Geog 181 - midterm 1 review .docx - LECTURE TWO MAPS Map definition \u201cA map is any concrete or abstract representation of the features that occur on or
LECTURE TWO: MAPSMap definition:“A map is any concrete or abstract representation of the features that occur on or near the surface of the earth or other celestial bodies”Characteristics of maps:Plan or near-plan viewsUse of symbolsCan show physical and cultural featuresShow location and attribute informationMental, virtual and real maps:Mental maps oImages of environment stored in our mindsoUsed for navigation, visualizationVirtual (computer) mapsoTemporary maps displayed on computer monitoroDatabase used to generate graphic display Real, or “cartographic” mapsoPaper mapsoNow generally produced by computers – i.e real map is a printout of a virtual mapMental maps:Represent knowledge of the spatial organization of our environment, characteristics of different locations or regionsHow do they acquire information:oDirect experienceoIndirect experience (e.g. tv) oExtra-perception, i.e. thinking, or inferenceDiffer from reality oIncompleteoSelective retention of informationoMore accurate for familiar areasNeighborhood mental maps:Three maps of the same neighborhood drawn by children, common elements found in each, but differences in scale, use of symbols, and detailsImages of urban environments:Image of the city: kevin lynch – urban theorist5 things in the urban environment:
oPaths – routes linking places togetheroLandmarks – office towers, historical buildingsoNodes – main centres of activity oDistricts – homogenous areasoEdges – boundaires between districtsMaps based on collected data:Charts/plans – hydographic, aeronauticalGeneral – reference, topographic, photomapsThematic – univariate, special purpose Virtual maps:Computer mapsoTemporary screen displays oSpatial databases used to generate mapsInteractive oBased on selective query of data base – user can design custom mapGIS locater – region of waterlooGoogle earth, google sky oAnimation Growth of boston, weather mapsCharts and plans: Variable scaleTo be worked on rather than looked at General reference maps:spatial association of featuresAccuracy standards E.g. topographic maps Thematic maps:Focus on particular theme, e.g. soils, populationUnivariate, multivariate, derivedCadastral map: Defines land ownershipFunctions of maps:NavigationoRoad mapsoBuse route maps
oHydrographic chartsVisualizationoScale reduction – see spatial relationships or patternsMeasurementoGeometric propertiesoMonitor change over timeoNot all maps suitable for all types of measurementCharacteristics of maps:Graphical representation of data and their spatial relationshipsPlan or near plan viewsRelate features in terms of distances and anglesoMay only be approximately correct due to distortionUse of symbolsoAble to represent any characteristic which varies over space, not just physical features