How to conduct an overlap analysis

You may analyze the overlap between two boundaries delineated within BoundarySeer, or between data sets imported from other applications. The "Overlap Analysis" menu item will not be active until two data sets, or one data set and a boundary are in the BoundarySeer project. Jacquez (1995) developed overlap statistics for difference boundaries. While they can be used for areal boundaries, overlap between two areal boundaries will be better quantified by areal overlap statistics that will come in the next version of BoundarySeer.

Steps:

  1. Select "Overlap Analysis" from the "Boundary" menu. Alternatively, right click on any boundary in the project window and choose "Overlap Analysis" from the pop-up menu.

  2. Overlap Analysis Monte Carlo Settings

    1. Select the names of the two boundaries or data sets from the two pull-down menus. The one that you enter on the left side of the dialog will be considered layer 1 or "G", and the one you enter on the right side will be considered layer 2 or "H."

    2. Note that the randomization box is checked by default for both boundary data sets. If you do not want to randomize both sets, remove the check from one box by clicking on it. See About overlap statistics for help with this decision.

    3. Choose the null spatial model by specifying the randomization procedure.

    4. If you have chosen to use a data set (rather than a boundary), and if this file has more than one variable, you will be asked to choose one of the variables from the file. BoundarySeer will use this variable as a boundary membership value in the analysis.

    5. Choose the number of randomizations.

    6. Click "OK"

  3. Overlap Analysis Output Settings

    1. Choose a title for the results or accept the default.

    2. Choose whether you want to standardize the results. BoundarySeer will use the Z-score method.

    3. Choose whether you want to view the histograms for each overlap statistic.

    4. Click "OK."

Next step:

Tutorial examples: