Scale and Aggregation Effects of MAUP on Built-Up Area Concentration: Evidence from the Łódź Metropolitan Area

Spatial analyses of built-up areas based on aggregated land cover data are inherently affected by the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP). This study quantifies the influence of the data scale and the areal unit configuration on Lorenz-based measures of the concentration of the built area. Using Łódź Metropolitan Area (Poland) as a case study, harmonized land cover datasets at scales of 1:10,000 and 1:100,000 were analysed with regular square and hexagonal grids of varying sizes, as well as irregular cadastral units. Concentration was measured using a Lorenz curve-based coefficient and sensitivity to zonation was assessed using the coefficient of variation. The results show that the data scale is the primary determinant of the concentration values, with coarser-scale data consistently producing higher and more variable coefficients. Increasing the size of the areal unit leads to a systematic decrease in the concentration measured, while differences in unit geometry and location exert a comparatively minor influence. Irregular cadastral units improve spatial interpretability, but do not reduce susceptibility to MAUP. The findings confirm the strong scale dependency of concentration measures and highlight the necessity of multiscale approaches in quantitative analyses of built-up areas.