Chapter 16

Geographical Information Systems in Agriculture

GIS Data Input and Integration

In GIS, data input refers to the process of encoding data into a digital format and entering it into the GIS database. Data integration, on the other hand, is the process of combining data from different sources into a unified view for analysis and visualization. This involves converting and transforming data using tools like ETL (Extract, Transform, and Load) to integrate it in a data center or data lake.

Data Input

GIS data input refers to the process of encoding data into a digital format and writing it to the GIS database. This includes both spatial data (location of features) and non-spatial data (descriptive information). GIS data input involves collecting, digitizing, and correcting geospatial data to build a GIS database. Today, many types of geographic data already exist in GIS-compatible formats. These data can be obtained from data suppliers and loaded directly into a GIS.

GIS Data Input Methods

1. Manual Digitizing
2. Field Data Collection
3. Remote Sensing / Imagery
4. Scanning and Georeferencing
5. Tabular Data with Coordinates
6. Geocoding
7. Importing Existing GIS Datasets
8. Web-based Data Input

Data Integration

The purpose of data integration in GIS is to combine data from various sources, like different datasets with varying formats and spatial extents, into a unified dataset within a GIS, enabling comprehensive analysis, visualization, and decision-making by leveraging the spatial relationships between different data points across a map; essentially, it allows users to gain deeper insights by analyzing multiple layers of information simultaneously instead of viewing them separately.

Data Conversion

Data exchange methods allow data to be converted from one format to another. Digital data is delivered in a variety of formats. Unless the data format is compatible with the GIS package, one must first convert the data. Data conversion is defined here as a mechanism for converting GIS data from one format to another. Data conversion can be easy or difficult, depending on the specificity of the data format. Proprietary data formats require special translators for data conversion, whereas neutral or public formats require a GIS package that has translators to work with the formats.

Data Fusion

Once data integration is completed the next step is data fusion. Data fusion is the process of integrating multiple data sources to produce more consistent, accurate, and helpful information than could be obtained from any single source alone. Data fusion and data integration are closely related but not the same. They both involve combining data, but they differ in purpose, complexity, and methods. Data integration refers to the process of combining datasets from different sources into a single, consistent structure or system, usually for interoperability, querying, storage, and visualization.

Click on the following topics for more information on geographical information systems in agriculture.