Geographic Information Systems Flashcards
7 cards from real CFP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Geographic Information Systems flashcards as text
Which GIS data model is most appropriate for representing continuous phenomena like water temperature gradients across a lake?
Answer: Raster grid layer
Raster grids store continuous surface values in a matrix of cells, making them ideal for representing spatially continuous phenomena like temperature gradients.
In fisheries GIS, what does the term 'geodatabase topology' primarily help enforce?
Answer: Spatial relationships and data integrity between features
Geodatabase topology defines and enforces spatial rules (e.g., streams must not overlap, polygons must not have gaps) to maintain data integrity.
A fisheries biologist wants to identify all stream reaches within 500 meters of a boat ramp. Which GIS operation best accomplishes this?
Answer: Buffer followed by spatial join
Creating a 500 m buffer around the boat ramp and then spatially joining stream reaches identifies all features within that distance.
What is the primary purpose of a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in stream habitat analysis?
Answer: Deriving slope, aspect, and watershed boundaries
DEMs represent terrain elevation and are used to derive slope, aspect, flow direction, and delineate watershed boundaries for habitat analysis.
Which projection minimizes distortion of area and is most appropriate for calculating acreage of wetland habitats in a GIS analysis?
Answer: Albers Equal-Area Conic
The Albers Equal-Area Conic projection preserves area relationships, making it suitable for calculating habitat acreages across large regions.
In a GIS-based habitat suitability model for trout, a stream reach is coded '1' if gradient is <2% and '0' if ≥2%. What type of analysis is this?
Answer: Binary reclassification
Binary reclassification assigns features to one of two categories (suitable/unsuitable) based on a defined threshold criterion.
Which remote sensing product is commonly used in GIS to map aquatic macrophyte beds and submerged aquatic vegetation?
Answer: Multispectral satellite imagery
Multispectral imagery captures reflectance in bands sensitive to vegetation, enabling detection and mapping of aquatic macrophytes and submerged vegetation.