Ingeography, scale is the level at which a geographical phenomenon occurs or is described. This concept is derived from the map scaleincartography. Geographers describe geographical phenomena and differences using different scales. From an epistemological perspective, scale is used to describe how detailed an observation is, while ontologically, scale is inherent in the complex interaction between society and nature.[1]
The concept of scale is central to geography. To study any geographical phenomenon, one must first determine the scale or resolution, because different scales or resolutions may result in different observations and hence different conclusions. This problem is called scale effectorscale dependency.[2] For example, the answer to the famous question "How Long Is the Coast of Britain" is highly dependent on the choice of cartographic scales.
In cartography and spatial analysis, scale effect and zoning effect (different ways of zoning lead to different statistical outcomes) conbimed can lead to modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP).[2]
| Scale | Spatial (m2) | Temporal (yr) |
|---|---|---|
| Micro- | 100 - 106 | 1 -500 |
| Meso- | 106 - 1010 | 500 - 10,000 |
| Macro- | 1010 - 1012 | 10,000 - 1,000,000 |
| Mega- | 1012 - | 1,000,000 - |
In geography, the term "scale" can be spatial, temporal, or spatio-temporal, but often (though not always) means spatial scale in spatial analysis. In different contexts, "scale" could have very different connotations, which could be classified as follows:[4]
