Update

November 10, 2010

Dr. Fraser is going to receive the data tomorrow (Thursday). I am going to meet with him tomorrow afternoon and discuss how he wants the data to be expressed. I have the base maps and will bring them with me to see if Dr. Fraser likes them.

Update

November 3, 2010

I found a basemap from ArcGIS.com which will be used to show both Site 1 & 2 together on the same map. From here I will zoom in separately to Site 1 and Site 2. This will give me a closer image of both sites which will be good for plotting the data. I met with Dr. Fraser this morning and he told me he will have the data within the next week or so.

Thacher State Park site coordinates

October 27, 2010

After meeting with Dr. Fraser and deciding on the 2 sites he wanted me to map, we ran in to a bit of trouble in determining what the coordinates of each site were. Luckily, Dr. Fraser had topographic maps of Thacher State Park. He marked off the location of both sites and was able to calculate their coordinates using a mapping tool. I now need to find a map of both sites using these coordinates. Finding clear, accurate maps is important because they will be the base layer upon which the data is plotted. I will start off by searching Google Earth to see if it can provide me with the maps I am looking for.

Project Proposal

Analysis of Red-backed Salamander populations in various 

Eastern Deciduous Forest sites using a GIS model

Julian Carney

Siena College

Loudonville, New York 12211

October 12, 2010

Introduction

Global warming is a major environmental issue that is becoming a definable reality through the changes it brings about in natural ecosystems worldwide. Many scientists have come to consensus that global warming, categorized by the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and the resulting negative impacts on marine and terrestrial ecosystems, is a real and apparent phenomenon. My client, Dr. Fraser, is doing research on red-backed salamanders and would like to determine if empirical evidence that is collected from his experiment is conclusive enough to support his hypothesis that global warming is negatively impacting the red-backed salamander. The data that Dr. Fraser gathers is on red-backed salamander population distributions throughout 2 sites in Thacher State Park, which is located in the Northeast area of the Eastern Deciduous Forest. The sites are categorized by woodland ecosystems dominated by coniferous and deciduous tree species. 

Objectives

Through cooperation with Dr. Fraser, I would use the data he has gathered and my knowledge of GIS mapping techniques to map out red-backed salamander population distributions at the 2 observed sites in Thacher State Park. Mapping this data would be beneficial to him because it would clearly and succinctly highlight red-backed salamander population change over time. Maps of each site that effectively delineate the various wooded ecosystems would prove beneficial for portraying evidence he has found to be conclusive of his hypothesis. Delineation of the wooded habitats would be an essential feature of this map because Dr. Fraser wants to analyze how a warming climate is altering ecosystems. Variations in population distributions may show how this is happening in local habitats.

Methodology 

Dr. Fraser will sample red-backed salamander populations by marking the amount of salamanders present under small boards that are laid out in defined cross sections. Samples will be drawn from both coniferous and deciduous forests, whose leaf litter and soil compositions may prove to have some effect on the data. The boards will be lifted bimonthly from April to November and the salamanders will be counted. GIS analysis will display population abundances at 2 sites in Thacher State Park. Site 1, a coniferous forest stand of White Pines (Pinus strobus), has a latitude of 42° 38' 36' N and a longitude of 74° 00' 01' W. Site 2, a deciduous forest stand of Sugar Maples (Acer saccharum), has a latitude of 42° 38' 57' N and a longitude of 74° 01' 06' W. Using these coordinates, I will input them in to Google Earth to acquire orthoimagery of both sites. These images will serve as a base layer for my map, upon which I will plot the red-backed salamander population abundances, most likely as individual points. The data was gathered over a period of time so I will differentiate between each data set using color schemes or symbology. Using the data gathered and properly delineating forest stand types within each site, I will create a map that visually emphasizes spatial and statistical data of red-back salamander populations and their habitats.

Data

• massgis.gov Forest Cover maps
• google.com Orthoimagery

Work Plan

October-December 2010 

• Compile data from client and other sources
• Organize appropriate Forest Cover layers 
• Plot data and organize map with emphasis on clarity and proper representation