The model design workflow
The landscape model design process is comprised of several tasks that include selecting and assigning weights to the layers that are going to be part of the model.
- Selecting the layers
- Assigning weights to layers and classes
- Changing the color ramp
Selecting the layers
The first step in designing a model is selecting the layers. The layers are important because they contain the data to be analyzed to identify environmental conditions or for site selection. The models included with Landscape Modeler range from critical habitat and development risk to average mean temperature information.
See Layers used to define a landscape model for more information.
Assigning weights to layers and classes
Once the layers are selected, weights must be assigned to layers and the classes within them. In this part of the workflow, you determine what data has the most importance and what has the least. The weights assigned to layers allow to you provide a high-level of importance, while the class weights allow you to provide some finer-grain detail to the analysis.
Layer and class weights are defined as part of the model to indicate the level of importance the layer and the classes within it have in relation to the project you are planning. Weights are assigned to layers by defining a percentage for each one to be included in the model. The percentage assigned to a model indicates the amount of weight it will have in the analysis.
The classes provide a way to give weight to different types of information represented by the layer. For instance, you can assign the Critical Habitat layer 40 percent for the analysis and assign the Noncritical Habitat and Critical Habitat classes different weight values.
See Defining layer weights and classes for more information.
Changing the color ramp
The color ramp allows you to quickly determine which areas have the highest degree of suitability. You can choose to represent the areas of high suitability with red or green, depending on your preference. The default is to have areas of high suitability appear in green.
The red-to-green color ramp represents sites with potential suitability, while the green-to-red color ramp represents risk sites.