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Spatial autocorrelation in GIS measures the similarity of nearby objects, with Moran's I being the key index used for this analysis. Positive autocorrelation indicates clustering of similar values, while negative autocorrelation shows clustering of dissimilar values, with applications in ecology and disease analysis. Understanding spatial autocorrelation is crucial for ensuring the independence of observations and analyzing patterns in geographic data.

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11 views5 pages

Idw +

Spatial autocorrelation in GIS measures the similarity of nearby objects, with Moran's I being the key index used for this analysis. Positive autocorrelation indicates clustering of similar values, while negative autocorrelation shows clustering of dissimilar values, with applications in ecology and disease analysis. Understanding spatial autocorrelation is crucial for ensuring the independence of observations and analyzing patterns in geographic data.

Uploaded by

awmshinu
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Home » GIS Analysis » Spatial Autocorrelation and Moran’s I in GIS

Spatial Autocorrelation and Moran’s I in


GIS
10 Comments

Spatial autocorrelation in
GIS helps understand
the degree to which one
object is similar to other
nearby objects.

Moran’s I (Index)
measures spatial
autocorrelation. Geographer Waldo R. Tobler stated in the first law of
geography:

“Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related
than distant things.”

Positive spatial autocorrelation is when similar values cluster together on a


map.
Negative spatial autocorrelation is when dissimilar values cluster together
on a map.
A checkerboard pattern is an example where Moran’s I is -1 because
dissimilar values are next to each other.
Spatial autocorrelation measures how close objects are in comparison with
other close objects. Moran’s I can be classified as positive, negative, and with
no spatial auto-correlation.

Why is Spatial Autocorrelation Important?


One of the main reasons why spatial auto-correlation is important is because
statistics rely on observations being independent of one another. If
autocorrelation exists in a map, then this violates the fact that observations
are independent of one another.

Another potential application is analyzing clusters and dispersion of ecology


and disease.

Is the disease an isolated case?


Is it clustered or spreading with dispersion?

These trends can be better understood using spatial autocorrelation analysis.

Get an understanding of spatial statistics:


How To Think Spatially with Spatial Relationships

Distance Decay: How Far Would You Travel?

Positive Spatial Autocorrelation Example


Positive spatial autocorrelation occurs when Moran’s I is close to +1. This
means values cluster together. For example, elevation datasets have similar
elevation values close to each other.

Clustered Image Spatial Autocorrelation

There is clustering in the land cover image above. This clustered pattern
generates a Moran’s I of 0.60. The z-score of 4.95 indicates there is a less
than 1% likelihood that this clustered pattern could be the result of a random
choice.

Negative Spatial Autocorrelation Example


Negative spatial auto-correlation occurs when Moran’s I is near -1. A
checkerboard is an example where Moran’s I is -1 because dissimilar values
are next to each other. A value of 0 for Moran’s I typically indicates no
autocorrelation.

Checkerboard Pattern: Spatial


Autocorrelation

Using the spatial autocorrelation tool in ArcGIS, the checkerboard pattern


generates a Moran’s index of -1.00 with a z-score of -7.59.
(Remember that the z-score indicates the statistical significance given the
number of features in the dataset).

This checkerboard pattern has a less than 1% likelihood that it is the result of a
random choice. If you want to test this statistical technique, try GeoDa
software for this and more.

What’s Next: Spatial Dependency


Spatial autocorrelation indicates if there is clustering or dispersion in a map.
While a positive Moran’s I hints that data is clustered, a negative Moran’s I
implies data is dispersed.

If you’ve tested this spatial autocorrelation guide, try to master spatial


statistics widely used statistics in GIS:

Kriging Interpolation – The Prediction Is Strong in this One


How to Build Spatial Regression Models in ArcGIS
How to Calculate Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) in Excel

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10 Comments
Isaac Ajao says:
March 19, 2023 at 3:28 pm

I don’t think you need spatial dependence analysis on this. Just carry out a
survey. Ask questions using questionnaires or interview where they live, how
close they are to railroad. Administer them to the people close to railway, ask
of health challenges they have. Cancer should be one of the options to pick

Reply

Mili says:
June 13, 2022 at 1:06 pm

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