The scientific method is predicated on the assumption that research designs and results can be reproduced and replicated. However, recent findings in some disciplines suggest that many studies fail to reach this standard, moving issues surrounding reproducibility and replicability forward into the research agenda of those fields. While the topic has yet to become a point of controversy in geography, the intricacies of geographic phenomena and spatial data analysis make the field vulnerable to criticism. This commentary discusses how uncertainties related to the conception, measurement, analysis, and communication of geographic analyses contribute to difficulties in the reproduction and replication of geographic research. Investigating how these uncertainties collectively impact the reproducibility and replicability of spatial data analyses should be a critical focus of future Geographical Analysis research. A call to action for geographers to improve the reproducibility and replicability of their work and specific recommendations on how Geographical Analysis might facilitate this process conclude the commentary.

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Questions: Do the species lists (SLs) of presettlement land surveys, little used though available for over two million km in the USA, provide useful information on historic forest composition? Do the bearing trees (BTs) and SLs of pre-settlement land surveys record similar species and relative abundances? Are relative abundances more similar when species in an SL are given equally weighted relative abundances or rank-weighted relative abundances?Location: Temperate broadleaf forest, western New York, US.Methods: BT and SL data were obtained for the 3 172 953 m of lines surveyed in 1797-9 by the Holland Land Company. The presence and relative abundance of 8394 BTs were compared with 11 192 unique taxon mentions within SLs. Comparisons were made for individual taxa and whole communities, and at the scales of individual line segments and whole town lines. The influence of equal weighting and rank weighting of the SLs on the comparisons was assessed.Results: The SLs on a line segment typically recorded more taxa than did the BTs. The species present in BTs and SLs on individual line segments were indicated by Cohen's Kappa to have 'substantial agreement.' Correlations between BTs and SLs of all taxa on the same town line increased with the number of BTs and SLs on the town line, and when the relative abundances of SL taxa were modelled using rank weighting rather than equal weighting. Correlations between BTs and SLs for individual taxa were higher for taxa that had more BTs. Correlations between BTs and SLs were also higher when the relative abundances of SL taxa were modelled using rank weighting vs equal weighting.Conclusions: SLs capture greater detail of presettlement forest composition than do BTs. The relative abundance of a taxon mentioned in a presettlement land survey SL can be meaningfully predicted using its rank in an SL and application of a rank weighting model.

Aim As part of the Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa, Liberia has pledged to include the value of nature in national decision making through natural capital accounting. Surveying species of concern, such as the western chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus), which was recently reclassified as “critically endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and identifying protection priority areas are critical first steps towards achieving Liberia's goal to conserve 30% of its remaining forests and supporting the wave of conservation projects taking place in the country. Location Liberia, Africa. Methods We modelled western chimpanzee habitat suitability, focusing on determining relevant environmental predictors and the most appropriate scale for modelling species–habitat relationships. We built models at six resolutions (30–960 m) to identify scale domains where relationships remain constant. We include several habitat variables that have not been included in prior modelling efforts. We then used the suitability map as the conductance input into a connectivity analysis using Circuitscape. Results The amount of forest within 1–3 km was the most important predictor of chimpanzee occurrence. Variable ranks and importance shifted considerably between modelling scales, supporting the need for multiscale investigations, but scale domains were present. Several important corridors for chimpanzee habitat and movement overlap considerably with existing timber and palm oil concessions and overlap mining and rubber concessions to a lesser degree. Main conclusions The proportion of primary forest within 1–3 km is critically important for chimpanzee habitat. Ongoing conservation projects and efforts taking place in Liberia including the Good Growth Partnership and the Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa can utilize the spatial findings on connectivity provided by this study to inform future conservation decisions, particularly expanding exiting protected areas.