Understanding population fluctuations through volunteered geographic information and novel indicators: The experience of Rakiura, Stewart Island, New Zealand

TL;DR

This study explores how volunteered geographic information and new indicators can reveal population fluctuations on Stewart Island, using a case study and population modeling to assess data usability for disaster risk insights.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to using heterogeneous data sources and indicators to understand population dynamics in a specific island setting.

Findings

Wastewater volumes indicate relative population changes.

Social media data requires enrichment for meaningful insights.

Indicators can inform disaster risk assessments.

Abstract

In an era of heterogeneous data, novel methods and volunteered geographic information provide opportunities to understand how people interact with a place. However, it is not enough to simply have such heterogeneous data, instead an understanding of its usability and reliability needs to be undertaken. Here, we draw upon the case study of Rakiura, Stewart Island where manifested passenger numbers across the Foveaux Strait are known. We have built a population model to ground truth such novel indicators. In our preliminary study, we find that a number of indicators offer the opportunity to understand fluctuations in populations. Some indicators (such as wastewater volumes) can suggest relative changes in populations in a raw form. While other indicators (such as TripAdvisor reviews or Instagram posts) require further data enrichment to get insights into population fluctuations. This research forms part of a larger research project looking to test and apply such novel indicators to inform disaster risk assessments.