Options for combining suitability curves into a composite suitability index in suitability modeler?

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10-06-2021 08:08 AM
CaseyLott1
New Contributor

I recently started working with the suitability modeler tool in ArcGIS Pro 2.7. I've read the short how-to documentation online and watched a few short videos. However, I'm not finding more detailed documentation for important elements of this tool that I'd like to look up.

For example, where would I find documentation for each of the different transformation functions that are embedded in this tool (e.g., definitions of parameter values, specific use cases for different functions)?

Perhaps more importantly, I don't see any documentation about how each of the individual suitability curves are mathematically combined into a composite suitability index. There are multiple methods for doing this, some of which are appropriate in one context and not others. I can't find documentation that describes the default method for combining individual curves into a composite index OR documentation that might describe different ways of doing so, if this is possible.

I've attached two papers from my field (wildlife habitat modeling) that describe this issue in some detail for anyone who is interested (see pages 379-380 under "HSI equations" in Dijak and Rittenhouse (2009) and pages 16-18 in Van Horne and Wiens (1991) under "Suitability Index Graphs families of curves" and "The equations used to calculate HSI". Thank you in advance for any advice.

1 Reply
KevinMJohnston
Esri Contributor

The Suitability Modeler uses a weighted additive approach. You can get details by clicking the “?” on any of the tabs or panes and explore the table of contents listed to the left of the topic.

For how layers are combined, specifically see:

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/analysis/spatial-analyst/suitability-modeler/the-gener...

and

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/analysis/spatial-analyst/suitability-modeler/implement...

 

For information on the continuous transformation functions and the parameters see:

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/spatial-analyst/rescale-by-function.htm

and

https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/tools/spatial-analyst-toolbox/the-transformation-functio...

https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/tools/spatial-analyst-toolbox/the-interaction-of-the-low...

 

For information of the Locating component and its parameters see:

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/spatial-analyst/locate-regions.htm

and

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/spatial-analyst/how-locate-regions-works.htm

We will be adding other ways to determine transformation values and weights. And, we probably will add other methods for combining the transformation layers.