Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Mapping of land use and land cover requires interpretation of aerial photographs
(in our case also of historic maps) and implementation of vectorisation of the grid
content in the GIS environment.
For interpretation of land use we selected a method of visual photo-interpretation,
which proved to be the most exact for detection of changes on the basis of aerial
photographs. Despite its speed, both the controlled and uncontrolled classification
was inaccurate mainly due to incorrect determination of areas in the shade and due to
the need for post-classification adjustments. On the other hand, the process of visual
photo-interpretation is demanding as regards personal experience and knowledge of
the territory (cf. Paine & Kiser, 2003).
Vectorisation was implemented in software from ESRI, specifically ArcView,
which is a part of ArcGIS. A data model was created that contained layers iden-
tical with the categories specified above and the relevant attributes corresponding
to the particular category (e.g. for routes the attributes will be: type, length, ID).
Concretely, the following thematic groups were interpreted: vegetation cover (eight
categories), construction (four categories), water (two categories) and routes (two
categories).
For some needs, the selection of elements was generalised into eight categories
(forest, arable land, permanent grass areas, construction, water bodies, water-
courses, roads, railways); the attributes remained the same. In comparison with for
example CORINE 2000 (area divided into five basic categories and 15 subcate-
gories) or with MUC - Modified UNESCO Classification (ten basic categories), our
division of the area is simpler, mainly due to the impossibility of obtaining historic
data concerning some types of areas.
11.2.4 Assessing the Spatial Matrix of Historical Growth
The regional development of the studied settlement was monitored in relation to the
selected natural and socio-geographic criteria which were understood as relatively
stable conditions, resp. factors valid for all time horizons. The first factor was slope
inclination (S), which was divided into intervals based on the method of assessment
of morpho-lithologic systems and their suitability for construction (Stankovianski,
1992). Only the boundary value of 2
◦
was added due to the necessity to structure the
first interval. The other factors included altitude (A) and distance from water courses
(DWC), from the socio-geographic factors it was distance from railway (DRW) and
distance from the historic centre (DHC), which is represented by two poles - a
square and the castle.
Within the scope of geostatic analysis, these factors as well as the GIS theme of
temporary construction changes are shown as GRID layers, in our case with a field
size of 25
25 m. The representation of fields (pixels) in the assessed time horizons
together with the information concerning the territorial extent of the town is shown
in Table 11.1.
As regards factors requiring height (z) information, its reliability in the selected
localities was checked by field survey (GPS) and comparison with analogue maps.
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