Spatial restructuring and land consolidation of urban-rural settlement in mountainous areas based on ecological niche perspective

doi:10.1007/s11442-018-1464-2

Abstract

Abstract:

With the socio-economic development associated with urbanization, the urban-rural relationship has changed across the world. In China, due to the urban-rural dual structure, these changes turn out to be more complicated. Spatial restructuring are suggested as the main strategies and spatial supporting platforms for urban-rural development. However, the theory still lacks solid methodology and support from systematic empirical studies. This study seeks an adequate scientific methodology and discusses the difference of urban-rural transformation in plains and mountainous areas. A case in Shanghang County, China, demonstrates: 1) The compound ecological niche model can be a suitable approach in urban-rural restructuring, especially in mountainous areas. 2) The urban-rural development area with highly inappropriate, slightly appropriate, moderately appropriate, and highly appropriate areas are 1273.2 km² (44.69%); 906.1 km² (31.80%); 509.4 km² (17.88%); and 160.1 km² (5.62%), respectively. 3) The “deserting villages” in mountainous areas play positive synergistic roles in urbanization, in contrast to the “hollowing villages” common in plain areas. 4) The central town-village will become the most important settlement in mountainous areas. Therefore, we suggest more attention should be paid to environmental capacity in the construction of central town-villages. This study significantly extends the understanding of “hollowing village” theory and regional planning.

Key words: spatial restructuring, ecological niche, urban-rural settlement, deserting village, hollowing village, central town-village

Zhaowu YU, Lishan XIAO, Xiji CHEN, Zhichao HE, Qinghai GUO, Henrik VEJRE. Spatial restructuring and land consolidation of urban-rural settlement in mountainous areas based on ecological niche perspective[J].Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2018, 28(2): 131-151.

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Evaluation indicators		Index properties	Realized index value		Weight	Total weight
Evaluation indicators		Index properties	Range	Mean value	Weight	Total weight
Ecological factors	X₁	Continuity, has boundary conditions	0-2.96	1.37	0.153	0.441
	X₂	Conceptual, no boundary conditions	—	—	0.088
	X₃	Conceptual, no boundary conditions	—	—	0.107
	X₄	Conceptual, has boundary conditions	—	—	0.093
Living factors	X₅	Continuity, no boundary conditions	0-0.026	0.0013	0.115	0.354
	X₆	Continuity, no boundary conditions	0.48-8.55	3.71	0.123
	X₇	Continuity, no boundary conditions	0-9.90	0.99	0.116
Production factors	X₈/km	Continuity, has boundary conditions	0-14.46	2.83	0.099	0.205
Production factors	X₉	Continuity, no boundary conditions	0-202.81	185.16	0.106	0.205

Aspect	Area proportion (%)	Fitness value	Aspect	Area proportion (%)	Fitness value
Horizontal	0.19	1.00	South	12.76	1.00
North	5.97	0.25	Southwest	12.57	1.00
Northeast	11.80	0.50	West	13.37	0.75
East	12.76	0.75	Northwest	12.11	0.50
Southeast	12.40	1.00	North	6.05	0.00

Soil erosion sensitive level	Area (km²)	Area proportion (%)	Fitness value
Highly sensitive	41.81	1.46	0.00
Moderately sensitive	1907.93	66.84	0.25
Slightly sensitive	718.03	25.15	0.50
General sensitive	187.02	6.55	0.75

Geological disasters level	Area (km²)	Area proportion (%)	Fitness value
Low risk area	924.33	32.11	0.75
Moderate risk area	1600.81	55.60	0.50
High risk area	353.86	12.29	0.25

Types	Number of settlement	Percentage of number (%)	Area of settlement (hm²)	Percentage of area (%)	Mean area of settlement (hm²)	Shape index	AWMPFD
Priority development area	126	15.52	1290.07	14.04	10.24	1.06	1.04
Moderate development area	188	23.15	6008.39	65.38	31.96	1.03	1.05
Limited development area	363	44.70	1309.46	14.25	3.61	1.31	1.12
Migrate-regulate area	135	16.63	518.60	6.33	4.31	1.57	1.22