Class Information

Dr. Y.Q. Wang, Instructor – Email: yqwang@uri.edu

Class Meeting Time: Wednesday 2:00-4:50 PM

In-person class meeting: Woodward 006 (Computer Lab)

Remote Zoom class meeting link: to be announced soon

Brightspace class link for lecture and assignment materials: to be announced soon

About the Class

Recent developments in landscape ecology have emphasized the important relationships between spatial patterns and ecological processes. Increased attentions on spatial pattern and change have highlighted the need for quantitative methods that can analyze and interpret landscape pattern and the change. Landscape dynamics, including land-use and land-cover change, have impacts and implications at local, regional and global scales because of the way they alter biophysical, biogeochemical and hydrological states and processes. Landscape patterns, dynamics and land-use and land-cover change arise from combinations of biophysical and socio-economic factors. Remote sensing and geographic information science and technologies provide the necessary data and effective tools to address the issues. This class is to discuss, in a remote sensing and geospatial perspective, landscape characterization and issues in landscape patterns and land change.

References

• Forman, R.T.T., 1995. Landscape Mosaic: The ecology of landscapes and regions, Cambridge University Press.
• Turner, M.G. and R.H. Gardner, and R.V. O’Neill, 2001. Patterns and process: Landscape Ecology in theory and practice. Springer New York.
• McGarigal, K., S. A. Cushman, M. C. Neel, and E. Ene. 2002. FRAGSTATS: Spatial Pattern Analysis Program for Categorical Maps. Computer software program produced by the authors at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Available at umass.edu/landeco/research/fragstats/fragstats.html(FRAGSTATS)

Reading Assignments

Students in this class will be assigned two selected readings from a book chapter from a reference book and a recent journal publication.

Class Project

Each student is required to develop a class project using data from remote sensing and/or GIS for landscape pattern and change analysis.

Course Grading

Hands on Exercises (35%); Class Project (35%); Reading Assignments (20%); Discussion (10%)

About Brightspace, Computer/Software Needs for Hands-on Exercises 

Class materials will be managed through the Brightspace. This class will have 3 hands-on exercises. Students can use computers in the Woodward 006 Lab. Students will also be instructed to install software on their personal computers for convenience of flexibility and for remote access of the class. 

URI COVID response

With everchanging situations of COVID-19 situation, we all need to remain diligent in taking necessary steps to minimize the potential transmission of COVID-19 and its variants.

Please visit https://web.uri.edu/coronavirus/  for the latest information about URI plans and copies of all communications distributed by URI Communications. Updates about academic plans will also be posted on the Provost Office website as we approach the start of the semester.

MASKS IN CLASSROOMS: As of August 12, 2021, the University of Rhode Island is updating its health guidelines to include universal indoor masking for all faculty, staff, students, and visitors on campus, regardless of vaccination status. Recommendations or requirements around mask wearing may change in the coming month before classes begin. Full details on the University’s requirements for face coverings can be found here.