkage Mapper. Dessa fokuserade på analysens känslighet vidvariation av utvalda parametrar. Huvudsakliga resultat utgörs av kartor där korridorer och kostviktade avstånd beskrivermöjligheten till rörelse mellan habitat, samt hur dessa kan variera drastiskt av attparametervärden ändras. Den största skillnaden uppstod när större vägar betraktades sombarriärer. Det andra huvudsakliga resultatet består av en sammanställning av de intervjuer somutfördes. Där framgår att tidigt i planeringsprocessen, eller innan planprocessen påbörjas, kanGIS-baserade planeringsverktyg användas som beslutstöd. När planen genomförts kan de iställetvara användbara för uppföljning av konsekvenser för biologisk mångfald. Där dessa delar möts uppstår en diskussion om hur GIS-baserade verktyg kan utgöra ett stöd vidplanering för biologisk mångfald, hur det idag används på flertalet sätt och att användningen bådekan utökas och förbättras. Brister i transparens, och rättfärdigande av val av metod ochfriktionsvärden i konnektivitetsanalyser, ses i ljuset av möjligheten att som icke-professionellinom GIS kunna tolka kartor menade att användas som planeringsstöd.

Increased development pressure led the United Counties of Prescott and Russell to seek development of a GIS-based Aquifer Capability Screening Tool (ACST). A Pilot ACST, developed by a project partner within this study, was made for the City of Clarence-Rockland, Ontario, and consists of several maps showing delineated areas where there may be groundwater limitations in terms of quality or quantity. This study gathered the chemistry data needed for the Pilot ACST from 127 domestic dug and drilled wells. The results showed exceedances of provincial health and aesthetic standards, which were then used to delineate maps for the Pilot ACST. An evaluation of the necessary data source and sampling scale for ACST development revealed that data gathered from existing reports was inadequate for various reasons and sampling scale should be on a grid 2x2 km2 or smaller. Further recommendations were provided for future ACST development studies.