Programme

The module introduces the fundamental principles of cartography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and their application to the analysis of ecological and environmental problems. Theoretical topics are developed alongside practical activities carried out mainly using the open-source software QGIS.

Fundamentals of GIS and spatial data: The concept of geographic information and spatial data. Components and functions of a GIS. Representation of the real world through spatial models. Vector and raster data: structure, characteristics, attributes, resolution, advantages and limitations. Sources of geographic data, metadata, geoportals and spatial data services.

Cartography and coordinate reference systems: Shape of the Earth, geoid and reference ellipsoid. Geodetic datums. Geographic and Cartesian coordinates. Map projections and associated distortions. Geographic and projected coordinate reference systems. EPSG codes. WGS84 and the UTM system. Selection and transformation of coordinate reference systems according to the geographic problem being addressed.

Georeferencing and data acquisition: Acquisition of geographic data from different sources. Principles of georeferencing maps and images using Ground Control Points. Geometric transformations and assessment of georeferencing error. Use of base maps and web services.

Vector data: Representation using points, lines and polygons. Attribute tables and the association between geometry and alphanumeric information. Creation, digitisation and editing of vector data. Snapping and basic principles of topology. Spatial and attribute-based selection. Main geoprocessing operations and vector analysis.

Raster data and digital terrain models: Matrix structure of raster data, cell size, spatial resolution, scale and NoData values. Raster data processing. Digital Elevation Models (DEM), Digital Terrain Models (DTM) and Digital Surface Models (DSM). Analyses derived from elevation models and representation of landform morphology.

Remote sensing and multispectral data: Basic principles of remote sensing. Electromagnetic radiation, reflectance and spectral signatures. Sensors and spectral bands. The Copernicus Programme and Sentinel data. True-colour and false-colour composites.

Land-cover analysis and spectral indices: Corine Land Cover. Processing and representation of land-cover and land-use data. Calculation and interpretation of indices derived from multispectral data, with particular reference to normalised indices used to investigate vegetation, water, moisture and built-up surfaces.

Image classification: Principles of remotely sensed image classification. Definition of training areas, spectral signatures and supervised classification. Interpretation and representation of classification results.

Practical activities and applications: Theoretical topics are accompanied by guided QGIS exercises covering raster and vector data management, coordinate reference systems, georeferencing, digitisation, topology, geoprocessing, DEM processing, land-cover analysis, satellite data, spectral indices and supervised classification. Case studies addressing environmental and ecological problems are discussed, including changes in land use and land cover, deforestation and other environmental changes. The module concludes with the independent development of a GIS project in which students integrate and apply the knowledge and procedures acquired throughout the course.

Prerequisiti

No prior knowledge of GIS, cartography or remote sensing is required. Basic computer literacy is expected, including file and folder management and the use of the main functions of an operating system (Windows, as provided in the laboratory that will be used).

Core Documentation

Course's slides

Valerio Noti, "GIS Open Source per geologia e ambiente: analisi e gestione di dati territoriali e ambientali con QGIS". II edizione, Dario Flaccovio Editore

Attendance

Attendance is compulsory. To be eligible to sit the examination, students are required to attend at least 70% of the scheduled teaching activities, in accordance with the regulations of the degree programme. The methods used to monitor attendance will be communicated by the lecturer at the beginning of the module.

Type of evaluation

Assessment is divided into two parts: the presentation and discussion of a GIS project developed by the student, followed by an oral examination covering the content of the module. GIS project: Students independently develop a project in which they apply, in an integrated manner, the main procedures covered during the course to a territorial, ecological or environmental case study. The project includes data search and organisation, data processing using GIS tools, the production of cartographic outputs and the interpretation of results. The work is presented and discussed during the examination within a maximum of 15 minutes. Adherence to the allocated time contributes to the assessment of the student’s ability to communicate clearly and concisely. The project is assessed on the basis of the methodological correctness of the procedures used, the appropriateness of the data and choices made, the quality and accuracy of the cartographic outputs, the ability to interpret the results critically, and the clarity of the presentation. Oral examination: The presentation is followed by an oral examination on the theoretical and practical topics covered during the course. This is intended to assess the student’s knowledge of the fundamentals of cartography and GIS, as well as their ability to apply and connect the concepts learnt. Particular attention is given to the ability to justify choices made within a GIS workflow and to interpret data and results correctly. Assessment criteria and final mark: The final mark, expressed on a scale of 30, is based on the overall assessment of the project and the oral examination. The assessment takes into account the accuracy and completeness of the student’s knowledge, their command of GIS procedures, their ability to apply them to practical problems, their independence in making methodological choices, their ability to interpret results critically, the correctness of the cartographic representation, and the clarity of their presentation. To achieve a pass mark, students must demonstrate adequate knowledge of the fundamental concepts and the ability to apply correctly the main procedures covered during the course. Higher marks require progressively greater independence in designing the workflow, the ability to integrate different data sources and tools, and the ability to justify and critically discuss the choices made and the results obtained.