Hi,
I have a vector point file with attributes representing the number of life forms counted in a quadrat. The numbers can be represented as a percentage of the "target" life form density. E.g. I counted 5 and the target should be 10 (therefore 0.5).
There are hundreds of these points in a confined area (represented as a polygon shapefile). Can I represent this as a raster that shows density as a graduated colour and takes into account the value of the points around it? I.e. to fill in the gaps. E.g. the pixels of the raster are an average of the values within that area. If there are no points in that pixel then it shows a modelled figure of those around it.
I am comfortable in ArcMap but do not have the spatial analysis extension. Therefore I am likely to be undertaking this in QGIS
Qgis has a built in heat map and density function. Ill attach instructions.
More suitable would be IDW in QGIS from what you explain. Ill attach a tutorial as a second link.
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=qgis%20gis%20heatmap
http://www.gistutor.com/quantum-gis/20-intermediate-quantum-gis-tutorials/51-inverse-distance-weighting-idw-interpolation-using-qgis.html
Thank you all for your answers. I have seen the results of this kind of thing in the past but just didn't know the name of what I wanted to do!
I haven't got stuck into it all yet, but it looks like you have pointed me in the right direction!