I created a map using ARCgis that displayed two layers of data in central park in hope that it would show a correlation. I presented the location of squirrel sightings in central park in relation to levels of soil drainage. Interestingly it would seem that there was a correlation, areas that do not drain as well typically have less squirrels. I am not familiar with the biology of squirrels but from this map it can be hypothesised that squirrels like drier soil compared to damp soil.
I created the graph but inputting the squirrel data from a study into the system which displayed each squirrel as a red dot. I then searched the ARC gis online data to find the pre inputted data of soil drainage in the US.
One reply on “Soil Drainage and Squirrels”
It is an interesting idea you propose thinking of soil drainage as a possible factor in squirrels’ preferences for hopping around in particular areas! I realize that in my own ponderings about applications of the GIS technology, I was overly concerned with human statistics rather than environmental ones. Looking at the soil actually does a much better job of getting at why the squirrels would be in the particular places that they are.