U.S. National Science Foundation Project OCE 00-03970

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A methods-oriented page serving multiple projects and applications

Geospatial clustering is the technique adopted for developing the coastal typology of the Land Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone project (LOICZ), and its oceanic extension by the Hexacoral (Census of Marine Life) project. The specific tool developed for this application is the LoiczView clustering package. This page provides basic information and links, including examples of other applications.

Contents

 

 

Background -- typology and clustering

LOICZVIEW -- learning and using it 
     Database-LoiczView system -- procedures and notes
     An image-based tutorial "walkthrough"
     Examples of results (in preparation)

Applications and Examples
                

Annotated Bibliography and Links-- 
                   by Gary Hecox, KGS

Links

 
Hexacoral/LOICZ coastal and marine database, with subsequent links to LoiczView.

Kansas High Plains database with subsequent links to LoiczView.

LOICZVIEW site (direct access)

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a. Background -- typology and clustering

For a popular explanation of the conceptual approach, see the first article in LOICZ Newsletter No. 15 (pdf file, Adobe Acrobat Reader required). Typology can be defined as the process of classification for the purpose of extrapolating or upscaling from well characterized areas to similar but unstudied locales.

The methodological foundation of the LOICZVIEW clustering package is described in a paper (pdf file), Coastal Typology with Heterogeneous Data Sets, by Maxwell and Buddemeier. This paper has been accepted for publication in Regional Environmental Change; it can be cited in its present form as Kansas Geological Survey Open-file Report 2000-53, Kansas Geological Survey, 1930 Constant Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66047 USA.

Bruce Maxwell has prepared a short 'white paper' (pdf file, Adobe Acrobat Reader required) on further potential and/or planned developments and applications of LOICZVIEW.

See also Bruce's LOICZ page. Other presentations on the method and its applications can be found on the Products page.

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b. Learning and using the method

A web-based tutorial guide to the LOICZVIEW WWW pages and forms is available; pop-up descriptions provide information on features and functions (requires at least version 4.0 browsers). NOTE: this tutorial was developed for an earlier version of the LV interface and has not been updated to include all additions. The points addressed are still valid, but it does not cover all of the present features. See also Bruce Maxwell's page (and specific section) listed above.

The LOICZVIEW website has help and information files available for many of its features.

An instruction list (originally prepared for participants in the Brisbane workshop) to step through the process can be viewed.

Instructions for saving cluster summaries and data outputs can be viewed as a web page or downloaded as an rtf file

Some comments and suggestions for the new user are available for viewing. CONTRIBUTIONS SOLICITED -- we will be happy to add other notes based on user experience or requests -- please send them in.

Workshop products -- including examples of applciations by participants -- can be accessed under the specific workshop sections on the linked page.

See also the guide to data filtering for information on how to download, modify and upload data sets.

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c. Applications and Examples

As results and examples are developed we will try to post them for others to see and use. Contributed items and/or links are welcomed.

Neither the tool nor the concept is limited to the coastal zone, and examples shown below include applications to the High Plains (Ogallala) aquifer in the central US, and development of climatic proxies for potential vegetation in Mexico as well as the coastal studies for which it was originally developed.

See also the presentations posted in the Products section of the Hexacoral
website.

    This study (supported by NSF --A. T. Peterson, Univ. of Kansas, PI) used globally available environmental data sets plus clustering techniques to develop objective validations and analogs for "expert typologies" -- in this case, potential vegetation, a proxy for habitat.


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