The settlement patterns of the prehistoric inhabitants of the Columbia Plateau were choreographed to match the cadence of the seasons, with movements timed to efficiently utilize available resources. Desert roots, such as lomatium and bitterroot, provided a primary source of dietary nutrition, yet the ideal conditions for exploiting these plant resources coalesced for a very limited time in any one location. It was therefore necessary to possess an intimate knowledge of the plants' lifecycles in order to effectively plan gathering activities. In order to predict the growth patterns and maturation rates of these desert root crops, a GIS model was developed using lntergraph's GeoMedia Grid Software. By modeling the potential growth patterns of these plant resources, it is possible to predict the movements of the peoples involved in this particular subsistence activity. The results of this project indicate that GIS modeling may provide an effective means to model settlement patterns.
","abstract_html":"<p>The settlement patterns of the prehistoric inhabitants of the Columbia Plateau were choreographed to match the cadence of the seasons, with movements timed to efficiently utilize available resources. Desert roots, such as lomatium and bitterroot, provided a primary source of dietary nutrition, yet the ideal conditions for exploiting these plant resources coalesced for a very limited time in any one location. It was therefore necessary to possess an intimate knowledge of the plants' lifecycles in order to effectively plan gathering activities. In order to predict the growth patterns and maturation rates of these desert root crops, a GIS model was developed using lntergraph's GeoMedia Grid Software. By modeling the potential growth patterns of these plant resources, it is possible to predict the movements of the peoples involved in this particular subsistence activity. The results of this project indicate that GIS modeling may provide an effective means to model settlement patterns.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Phillips, Mary Michelle"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Resource Management","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Steven Hackenberger","Nancy Hultquist","Anne Denman"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2003,"date_issued":"2003-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2003-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:37:54Z","subjects":["GIS","Geographic Information Systems","desert plants","edible plants","habitation pattern","settlement","Geographic Information Sciences","Geography","Human Geography","Physical and Environmental Geography"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/1496","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Steven Hackenberger","Nancy Hultquist","Anne Denman"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Phillips, Mary Michelle"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2021-05-19T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Text"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Resource Management"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["GIS","Geographic Information Systems","desert plants","edible plants","habitation pattern","settlement","Geographic Information Sciences","Geography","Human Geography","Physical and Environmental Geography"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/1496"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The settlement patterns of the prehistoric inhabitants of the Columbia Plateau were choreographed to match the cadence of the seasons, with movements timed to efficiently utilize available resources. Desert roots, such as lomatium and bitterroot, provided a primary source of dietary nutrition, yet the ideal conditions for exploiting these plant resources coalesced for a very limited time in any one location. It was therefore necessary to possess an intimate knowledge of the plants' lifecycles in order to effectively plan gathering activities. In order to predict the growth patterns and maturation rates of these desert root crops, a GIS model was developed using lntergraph's GeoMedia Grid Software. By modeling the potential growth patterns of these plant resources, it is possible to predict the movements of the peoples involved in this particular subsistence activity. The results of this project indicate that GIS modeling may provide an effective means to model settlement patterns.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["GIS Modeling of Desert Root Crop Maturation on the Mid-Columbia Plateau"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Steven Hackenberger","Nancy Hultquist","Anne Denman"],"dc:creator":["Phillips, Mary Michelle"],"dc:date.available":["2021-05-19T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The settlement patterns of the prehistoric inhabitants of the Columbia Plateau were choreographed to match the cadence of the seasons, with movements timed to efficiently utilize available resources. Desert roots, such as lomatium and bitterroot, provided a primary source of dietary nutrition, yet the ideal conditions for exploiting these plant resources coalesced for a very limited time in any one location. It was therefore necessary to possess an intimate knowledge of the plants' lifecycles in order to effectively plan gathering activities. In order to predict the growth patterns and maturation rates of these desert root crops, a GIS model was developed using lntergraph's GeoMedia Grid Software. By modeling the potential growth patterns of these plant resources, it is possible to predict the movements of the peoples involved in this particular subsistence activity. The results of this project indicate that GIS modeling may provide an effective means to model settlement patterns.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/1496"],"dc:subject":["GIS","Geographic Information Systems","desert plants","edible plants","habitation pattern","settlement","Geographic Information Sciences","Geography","Human Geography","Physical and Environmental Geography"],"dc:title":["GIS Modeling of Desert Root Crop Maturation on the Mid-Columbia Plateau"],"dc:type":["Text"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Resource Management"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:37:54Z"}