Exploring Species Distributions
Using ArcExplorer or ArcView

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Key Concepts:
1. Geographic Information Systems
2. Species Distribution
3. Habitat relationships
4. Environment variables

Introduction:
In this activity, you will learn to use ArcExplorer for viewing spatial data.  Although this activity was written specifically to be done with ArcExplorer, you can accomplish the same tasks using ArcView (often using the same procedures).  These software packages are considered Geographic Information Systems (GIS).  While using one these GIS software packages, you will explore what factors might influence the distribution of the Great Basin Spadefoot toad.    You will also examine the issue of responsibility for protecting the Great Basin Spadefoot toad.  Finally, you will have the opportunity to work on some of the same questions for other species.

Download Data:
Before beginning this exercise, you will need to have ArcExplorer installed on your machine (click here to download ArcExplorer).  You will also need to download the data zip files.

Click one each of the four data zip files to download them.  Place them in a folder called spadefoot and then double click on them.  The data will then be installed on your computer.

-basemap.exe  3.5 mb
-envidata.exe 7.1 mb
-owndata.exe 5.7 mb
-scindist.exe 0.3 mb

Introduction to Spatial Data:
Geographic Information Systems are an important tool for scientists to understand how spatial information, such as temperature, soil types, or vegetation are distributed across an area.  

If you have a connection to the internet, go to the ESRI mapping page at

Figure 1.

http://www.esri.com/data/online/index.html 

Note:  This will bring up a new window, when you are finished, close the window to return to this page

At this location, you will click on the "Make Quick Map" icon (Figure 1).  You will be given another screen where you can input an address.  Map the location of your house.  When the map is returned to you, take a look at the type of information that you see on the map.  If you don't have a connection to the internet, click here and see a map created at the above location.  

1. List what spatial data is associated with the map.

Most of us are familiar with roadmaps described above, however, we often see spatial data used to map other things such as weather.  

If you have a connection to the internet, go to the Weather Channel current weather map at

Note:  This will bring up a new window, when you are finished, close the window to return to this page

http://www.weather.com/
You will need to click on "Weather Maps" on the left-hand toolbar.  If you don't have a connection to the internet, click here to see a previous weather map from the same site.

1.  List what spatial data is associated with the map.
2. What other types of weather data could be mapped?

Building a Base Map:
Since you now have a feel for what spatial data is, let's create a base map to be used for other portions of this exercise.  To help you use ArcExplorer, there are help images which are screen-captures (or a set of screen-captures) associated with each major task.  To show these help images in the

*Note:  all help images are from ArcExplorer however many of the tasks can be done in ArcView using many of the same procedures

right hand frame, click on the blue text.*
Start by opening either ArcExplorer and add all of the data layers in the base map folder (adding data layers).   The list of layers on the left hand side represent the order the layers will be shown.  One of the first things you will need to do is reorganize the layers so they can be used for making a map (moving data layers).  Start by moving the Idaho relief map to the bottom of your layer list and then turn it on .  This will be the base layer that you will put all other layers over.  A shaded relief map is way of viewing the mountains and valleys within an area.  Move the county boundaries just above the relief map and turn it on (turning on layers).  What you will find is the counties are filled with a color and completely cover up the relief map.  Since we want to see the relief map and the counties at the same time, we need to change fill pattern to transparent (changing colors and fill patterns).  Rearrange the  layers and colors so they are in the following order (from top to bottom): 
1. Roads (red foreground)
2. Idaho Rivers (blue foreground)
3. Idaho Lakes (blue foreground)
4.  Idaho hydrologic unit codes (HUC) (transparent foreground, orange outline)
5. Counties (transparent foreground, black outline)
6. Relief Map. 

As you add new layers, you may need to modify their colors, fill patterns, and/or move them around so they can be shown more easily.

Exploring Great Basin Spadefoot toad Distribution:
GIS Help: (adding data layers)(moving data layers)(turning on layers) (changing colors and fill patterns)

  Introduction to spadefoot distribution.
   A.  Turn on the Idaho counties and Spadefoot Toad layer.  This layer represents the areas that are predicted to have spadefoots.  This predicted distribution was generated from a number of variables, based on known locations where spadefoots are found.  

• In what counties are the Great Basin Spadefoot toad predicted to occur? 
• In what counties are the Great Basin Spadefoot toad known to occur?

  Factors potentially affecting spadefoot distribution.

• What factors do you suppose might be important for limiting spadefoots to the southern part of the state?

Click here* to go to the Great Basin Spadefoot toad species data.
We will use GIS to examine a few factors that might influence the distribution of the Great Basin Spadefoot toads.  Start by changing the fill style of the spadefoot distribution to hatched yellow lines with a transparent background and outline.  You may need to change the color of the distribution layer depending on what layers you are going to put it over.

  Relief.
GIS Help: (adding data layers)(moving data layers)(turning on layers) (changing colors and fill patterns)

   B.  Turn on the Idaho shaded relief map.

• How does the predicted spadefoot distribution relate to relief?

  Environmental Factors.
GIS Help: (adding data layers)(moving data layers)(turning on layers) (changing colors and fill patterns)

   C.  Environmental factors can greatly influence the distribution of a species.  You will find themes for several environmental variables in the Other Factors folder.  Turn on these layers one at a time and describe what environmental variables the spadefoot will encounter.  Remember, you may need to modify or move the layers so they are seen more easily.

• Describe how the environmental variables within the predicted spadefoot distribution relates to the environmental variables in the rest of the state.

  Conservation of the spadefoot.
GIS Help: (adding data layers)(moving data layers)(turning on layers) (changing colors and fill patterns)

   D.  Add  and turn on all of the layers in the ownership folder.  Remember, you may need to modify or move the layers so they are seen more easily.

• What groups or organizations own a majority of the land in Idaho?
• What groups or organizations owns the land on which the spadefoot's predicted distribution is located?
• What groups or organizations might have the most influence on the conservation of the spadefoot?  [Hint: look at who owns a majority of the land on which spadefoot's are predicted to occur.]

Exploring On Your Own:
Using the data available on the CD, pick a species of Idaho's wildlife and explore what factors might influence influence its distribution.

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