Investigation methods / tools

Maps are one result of landscape ecological analyses showing the spatial arrangement of landscape complexes (see Chapter 2.2). With regard to different spatial dimensions of investigation landscape ecological maps vary in scale and content. Moreover, mapping methods, tools and techniques are individually transposed according to different approaches. Practical threats of landscape ecological research as well as needs in application necessitate the effort of maps as investigation, presentation and communication instruments, since: the results demonstrated in maps represent a spatial scale-bound message that can be used for multifarious purposes the statements being illustrated are more or less quantitative, and synthesized landscape units are characterized in substance reducing and qualifying the significance of boarder lines between the single units (Leser 1997).