How Does Urban Shrinkage Affect Land Use Efficiency?A Case Study of Shrinking Cities in Northeast China

The effect of urban shrinkage has gradually become a new topic.Theoretically,urban shrinkage may exert great influence on land use efficiency(LUE)through various urban subsystems,but there is currently limited research examining these pathways.Using the Super-SBM-Undesirable model and the Structural Equation Model(SEM),this study calculates the LUE of shrinking cities in Northeast China and simulates the process of urban shrinkage affecting LUE.To quantify the process of urban shrinkage affecting LUE,three mediation variables,namely the economy,public services,and innovation,are used as latent variables to apply SEM.The results show that urban shrinkage will affect LUE through a direct path and indirect paths.In the direct path,urban shrinkage leads to an improvement in LUE.In the indirect paths,the economy and innovation will transmit the negative effect of urban shrinkage on LUE,while public services will reverse this effect.An important contribution of this study is that it quantifies the paths of urban shrinkage affecting LUE,thereby expanding the understanding of urban shrinkage effect and laying a foundation for the sustainable development of shrinking cities.

What are the underlying causes and dynamics of land use conflicts in metropolitan junction areas?A case study of the central Chengdu–Chongqing region in China

Land use conflicts(LUCs),as a spatial manifestation of the conflicts in the human-land relationships,have a profound impact on regional sustainable development.For China’s metropolitan junction areas(MJAs),the existence of“administrative district economies”has made the issue of LUCs more prominent.Based on a case study of the central Chengdu–Chongqing region,we conducted an exploratory spatial data analysis of the evolutionary process of regional LUCs.Furthermore,structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze the dynamic mechanism of LUCs in MJAs,with a particular emphasis on exploring the influences of administrative boundary.The results showed that from 2010 to 2020,LUCs in the central Chengdu–Chongqing region continued to worsen,and the spatial process conflict and spatial structure conflict indices increased by more than 30.0%.The intensification of LUCs in the central Chengdu–Chongqing region from 2010 to 2020 was mainly the result of the deterioration of conflicts in evaluation units with low conflict levels.LUCs in China’s metropolitan areas generally presented a circular gradient distribution,weakening from the core to the periphery,but there were some strong isolated conflict zones in the outer regions.LUCs in China’s MJAs were the result of interactions among multiple factors,e.g.,natural environment,socio-economic development,policy and institutional processes,and administrative boundary effects.Administrative boundary affected the flow of socio-economic elements,changing the supply-and-demand competition of stakeholders for land resources,consequently exerting an indirect influence on LUCs.This study advances the theory of the dynamic mechanism of LUCs,and provides theoretical support for the governance of these conflicts in transboundary areas.

Characteristics and drivers of the soil multifunctionality under different land use and land cover types in the drylands of China

The drylands of China cover approximately 6.6×106 km2 and are home to approximately 5.8×10^(8)people,providing important ecosystem services for human survival and development.However,dryland ecosystems are extremely fragile and sensitive to external environmental changes.Land use and land cover(LULC)changes significantly impact soil structure and function,thus affecting the soil multifunctionality(SMF).However,the effect of LULC changes on the SMF in the drylands of China has rarely been reported.In this study,we investigated the characteristics of the SMF changes based on soil data in the 1980s from the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center.We explored the drivers of the SMF changes under different LULC types(including forest,grassland,shrubland,and desert)and used structural equation modeling to explore the main driver of the SMF changes.The results showed that the SMF under the four LULC types decreased in the following descending order:forest,grassland,shrubland,and desert.The main driver of the SMF changes under different LULC types was mean annual temperature(MAT).In addition to MAT,pH in forest,soil moisture(SM)and soil biodiversity index in grassland,SM in shrubland,and aridity index in desert are crucial factors for the SMF changes.Therefore,the SMF in the drylands of China is regulated mainly by MAT and pH,and comprehensive assessments of the SMF in drylands need to be performed regarding LULC changes.The results are beneficial for evaluating the SMF among different LULC types and predicting the SMF under global climate change.

Research on Evaluation and Optimization of Regional Land Use Structure Efficiency

[Objective] The purpose of this study is to judge the rationality of land use structure from new perspectives and method. [Method] The theory of data en- velopment analysis （DEA） has been employed in this article. A case study of evalu- ation of land use structure for Wujin district in 2012 is provided to illustrate the ap- plication of this research model. At the micro perspective, land use efficiency has been analyzed by use of data envelopment analysis model. The optimization and adjustment direction in land use structure has been pointed out from the view point of land use efficiency. [Result] The result has shown that the research method based on information entropy and data envelopment analysis model can effectively overcome the drawback of traditional evaluation techniques. Compared with the tra- ditional methods, the new optimization model based on a structure of the multi-crite- ria factors and objective weighting method can evaluate the rationality of land use structure more comprehensively.

Research on Regional Land Use Structure Change and Influencing Factors——A Case Study of Yining City in Xinjiang

This paper analyzes the land use status and land use structure change in 1995-2004 in Yining City, revealing that the agricultural land area has decreased rapidly, and construction land has increased dramatically. Moreover, this paper inves- tigates the relation of economy, urbanization, location, land system policy with land use structure, and puts forward rationalization proposal for optimization of land use structure, to provide reference for land use measurements in the future.

An Uncertain Programming Model for Land Use Structure Optimization to Promote Effectiveness of Land Use Planning

Land use structure optimization(LUSO) is an important issue for land use planning. In order for land use planning to have reasonable flexibility, uncertain optimization should be applied for LUSO. In this paper, the researcher first expounded the uncertainties of LUSO. Based on this, an interval programming model was developed, of which interval variables were to hold land use uncertainties. To solve the model, a heuristics based on Genetic Algorithm was designed according to Pareto Optimum principle with a confidence interval under given significance level to represent LUSO result. Proposed method was applied to a real case of Yangzhou, an eastern city in China. The following conclusions were reached. 1) Different forms of uncertainties ranged from certainty to indeterminacy lay in the five steps of LUSO, indicating necessary need of comprehensive approach to quantify them. 2) With regards to trade-offs of conflicted objectives and preferences to uncertainties, our proposed model displayed good ability of making planning decision process transparent, therefore providing an effective tool for flexible land use planning compiling. 3) Under uncertain conditions, land use planning effectiveness can be primarily enhanced by flexible management with reserved space to percept and hold uncertainties in advance.

Optimization of Land Use Structure Based on Ecological GREEN Equivalent

Optimization of land use structure consists of economic and social and ecological optimization.Applying the minds of system engineering and principles of ecology,this paper presents such thoughts:the optimal forest_coverage rate calculated according to the reality of a district is set as main standard of ecological rationality in the district;through considering the value of ecosystem services of the land with GREEN equivalent (mainly cultivated land and grassland)and based on the rule,GREEN equivalent,this paper introduces the area conversion between woodland and cultivated land,also between woodland and grassland;this paper establishes a multi_dimension controlling model of optimization of land use structure.In addition,a multi_objective linear programming model for optimization of land use structure is designed.In the end,this paper tests and verifies this theory of ecological optimization,taking Qionghai city in Hainan Province as an example.

The Quantitative Analysis of Land Use Structure Characteristics of County in Mountainous Areas in Sichuan Province of China——A Case Study of Rong County

Based on the data concerning detailed survey on land in the year 2009 and land change in the year 2010 in Rong County,a mountainous region of Sichuan Province,by using quantitative geographical model,we conduct quantitative analysis of the status quo of land use in Rong County in terms of land use diversification,land use centralization,land use combination type,land use geographic significance and comprehensive use degree of land use.The results show some characteristics as follows.Firstly,land use in study area displays prominent characteristic of diversification;there is a high degree of completeness land use type;there is a great similarity among towns.Secondly,there is limited combination number of land use type;mostly the combination number of the towns is 2-3;the holistic function of regional land is fragile;the proportion of farmland areas is big,reaching 40.09%;the land use type of 21 towns is farmland.Thirdly,the towns with prominent characteristic of diversification of land use in Rong County,have low degree of centralization of land use and relatively big combination number of land use type,and vice versa.Fourthly,the type and quantity of agricultural land resources with geographical significance are relatively complete with nothing missing;it abounds in untapped land,but the overall index values of land use are all smaller than 300,with low overall use degree of land.

Land Use Structure Optimization Under Systematic Framework

This paper puts forward the concept of land use structure optimization under space_time coupling through analyzing the systematic characteristic of land use structure optimization.It mainly expounds the construction of land use structure optimization model at different levels.Lastly,this paper explains the practicableness of land use structure optimization under systematic framework through the example of Qionghai city.

Economic Structure Transformation and Land Use Change of the Changjiang River Basin

Land, as a key factor of production, is an appropriate indicator of national and regional economic structure transformation. Land use in the Changjiang （Yangtze） River Basin （CRB） since the 1950s has experienced these changes. Industrialization has been the most powerful force of the change in the regional development of the CRB. Virtually all regional resources were put into this effort to modernize the industrial production and urban construction systems of the CRB whose industrialization and urbanization has been a success story, with impressive structural change in both production and land use. These changes are evident ih modem urban areas, but even more in traditionally rural areas. The regression analysis of regional development in the CRB over an extended period shows that the dominant factor in regional land use change is widespread industrialization in rural areas rather than the expansion of urban area. Thus, urbanization has had a limited influence on land use change in the CRB. A major task in realizing more sustainable land use in the future development of CRB is to relocate industrial activities from rural to urban areas.

Land Use Structure in Wuhai City on Basis of Ecological Green Equivalence

The paper took Wuhai District as an example, bases on the contrast be-tween the land use condition in 2005 and 2010, and applied the ecological green equivalence to establish a mathematic model of ecological optimization of land use structure, to establish the ecology green equivalent mathematical model and survey the value of region green equivalent, and then assess the ecological environment situation. The results show that the ecological environment has been deteriorated in Wuhai from 2005 to 2010, so the ecological environment was poor. In order to in-crease eco-efficiency of land use, garden, urban green space and woodland area should be raised in the optimization program.

Analysis and Modeling on the Spatial Structure of Urban Land Use: A Case of Jinan, China

Based on the data of urban land use obtained by remote sensing interpretation from aero images in 1986 and 2004, the spatial structure of Jinan is studied in this paper with the method of Geographic Information System (GIS). According to the proportion of land for residence, industry and commerce, the urban district can be distinguished into three rings. Compared with the traditional theory of the ring structure in Western coun- tries, they have many distinctive characteristics. The main func- tions of the inner ring include residence, business and banking, but the proportion of residential land (more than 50%) is considerably higher than that of the cities in Western countries. The land proportion for residence and industry in the intermediate ring is equal on the whole. The main land of the outside ring is for industrial use. From 1986 to 2004, great changes have taken place on the land proportion of different types of use. In the inner ring, the land for residential and industrial use has shrunk much while the land for commercial use has increased. In the intermediate ring, the changes of the three types of land use were not very much and the temporal variation was relatively stable. On the contrary, the structure in the outside ring varies acutely. Though most of it is also for industrial use, the proportion of residential land has in- creased much. The three rings can also be divided into several sectors respectively, according to the function of land use clusters. New trends and mechanisms of the changes of land use impacting the urban structure were proposed in the end of the paper.

Study on Land Use Structure Changes and Countermeasures

Land structure change not only relates to the coordinated development of regional social economic,but also determines the ecological environment security in certain region. Ili river valley was chose as the study area. The scientific and quantitative assessment of land use struc- ture and spatial pattern is significant to the sustainable development of the Ili river valley area. Based on the detailed investigation date of land use from 2002 to 2008,and social and economic statistics of the Ili river valley in eight counties and one city in 2008,the study area's land use structure changes were discussed in three aspects from the land use structure,the degree of land use,to the land use efficiency. The changes of land use structure were analyzed by the use of qualitative and quantitative methods. Factors that influence land use structure changes were analyzed. In the end,suggestions were put forward to optimize the management.

Impacts of the Rising Opportunity Cost of Farm Labor on Agricultural Land Use Structure: Theory and Empirical Evidences

Nowadays the rising of opportunity cost of farm labor comes to the forefront of attention in China. In order to understand its impact on agricultural land-use structure, a theoretical framework of household economics is formulated drawn on Low's model. Under the theoretical framework, the impact of the rising opportunity cost of on-farm on cropping structure is deduced in theory. And then, using statistic and survey data, taking mountain area of southern Ningxia as an example, the theoretical assumes are verified. The results show that the rise of opportunity cost of farm labor leads to less diversified cropping structure.

Effectiveness of Land Use Structure Evolution to Industrial Structure Transformation

Scarcity of land resources and transformation of industrial structure is a pair of contradictory elements.We derive the characteristics of land use structure and industrial structure transformation in Xining City using Transformation Coefficient(TC):first,in the period 1999-2000,the land use structure coefficient(θ1) declined by 79.55%,but the overall evolution trend is gentle;second,the transformation coefficient of industrial structure(θ2) tended to decline ceaselessly on the whole,a decrease of 36.09%(overall,the transformation coefficient of industrial structure is slightly greater than the land use structure coefficient);third,the inter-annual variation of the two experienced ups and downs(in the period 1999-2007,the inter-annual variation was great and in the period 2008-2010,the inter-annual variation tended to be gentle).On the basis of autocorrelation and co-integration model,we draw the following conclusions through analysis:first,the land use structure in Xining City plays a role in promoting industrial structure transformation;second,there is a long-term equilibrium relationship between the two.Finally,relevant policy recommendations are put forward for the industrial development in Xining City.

Variation of land use structure in Chuzhou City, China:1996-2005

Nowadays the fast economic development has brought about serious conflicts between the limited land resources and the increasing land demand in Chuzhou City. The changes of land use structure also restrict economic development and society progress in this area. Because different cities have different functional localization, the city area and each county (city) have formed characteristic land utilization structure. It is of great significance to make rational use of land resources and ensure the sustainable use of land resources by analyzing the variation of land use structure in the city area and each county (city) in Chuzhou City. Based on the data of land use modification of Chuzhou City from 1996 to 2005 and adopting the quantitative analysis of landscape ecology, this paper studies quantitatively the temporal division of regional land use structure and its dynamic changes. The results indicate that: (1) this method can reveal the law of the variation; (2) the variation of land use structure in Chuzhou City: increasing diversification, evenness and heterogeneity; (3) the intensity of change in land use from 1996 to 2005 in the city appeared in the sequence: grass land > traffic land > garden land > virgin land > forest land > industrial and residential land > cultivated land > other agricultural land > water facility land; (4) there were remarkable differences between the city area and each county (city) in the relative change and the land use structure change from 1996 to 2005. This paper analyzes the variation of land use structure in Chuzhou City, and finally proposes related countermeasures and suggestions.

LAND EVALUATION AND RATIONAL STRUCTURE OF LAND-USE IN DESERT STEPPE AREA IN NINGXIA HUI AUTONOMOUS REGION

Located in the middle and north part of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the desertsteppe area includes the whole of Shizuishan, Huinong, Pingluo, Taole, Helan, Yingchuan,Yongning, Lingwu, Qingtongxia, Wuzhong, Zhongning, and Zhongwei counties and thenorth part of Yanchi, Tongxin counties. This region has an area of 32020 km^2. The popula-

Adjustment of Land Use Structure Based on County-wide Economic Development: A Case Study of Changfeng County

On the basis of survey of current land use situation in Changfeng County,this paper analyzed land use structure,trend and environment of structural adjustment. Besides,it explored county-wide land use structure mode,namely, " division + indicator + policy". Through reasonable distribution,it is expected to build proper land use structure framework,avoid passive situation of relying on policies simply,and bring into play stability keeping function of land use structure,so as to promote county-wide economic development,and bring into play countywide lever function of rural transition areas.

Dynamic Evaluation of Rationality of Land Use Structure in the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Area

The rationality of land use structure was evaluated with dynamic TOPSIS method based on changing data of land use from 2008 to 2011 in the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan area. The results showed that during 2008- 2011,the rationality of land use structure was totally high,the dynamic value hi of Changsha,Zhuzhou,Xiangtan and the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan area was 0. 7954,0. 7821,0. 8245 and0. 8186,respectively; the value Ci( tk) reflecting the rationality of land use structure at different time points was rapidly increased,and the gap between regions was not big and shrinking. According to the grey relational analysis,the change of different land use types had different effects on the rationality of land use structure: transportation land,the land for cities,towns and villages and the land for mining and industry are most highly correlated with the rationality of land use structure,while arable land,woodland,water area and water conservancy facility land have also an important impact on the rationality of land use structure; controlling the excessive growth of transportation land,the land for cities,towns and villages and the land for mining and industry,protecting arable land,forest land,water area and water conservancy facility land,and moderately increasing the garden plot,plays a decisive role in optimizing the land use structure in the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan area.

Fractal Analysis on the Spatial Structure of Land Use Patterns in a Non-Point Source Polluted Area in Southern China

Based on the TM remote sensing interpretation of land use data of a non-point source polluted area in southern China in 2015, supported by ArcGIS and the fractal theory, this paper established the perimeter-area fractal equation of the spatial structure of land use types, quantitatively calculated the fractal dimension and stability index of various land use types in this non-point source polluted area in 2015, and analyzed the spatial structure characteristics of land use types. The results showed that the fractal dimension values of the different land use types in the research area ranged 1.141–1.657, and the whole fractal dimension of the research area was 1.206. To be specific, the fractal dimension values of unused land, grass land and rural residential land were high, and the fractal dimension values of dry land, paddy filed and waters were low, and the fractal dimension values of urban land, industrial traffic construction land and forest land were moderate. The area of the land use types whose stability index values were 0.2–0.4 accounted for 89.5% of total area, suggesting that the stability of the spatial structure of land use types of Beibei District in 2015 was not high generally. The rural residential land and urban land of the research area should be planned and managed more properly from now on.