GEOGRAPHY AND THE PROPERTIES OF SURFACES. A STRUCTURAL TAXONOMY OF SPATIAL HIERARCHIES.

摘要

The paper presents a method for the classification of spatial hierarchies (e.g.,central places,rivers,blood vessels,airways,trees,etc.). The method is based on the author's mixed hexagonal hierarchy model,which has been slightly amended here. It is possible to classify hierarchies according to a four number framework. The first two numbers,the family and genus,are related to the number of first order areas. The third number or species gives the number of orders;the fourth number is a correction factor which tells whether the hierarchy is complete. A last optional number or parent gives the number of first order areas for a system with one more order. The method can be used to predict new hierarchies and can show close relationships between seemingly different hierarchies. An appendix provides a table of convergent means. (Author)