GIS Technology Applications in Environmental and Earth Science

BAI TIAN

Since the late 1990s, Geographic Information System (GIS) technology has become increasingly popular and is now widely used in environmental and earth sciences. It is a huge and fast-growing industry and market worldwide, with enormous demand for GIS knowledge, experience, data, and software products. Professors need to know what the real-world needs are for GIS so that they can design better teaching and lab materials for their students to prepare them for their future careers. Students want to see what real-world projects look like, and what skills and knowledge they have to learn in order to make themselves more competitive in a tough job market. Environmental scientists, project managers, legislators, attorneys, activists, and the public are curious about what GIS technology is and how it can help with their projects or cases. GIS professionals are interested in learning the basics of environmental and earth sciences in order to better apply GIS technology in these and other related disciplines. However, there is a shortage of highquality books that cover both GIS technology and its applications in environmental and earth sciences because not many people have the in-depth knowledge, experience, and data in multiple academic disciplines required to write them. This book was written to bridge such knowledge gaps and to meet the demands of a wide range of readers with different levels of GIS knowledge and skill. It intends to offer readers big pictures, new ideas, and innovative approaches.