Module 2: Understanding and interpreting spatial evidence
How spatial evidence is generated and what to consider when using it
This module builds on Module 1 by looking more closely at how spatial evidence is generated and how it should be interpreted.
Behind every map, indicator, or spatial dataset sits a chain of observations, data, processing steps, assumptions, and modelling choices. Understanding this chain helps us ask the right questions about the evidence we are using, in order to understand what level of confidence to place in the evidence, recognising limitations and uncertainty in the data.
The module also introduces our soil and land health pipeline, from field observations using the Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF) through to laboratory analysis, predictive modelling and satellite data, and the spatial data products made available for the Great Green Wall.
In this module
Explore the different pathways through which spatial evidence is produced, from data collection and Earth observation to modelling and prediction, and see how these approaches come together in our GGW data.
Learn what to consider when using spatial evidence, including uncertainty, scale, data quality, modelling choices, and other limitations that can affect interpretation.
What you will learn
By the end of Module 2, you should be able to:
Describe the main ways spatial evidence can be generated, from direct observations and Earth observation through to modelled and predictive products.
Explain, at a high level, how different sources of data and analytical approaches come together to produce spatial evidence.
Recognise that spatial datasets and indicators are the result of a series of measurements, processing steps, assumptions, and modelling choices.
Identify common considerations and limitations when using spatial evidence, including issues related to data quality, spatial and temporal scale, uncertainty, and modelling choices.
Use this understanding to interpret spatial evidence more critically and make more informed decisions about how and when it should be used.