Environment information systems and GIS

Building knowledge of basic terms and rules in environmental information systems and GIS, strengthening theoretical spatial informatics foundation that will be applied in exercises. Additional objective of the course is to educate students for a daily use of GIS for solving environmental challenges. Students will test their competences during exercises or their seminars.

Prerequisites for following the course are basic knowledge of working with computers and mathematical and geographical knowledge at the high-school level.

• Introduction to environmental information systems and GIS
• Data in GIS
• Web GIS and standards
• GIS and cartography
• Creation and editing objects in GIS
• GIS data quality control
• Basic operations and analyses in GIS
• Remote sensing and GIS – basics
• Boolean algebra and fuzzy logic – basics

Knowledge and understanding:
Students are introduced to: the basics of GIS and standards of spatial data; they learn: performing advanced querying for spatial data content and their search using multilevel criteria; creation and editing of graphical attribute of spatial data; linking graphical and tabular attributes of spatial data; creation of cartographic product – map; performing transformation of spatial data between different types and formats; performing basic analyses of spatial data.

GIS literature for beginners:

• Bolstad, P. (2025). GIS fundamentals: A first text on geographic information systems (7th ed.). Eider Press. E-version One of the best general GIS textbooks for beginners. Unlike books tied to specific software, it covers the fundamental principles of GIS: i) spatial data models, ii) coordinate systems, iii) projections, iv) GNSS, v) remote sensing, vi) attribute data, vii) raster and vector analysis, viii) surface analysis, ix) interpolation, x) modeling, xi) standards, and xii) data quality.
• Law, M., & Collins, A. (2026). Getting to know ArcGIS Pro 3.6. Esri Press. Probably the best practical introduction to ArcGIS Pro. It presents and explains the basic concepts of GIS while also introducing practical tasks such as data management, geoprocessing, map layouts, and spatial analysis. It is explicitly intended for students, self-directed learners, and professionals.
• Buckley, A. R., Kimerling, A. J., & Kennelly, P. J. (2026). Map use: Map reading and design (9th ed., Vol. 1). Esri Press. Very useful for understanding the cartographic aspects of GIS, including scale, projections, thematic mapping, map design, relief representation, imagery, and how maps communicate information.

GIS literature for somewhat more advanced users:

• Law, M., & Collins, A. (2024). Getting to know ArcGIS Pro 3.2. Esri Press. The previous edition of Law, M., & Collins, A. (2026), listed above. Nevertheless, it remains useful for beginners. It covers geodatabases, mapping, 3D GIS, geoprocessing, Python programming, and spatiotemporal analysis.
• Gorr, W. L., & Kurland, K. S. (2025). GIS tutorial for ArcGIS Pro 3.4. Esri Press. E-version An excellently structured workbook for beginners. It covers map creation, file geodatabases, geoprocessing, geocoding, and spatial analysis step by step. It is well suited to practical exercises.
• Fu, P. (2025). Getting to know mobile GIS. Esri Press. E-version A good introductory book for understanding how GIS extends beyond desktop mapping, while also explaining field data collection, mobile workflows, location sharing, and web GIS. Its straightforward explanations are accessible even to beginners.
• Esri. (2025). A to Z GIS: An illustrated dictionary of geographic information systems (3rd ed.). Esri Press. A very useful companion reference for beginners. It contains nearly 3,000 GIS terms and hundreds of illustrations, making it helpful for learning terminology such as topology, geodatabase, raster, geocoding, spatial join, datum, and projection.
• Carpenter, C., Lange, J., & Szukalski, B. (2024). Top 20 essential skills for ArcGIS Online. Esri Press. A very practical introduction to web GIS. It teaches how to use ArcGIS Online to create layers, web maps, and professional visualizations. The chapters are intentionally short and task-oriented, making the book especially suitable for beginners.

Competence is assessed during the exercises, the colloquium based on exercises (40 % of the final grade) and written exam (60 % of the final grade).

Dr. Marko Komac is an Associate professor in field of Geology at Univesity of Nova Gorica.

Original scientific articles:
1. BABIČ, Matej, PETROVIČ, Dušan, SODNIK, Jošt, SOLDO, Božidar, KOMAC, Marko, CHERNIEVA, Olena, KOVAČIČ, Miha, MIKOŠ, Matjaž, CALÌ, Michele. Modeling and classification of alluvial fans with DEMs and machine learning methods : a case study of Slovenian torrential fans. Remote sensing. 2021, letn. 13, št. 9/1711, str. 1-18, ilustr. ISSN 2072-4292. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/9/1711, Repozitorij Univerze v Ljubljani – RUL, DOI: 10.3390/rs13091711. [COBISS.SI-ID 61449731], [JCR, SNIP, WoS do 8. 6. 2025: no. citations(TC): 3, clean citations(CI): 3, clean citations per author (CIAu): 0.33, Scopus do 11. 6. 2025: no. citations(TC): 7, clean citations(CI): 6, clean citations per author (CIAu): 0.67]
project: J7-8273 Recognition of potentially hazardous torrential fans using geomorphometric methods and simulating fan formation; financer: ARRS
2. POURGHASEMI, Hamid Reza, KARIMINEJAD, Narges, GAYEN, Amiya, KOMAC, Marko. Statistical functions used for spatial modelling due to assessment of landslide distribution and landscape-interaction factors in Iran. Geoscience frontiers. [Print ed.]. 2020, vol. 11, issue 4, str. 1257-1269, ilustr. ISSN 1674-9871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2019.11.005, Repozitorij Univerze v Ljubljani – RUL, DOI: 10.1016/j.gsf.2019.11.005. [COBISS.SI-ID 9109345], [JCR, SNIP, WoS do 6. 2. 2025: no. citations(TC): 16, clean citations(CI): 16, clean citations per author (CIAu): 4.00, Scopus do 8. 5. 2025: no. citations(TC): 18, clean citations(CI): 18, clean citations per author (CIAu): 4.50]
3. ŽALOHAR, Jure, VIČIČ, Blaž, POTOČNIK, Matic, SOKLIČ, Nejc, KOMAC, Marko, HÖLSCHER, Thomas, HERLEC, Uroš, DOLENEC, Matej. Breather-type oscillations of the global tectonic shear stress fields. Journal of structural geology. [Print ed.]. 2020, vol. 140, str. 1-6. ISSN 0191-8141. Repozitorij Univerze v Ljubljani – RUL, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsg.2020.104185. [COBISS.SI-ID 32206595], [JCR, SNIP, WoS do 30. 6. 2025: no. citations(TC): 7, clean citations(CI): 7, clean citations per author (CIAu): 0.88, Scopus do 7. 7. 2025: no. citations(TC): 9, clean citations(CI): 9, clean citations per author (CIAu): 1.13]
4. ŽALOHAR, Jure, VIČIČ, Blaž, POTOČNIK, Matic, SOKLIČ, Nejc, KOMAC, Marko, HÖLSCHER, Thomas, HERLEC, Uroš, DOLENEC, Matej. Precursory stress changes before large earthquakes; on a new physical law for earthquakes. Journal of structural geology. [Print ed.]. 2020, vol. 141, str. 1-12. ISSN 0191-8141. Repozitorij Univerze v Ljubljani – RUL, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsg.2020.104208. [COBISS.SI-ID 32212227], [JCR, SNIP, WoS do 20. 5. 2023: no. citations(TC): 3, clean citations(CI): 3, clean citations per author (CIAu): 0.38, Scopus do 24. 4. 2023: no. citations(TC): 3, clean citations(CI): 3, clean citations per author (CIAu): 0.38]
5. Komac, M., Neumann, M., Burridge, G., Miklovicz, T., Miravalles, A.S., López, M.A., Allington, R. (2021). The geoscience profession’s response to COVID-19 pandemic – An European Federation of Geologists’ overview. Episodes 2022; 45(2): 113-123. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2021/021008
6. Correia, V., Falck, E., Komac, M. (2025). Invisible Mining: Addressing EU Raw Material Challenges Through Technological Innovation. Intereconomics, 2024-12-01 | Journal article. DOI: 10.2478/ie-2024-0067. https://doi.org/10.2478/ie-2024-0067
7. Ortwin Renn, Richard Gloaguen, Christina Benighaus, Leila Ajjabou, Ludger Benighaus, Virginia Del Rio, Javier Gómez, Sari Kauppi, Michaela Keßelring, Moritz Kirsch, Marko Komac, Juha Kotilainen, Elena Kozlovskaya, Jari Lyytimaki, Cathryn McCallum, Tuija Mononen, Jouni Nevalainen, Lasse Peltonen, Jukka-Pekka Ranta, Stephane Ruiz, Jon Russill, and Frank Wagner (2022). Metal Sourcing For a Sustainable Future. Earth Science, Systems and Society. Volume 2. https://doi.org/10.3389/esss.2022.10049 (citatov: 9)

Accepted/In press articles:
1. Toni Eerola, Vitor Correia, Marko Komac, Konstantinos Komnitsas, Sam Whittlesey, Mari Kivinen. The sociopolitical geology of the energy transition: challenges and paradoxes in a fragmented world. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (2026) 43:4193–4204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-026-01649-2.
2. KOMAC, M., ŽVAB ROŽIČ, P., ROME, T. (accepted, in print) Slovenia developed the “Geodiversity” sign as the first country in the world. Episodes (https://www.episodes.org/main.html).
3. KOMAC, M., ROJAS-AGRAMONTE, Y., TORRO, L., ÁLVAREZ-SILVA, O., Prieto, G., Olivenza, G. (accepted, in print) A data-driven agenda for raw materials and renewable energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean. Episodes (https://www.episodes.org/main.html). (prove of acceptance is attached)
4. Komac, M., Keane, C.M., Correia, V., Žužek, K., Šturm, S. 2026. Hidden dependencies in REEs supply chains: Lessons from Slovenia for Europe's Energy Transition. Mining (ISSN: 2673-6489) (accepted, in review).