published_or_final_version / abstract / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning

published_or_final_version / Geography / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Geography and Geology / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning

Nationally, use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies has become widespread. Applications and techniques vary greatly. The potential benefits are great. Advancement in the functionality, cost, capacity and speed of computers has been astounding. A variety of desktop turnkey systems are available for less than the annual salary of a qualified operator. Still the diffusion of GIS into local land use planning activities has been limited by our capacity to manage these systems. A core of literature is identified which focuses on GIS management issues facing local government planning practitioners. National surveys are reviewed which identify the significance of management issues in the process of adopting information technologies. Model adoption processes are identified to address these and other issues associated with GIS. These models are based on organizational theory. To explore these issues further this research utilizes surveys and other traditional geographic research methods, within a case study framework. This research examines the process of GIS adoption in local land use planning in Arizona. The primary case is the City of Douglas, located along the Mexican border in southern Arizona. In addition, Planning, Community Development, Public Works and Information Management Systems Directors throughout Arizona were surveyed to determine the current status of the diffusion of GIS. By systematically observing the adoption process this research describes the content and context of the use of geographic information in local land use planning. Operational applications are shown to be the most popular. GIS are not commonly being used to make policy improvements in local government. Computer graphics, including maps are used significantly more often than hand drawn material. Still, graphics in general are used infrequently in decision making forums, including public hearings and City Council meetings. The model adoption processes described herein are intended to remedy this situation. This research contributes knowledge which can help managers in designing their own implementation protocols. Further research is recommended to assess the day to day uses of this emerging technology.

This dissertation analyzes the geography of information in the 21st century where BigData, social networks, user generated production of content and geography combine to create new and complex patterns of space, context and sociability. Both online and offline, social networks are creating a space that simultaneously unifies individuals and identifies distinct differences in their patterns and their relationships to space. Using methodologies derived from spatial analysis, geographic information systems (GIS), and Social Network Analysis (SNA), this dissertation identifies how Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) both mimic and bolster existing social structures and allow individuals to extend their activities into flows between non-contiguous spaces. Simultaneously it demonstrates how the adoption of user-generated geographic information has not been uniform. Instead it has resulted in an uneven distribution of content and more nuanced digital divides. Although geographically uneven, social structures developed through online networks of user-generated content are most effective at transmitting information at a local level. This dissertation provides a comprehensive examination of online networks and representations of the GeoWeb. It repudiates previous assumptions that online content provides liberation and collaboration among users without regard to geographic constraints and demonstrates the locally constrained nature social networks and the demographically constrained nature of geographic information.

This research has emanated from the geographical concerns raised by organisational change in the British National Health Service (NHS), namely the ongoing debate relating to health and health care inequalities. This thesis develops a flexible, portable and predictive model of health care utilization capable of assisting improved health care planning and analysis. In so doing it contributes to the current resurgence in medical geography. An applied approach to this research is identified which builds upon methods of modelling spatial patterns and processes in geography and the upsurge of interest in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technology. In these terms, the use of GIS is central to the research; it supports construction and application of the model; facilitates a wide range of analyses; and provides a basis for visualisation and interpretation of model results. The value of modelling in analysing relationships between health inequalities and the location and allocation of health care is identified through a discussion of previous NHS policy initiatives and previous research. From this, a conceptual model of utilization is developed which incorporates components of need, accessibility and provision. A patient survey of asthmatics and diabetics informs the development of the model and validates the choice of indicators used to measure utilization. Indicators of need, accessibility and utilization are thus defined and subsequently measured using a signed chi-square scoring method. The model was developed and tested for primary care General Practitioner services in the Northampton District Health Authority area and outcome measures are proposed and evaluated. Rigorous testing of the model’s sensitivity and robustness is undertaken and potential for its simplification explored. Components are critically evaluated through a comparison with alternative methods of determining spatial inequalities in disadvantage. The potential of the model of utilization for health care planning and analysis is extensively demonstrated through the application of a variety of modelled scenarios. Emergent issues from the research are considered and potential for future geographical research in this area of study, and the impact upon research agendas more generally, is explored

This thesis applies, evaluates and compares methods for estimating exposure to traffic-related pollution within a GIS environment. The methods were used in two contrasting case studies; Greater London and Sheffield, where they were selected on basis of data availability and resolution. The methods used in this research were CALINE3, DMRB, ADMS-Urban and ISC3 (air pollution dispersion models), kriging and co-kriging (spatial interpolation), SAVIAH (regression method) and traditional exposure indicators. Calculated estimates were validated by comparing them to monitored NO2 data. In the Sheffield case study the best methods were then used to analyse relationships between traffic-related pollution and respiratory health. Evaluation of the performance of the various methods found that none of the methods used in Greater London worked very well, although ISC3 and kriging tended to give more reliable results. In Sheffield DMR.B and SAVIAH gave the best estimates of monitored pollution levels. Traditional exposure indicators were only used in Sheffield of which ‘density of main roads within 150 metres’, ‘traffic flow within 150 metres’ and ‘HGV flow within 150 metres’ provided the most reliable estimates. In general, the quality of all exposure measures was highly dependent on the quality of input data. This is largely due to the fact that most variation of traffic-related pollution occurs close to main roads. In Greater London the quality of data was clearly inadequate. In Sheffield, where data was of a higher quality, results were better. No substantial or significant associations were found between the exposure measures and health outcome in the Sheffield case study. In Sheffield, this research also showed that passive sampling of NO2 provided a reliable measure of relative levels of air pollution across an urban area. It also showed that none of the models were able to detect raised NO2 concentrations due to accumulation of pollution from the city, as a result of wind direction. The results of this research show that, although the methods used here can help in the investigation of relationships between traffic-related pollution and health, there is a major need to improve methods for modelling exposure to air pollution. An important development could be to link different models together within a GIS environment, in order to improve the ability to use available information and exploit the different capabilities of the models. In order to detect the effects of traffic-related pollutants on chronic health, estimates are needed across large populations. Linkage of the methods applied here, would be particularly useful to model spatial and temporal variations in these types of studies

GIS AND REMOTE SENSING - BASED MODELS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES IN THE COASTAL ZONE: A case study in Baía de Sepetiba, BraziL. by Philip Conrad Scott The use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in regional development is now becoming recognized as an important research tool in identifying potential aquaculture development and promoting better use of fishery resources on a regional basis. Modelling tools of GIS were investigated within a database specifically built for the region of Sepetiba Bay (W44°50', S23°00') Rio de Janeiro - Brazil, where, water based aquaculture development potential for two native species 0 f molluscs: P ema p ema (brown mussel) and Crassostrea rhizophorae (mangrove oyster) was identified, and additionally potential for development of land-based aquaculture of the white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. Taking into consideration a mix of production functions including environmental factors such as water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen content, natural food availability as well as shelter from exposed conditions, several aquaculture development potential areas were found. The integration of sub-models comprised of thematic layers in the GIS including human resources available, general infrastructure present, regional markets as well as constraints to aquaculture development was developed. Multi-criteria evaluation within sub-models and between sub-models resulted in identification of several distinct potential areas for mollusc aquaculture development, indicating significant production potential and job creation. Basic field environmental data were collected in field trips in 1996, 1997 and 1998. Fresh market data were collected in 2001-2002 and were used to analyse market potentiaL. The map analyses undertaken with GIS based models support the hypothesis that promising locations for aquaculture development, their extent and potential production capacity can be predicted, making GIS use a useful tool for natural resource management and decision support.