• Morgan Grove, Northeastern Research Station, USDA Forest Service
• Ann Kinzig, Arizona State University, Central Arizona Phoenix LTER (CAP)

The spatial structure of the Baltimore metropolitan region may have significant effects on physical, ecological, and socioeconomic processes. Here, our primary interest is in how different types of spatial structure such as the configuration of land uses; transportation networks and corridors; and patch adjacency affect socioeconomic and ecological processes. The goals of this project include:

1. Developing methods, tools, and techniques for identifying and associating specific social processes with corresponding social scales;
2. Understanding the reciprocal relationships between sociocultural patterns and process;
3. Determining whether there are "signature" spatial patterns that correspond to different energy systems (solar, animal, hydro, coal, and petroleum); and
4. Study how 1 - 3 (above) have changed over time.

This is a patch pattern of a social stratification index.

This is a patch pattern suiperimposed on a land feature model.

Articles

Grove, J.M. 1999. "New Tools for Exploring Theory and Methods in Human Ecosystem and Landscape Research: Computer Modeling, Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems." In Integrating Social Science and Ecosystem Management. K. Cordell (ed.).

Data and Data Collection

Spatial statistics related to a variety of social and ecological data. Examples include population totals and density; housing type, age, and value; household income and education; indicators of social stratification; PRIZM clusters; road and stream networks; vegetation cover (ground and canopy), NDVI.