Hierarchical Cluster Analysis using QGIS and R

Purpose

The purpose of this tutorial is to familiarize users with open source software, that will teach them how to manipulate, process, and map using freely accessible data. This tutorial will teach users skills such as:

• adding shp and csv data
• preforming complex attribute queries
• creating new layers from selected features
• Splitting vector layers
• Creating joins
• Adjusting layer visual features
• Creating raster heatmaps
• Generating a distance matrix
• Conducting a hierarchical cluster analysis

Installation

Quantum GIS (QGIS)

QGIS is a free and open source GIS software that is available for download from the QGIS website and compatible with all systems. It is a member of the GNU project and provides access to spatial data processing, manipulation, and visualization. Its interface is similar to ArcMap, but has fewer tools. Similar to R, users are able to create new tools for QGIS by programing python scripts that must be approved by the QGIS team. Once approved the scripts become downloadable plugins for the program.

Download and Install QGIS

• Click on the following link to download the QGIS software [1]
• The version used in this tutorial was version 2.6.1
• Click on the download option and select the option that is appropriate to your operating system.
• The program should begin to download, once it is finished downloading, run the program and follow the prompts.

R

File:FIELD 1788.pptx