Elements to georeference data without coordinates
Learn how to assign estimated coordinates to localities using georeferencing concepts and the Voronoi methodology in GIS. Follow exercises with the Congolese Gazetteer in QGIS.
Elements to georeference data without coordinates
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Presentation Transcript
Case study • Some data may not have coordinates attached but only a locality name or a direction • Let’s say: • “Accipiter, Matadi, Bas-Congo, DRC, 1963”
New concepts • We’ll try to assign estimated coordinates accompanied by an estimation of the error margin (error radius) • We’ll base ourselves (there) on the methodology “georeferencung for dummies” elaboratred by the University of Berkeley for the MaNIS, HerpNET and Ornis project (also recommended by GBIF and Arthur Chapman • http://www.herpnet.org/herpnet/documents/georeffordummy.xls
New concepts • Uses the Georeferencing Calculator (Applet) to calculate the final error radius (combination from the gazetteer data and metadata of the Datum) • http://manisnet.org/gci2.html
Gazetteer and Voronoï • Most of time a gazetteer (list of localities and coordinates) is made up of poitn data • …while a locality in an area (polygon) • Voronoï is a possible methodology to attach extent to points
Gazetteer and Voronoï • Exercise: -Import the Congolese Gazetteer (available via DIVA GIS) into QGIS -Convert it into a shapefile -Add labels with the name of localities and localize “Matadi” (West of DRC, about 100km to the Atlantic Ocean)
Create Voronoï areas • Exercise: -Import the Congolese Gazetteer (available via DIVA GIS) into QGIS -Convert it into a shapefile -Add labels with the name of localities and localize “Matadi” (West of DRC, about 100km to the Atlantic Ocean) Lat: -5.8166 Long 13.45
Voronoï • On GIS • Vector tab • “Geometry tools” • “Voronoïpoygons” • Select the Shapefile to proceed • Declare the shapefile containing the output:
Voronoï • Output shapefile attaches areas to the localites (perpendicular to the halfways of neighbouring points)
Voronoï • Determinining the furthest point within the area is easy • Enable UTM conversion to have meter value
Voronoï • Is there any drawbacks with that method?
Voronoï • Is there any drawbacks with that method? • Do not work when a place is part of another place • The date of the gazetteer must correspond to the date of the actual original data (urbanization ois a dynamical process)