RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN GEOGRAPHY AT THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY -- Copyright -- Acknowledgments -- Preface -- Contents -- Executive Summary -- USGS VISION AND MISSION -- NRC COMMITTEE CHARGE -- THE USGS AND GEOGRAPHY -- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS -- The General State of Geographic Knowledge -- The Dynamics of the Land Surface-Human Activities Connection -- Geographic Techniques -- Data Research -- GIScience Research -- Bridging the Gap Between Science, Policy, and Management -- SUMMARY -- 1 Introduction -- GEOGRAPHY AND THE CHANGING USGS -- SCIENCE AT THE USGS -- USGS VISION AND MISSION -- THE GEOGRAPHY DISCIPLINE AT THE USGS -- STUDY AND REPORT -- 2 Geography at the USGS -- MODERN GEOGRAPHY -- Geography's Themes -- USGS Influences on U.S. Geography -- HISTORY OF GEOGRAPHY AND GEOGRAPHERS AT THE USGS -- PRESENT GEOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE USGS -- Geography as an Integrator -- Geographic Data and Research -- Geographic Techniques -- Surveying -- Remote Sensing -- Cartography -- GIScience -- SUMMARY -- 3 Priorities for Maintaining and Enhancing Spatial Data Management -- PRIMARY PRIORITIES -- Spatial Data Collection -- Spatial Data Representation -- Integration of Spatial Data -- SECONDARY PRIORITIES -- Spatial Data Mining -- Historical Spatial Data -- Digital Conversion of Hardcopy Spatial Data -- Documenting Human Impacts on the Environment -- Understanding Infrequent or Slow Environmental Processes -- Ecosystem Management and Ecosystem Restoration -- Historical Data for Decision Makers -- Managing the Security of Data -- Spatial Data Reserves for Decision Making -- SUMMARY -- 4 Priorities for Geographic Information Science -- PRIMARY PRIORITIES -- The National Map -- Databases for The National Map -- Digital Elevation Data -- Land Cover -- Biogeographic Data -- Hydrographic Data -- Transportation Data -- Geographic Place Names.

SECONDARY PRIORITIES -- Resolution and Scale -- Delivering Vector Data to Users -- Standards for GIS Products -- Priorities in Spatial Analysis -- SUMMARY -- 5 Research on Land-Surface and Society Interactions -- PRIMARY PRIORITIES -- Environmental Resources and Systems -- Climate Change -- Scale and Pattern in Ecosystems -- River Systems -- Hazards Research: Nature, Technology, and Security -- Natural Hazards -- Technological Hazards and Public Health -- Homeland Security -- SECONDARY PRIORITIES -- Urban Dynamics -- Regional and Place-Based Research -- Bridging Science, Policy, and Decision Making -- Expanding Public Involvement in Policy Making -- Decision-Support Systems -- SUMMARY -- 6 Conclusions and Recommendations -- ADVANCING THE GENERAL STATE OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE DISCIPLINE -- UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF THE LAND SURFACE-HUMAN ACTIVITIES CONNECTION -- MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING GEOGRAPHIC TOOLS AND METHODS -- BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN SCIENCE, POLICY MAKING, AND MANAGEMENT -- SUMMARY -- References -- Appendixes -- Appendix A Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff -- NRC Staff -- Appendix B Oral and Written Contributors -- Appendix C Acronyms -- Appendix D.