An algebraic/graphical tool to compare ecosystems with respect to their pollution II: Comparative regional analysis

Abstract Often comparisons are to be performed which have their basis on vectorial quantities. As an example, regions in the south-western part of Germany (Baden-Wurttemberg) are evaluated under different criteria, reflecting air quality, water quality, damage on vegetation near the soil and contamination of leaves. It is hard to identify one region as most polluted if more than one criterion is to be regarded at the same time. A tool to perform this is the ranking by Hasse diagrams, which is demonstrated with the example of 13 regions (mainly westwards of cities). It turns out that five regions should be examined more closely. Two of them are the regions westwards of Mannheim and Mannheim itself.