Improving the Usability of the Land Cover and Use Information System of Spain (SIOSE): A Proposal to Distribute New Thematic Layers and Predefined Reclassifications

摘要

Information on land use and land cover (LULC) is fundamental in the study and planning of human activities. In recent years, accessibility to quality geographical information has significantly increased, and this is also true for the case of LULC datasets. In Spain, the Land Cover and Use Information System of Spain (SIOSE) is concerned with harmonising access to this type of information through an object-oriented model and a series of technical specifications that regional administrations must follow. However, the information from SIOSE is so rich and complex that there is a usability gap that makes this data not exploited to its full potential in some contexts. In this communication, we analyse the context in which this usability gap occurs, its causes and consequences. Among other possible improvements, we suggest that enriching the SIOSE database with new thematic information would make its use more attractive and reduce the usability gap for less expert users. We propose an extension to the SIOSE object-oriented data model that will make it possible to enrich the LULC data with new data that are useful for various types of studies.