Die inhaltliche Konzeption der Karte „Flächennutzung und naturräumliche Ausstattung" 1:750 000 im „Atlas DDR"

Summary

This article discusses the cartographic conception of the map "Land Use and Natural Conditions" at a scale of 1:750,000, which is part of the "Atlas of the German Democratic Republic". The map belongs to the group of "Natural Foundations" within the atlas and is designed to fulfill two tasks: first, to depict the current, technically altered state of natural conditions, and second, to demonstrate some essential relationships between the natural foundations and their utilization by society. Due to the extensive range of features and relationships characterizing both sub-complexes, a complete solution to these tasks in a single map is not feasible. The author posits that the map's design principles make it better suited to demonstrate essential aspects of the current state of natural conditions, while statements regarding the second task require considerably more interpretation. The article elaborates on the theoretical basis, suggesting that combining land use and natural conditions is the most suitable approach for such an overview map, and reviews examples of maps at various scales. The core problem in designing the map was to capture the spatial structures determined by both sub-complexes using a limited number of combination forms. To achieve this, overview maps for both complexes were designed, and the cartographic combination and legend were then coordinated step by step. Regarding land use, only the main forms forming the stable framework of the land use structure were considered, and these were consolidated into five land use complexes. For natural conditions, the map "Natural Area Types" from the atlas served as the base, and by merging geo-ecologically related content, the legend was reduced to a quarter of its original size. The article also discusses the principles of generalization, area measurement methods, and the map's application in planning practice and geographical research.