Based on ArcGIS software using methods such as kernel density estimation and nearest neighbor index, and combining with the process and characteristics of climate change, the impact of 4.2 ka BP climatic deterioration event on the spatial and temporal distribution of prehistoric sites in the Fenhe River Basin and its social response were explored. It is found that: (1) the 4.2 ka BP climatic deterioration event caused the decline of Longshan culture in the Fenhe River Basin, and had a significant impact on the number and distribution of sites, with a sharp decrease in the number of sites in the Xia period. The density of site distribution decreased, and the degree of agglomeration weakened. The center of gravity of sites shifted northward, which is consistent with the historical record of the “northward migration of the Xia people”. At the same time, in order to adapt to the dry and cool climate, the ancients chose to migrate to the southeast slope. Abnormal floods made the lower Fenhe River vulnerable to flooding, which threatened the survival of human beings. The ancients were forced to migrate to higher elevation areas as well as gentle and moderate slopes. The dry and cool climate led to the transition of the subsistence pattern from agriculture to a combined mode of farming and animal husbandry. (2) The social structure of the Longshan period was in the stage of early civilization, with the rise of the family system and the intensification of class differentiation. The deterioration of climate constrained the carrying capacity of living space and increased population pressure, intensifying competition for resources and inducing wars, but it also enhanced the internal cohesion of tribes, promoted the emergence of citadels, and social organization evolved into the embryonic form of the state. The Xia and Shang dynasties saw the development of the citadel system and the beginning of a new phase in the construction of capital cities.
In recent years, atmospheric black carbon (BC), a key component of combustion-derived particulate matter, has attracted increasing attention due to its substantial health impacts and has become a major focus of air pollution control. Based on population-weighted BC concentrations, exposure-response functions, and an attributable mortality model at the county level across China from 2010 to 2023, this study systematically assessed the health burden attributable to BC exposure and its driving mechanisms. The results showed that: (1) The population-weighted mean BC concentration nationwide decreased markedly by 55.92%, with the most pronounced decline occurring during 2013-2020 (cumulative reduction approximately 48.6%), exhibiting a spatial pattern characterized by “high in the east and low in the west” with distinct core-periphery differentiation. (2) The proportion of the population exposed to annual mean BC concentrations ≥2 μg/m³ declined sharply from 87.4% in 2010 to 3.87% in 2023, while areas with low-level exposure (≥1 μg/m³) remained widespread. (3) During the study period, the BC-attributable mortality burden decreased by approximately 659,000 deaths (>60% reduction), with older adults aged ≥65 years old accounting for over 90% of the total burden. The North China Plain, Yangtze River Delta, and Fenhe-Weihe Plain remained the areas with the heaviest absolute mortality burdens. (4) The reduction in BC concentration was the dominant factor driving the decline in attributable deaths, whereas the adverse effect of population aging continued to intensify. Overall, this study systematically revealed the spatial heterogeneity and driving mechanisms of BC exposure-related health risks at the county scale across China, enriching the geographical perspective of environmental health research and providing scientific support for differentiated and precise co-governance of air pollution and public health.
Extreme climate events exert significant impacts on vegetation gross primary productivity (GPP) in the Yangtze River Basin. However, the immediate photosynthetic responses to such extremes and the subsequent pathways by which these responses are translated into lagged and cumulative changes in GPP remain insufficiently quantified, resulting in persistent uncertainties in the mechanistic understanding. Here, we employ solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) as a proxy for photosynthetic activity to examine the spatiotemporal evolution of extreme heat, cold, drought, and wet events during 2001-2022 and to quantify their impact pathways and time effects on GPP. The results show that, while the regional long-term trends indicate an increase in GPP, the marked rise in the number of extreme heat and drought days has exerted a suppressive effect; importantly, this suppression is not primarily manifested through direct climatic forcing on GPP but largely through inhibition of photosynthesis. Moreover, extreme climate events produce pronounced time effects on GPP, predominantly as month-scale lags. Overall, extreme events affect GPP growth in the Yangtze River Basin by altering photosynthetic activity, but these impacts materialize after a lagged period. This study deepens the mechanistic understanding of GPP responses to extreme climate events and provides scientific guidance to inform vegetation restoration and management in the Yangtze River Basin.
This study systematically investigated the pollution characteristics, sources, and health risks of six heavy metals (As, Cr, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Ni) in surface waters of the Shaanxi section of the Weihe River Basin by integrating the APCS-MLR model, health risk assessment model, and Monte Carlo simulation. The results show that heavy metals in surface water present a diversified distribution pattern. Among them, As and Cr have local concentration exceedances, showing a significant spatial distribution pattern of "high in the north and low in the south", and have a relatively high coefficient of variation, indicating a significant impact of human activities. Source apportionment identified three predominant contributors: agricultural activities (dominant for Hg), mixed production-living sources (contributing to Cd-Pb-Ni), and industrial sources (driving As-Cr contamination). Health risk assessment demonstrated significantly higher risks for children than adults, with >4% probability of non-carcinogenic risk exceedance for As and substantial carcinogenic risks from As and Cr. Notably, industrial sources accounted for 78.57% of total carcinogenic risk. By coupling source apportionment with probabilistic risk assessment, this study provides targeted scientific support for heavy metal pollution control in the Weihe River Basin, highlighting the urgent need for prioritized regulation of industrial emissions (particularly As and Cr) to safeguard regional water quality and public health.
High-precision temporal datasets of Local Climate Zone (LCZ) classifications are of great significance for understanding urban climate change and addressing related risks. As a crucial city in Northwest China, Xi'an still lacks high-precision, citywide, and long-term LCZ classification data, and its future evolution under different Shared Socioeconomic Pathways and Representative Concentration Pathways (SSP-RCP) scenarios has not yet been systematically investigated. To address this gap, this study developed temporal LCZ datasets for Xi'an for the years 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 by integrating multi-source remote sensing and socioeconomic data on the Google Earth Engine platform using the random forest classifier. The SD-PLUS coupled model was then employed to simulate LCZ spatial patterns in 2030 under different SSP-RCP scenarios. The results indicate that: (1) The integration of multi-source data significantly improved classification accuracy, with overall accuracy (OA) exceeding 0.93 and Kappa coefficient exceeding 0.91 for all years. (2) The SD-PLUS coupled model is effective for LCZ prediction, with the System Dynamics (SD) model achieving simulation errors below 6% for the number of patches in each category, and the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model showing high spatial accuracy (FOM = 0.21, Kappa = 0.71, OA = 0.79). (3) Differences in LCZ class area changes were evident across the different scenarios. High-density built-up zones generally contracted, whereas low-density built-up zones showed an overall expansion trend. The built-up area expanded mainly toward the southeast, while water bodies increased under all scenarios. For vegetation, sparse tree cover declined under all scenarios, whereas dense tree cover exhibited scenario-dependent trends, with a slight increase under SSP1-2.6, a modest decrease under SSP2-4.5, and a marked reduction under SSP5-8.5. Overall, the SSP2-4.5 scenario appears more favorable for maintaining ecological stability during urban expansion, while SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios show weaker synergy between ecological protection and urban development. In conclusion, this study constructed a high-precision, citywide, long-term LCZ dataset for Xi'an and proposed an LCZ-oriented collaborative prediction framework based on the SD-PLUS model, providing scientific support for future urban planning and climate change adaptation in the region.
This study examines the spatial evolution of international flight seat capacity across Chinese cities from 1997 to 2019. Taking airlines as the primary decision-makers in capacity allocation, it proposes a three-dimensional analytical framework—encompassing government guidance, market adjustment, and operational support—to uncover the mechanisms driving this evolution. The findings are as follows: (1) The spatial distribution of international flight seat capacity in Chinese cities has evolved from high concentration to relative dispersion. On China-Asia routes, capacity has shifted from a Beijing-Shanghai dual-core pattern to a multi-level structure. On China-intercontinental routes, it has transitioned from Beijing-led dominance to a more polycentric layout. (2) This evolution has been shaped by the interplay of globalization, marketization, and decentralization, alongside the coordinated functioning of government, market, and operational mechanisms. Specifically, the role of government has shifted from central dominance to central-local collaboration; market adjustment has moved from concentrated demand and selective airline supply to diversified demand and polycentric deployment strategies by airlines; and operational support has evolved from reliance on centralized infrastructure optimized for mainstream aircraft to a more flexible system enabled by expanded facility capabilities and greater aircraft adaptability. (3) Compared to the “market-led” model driven by efficiency and the “state-led” model guided by national will, the Chinese model demonstrates a dynamic synergy between an enabling government and an effective market. Nonetheless, it faces emerging challenges such as fragmented policy coordination and intensified inter-city competition. Further refinement of the government-market coordination mechanism is essential to promoting the high-quality development of China's international air transport.
As a strategic response to the latest wave of technological revolution, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a crucial solution for addressing climate change and reconciling the tension between economic growth and environmental sustainability. This study utilizes panel data from 30 provinciallevel regions in China spanning the years 2010 to 2022 to develop a comprehensive index system for low-carbon economic growth (LCEG) and AI. Through econometric modeling, the research empirically examines the impact of AI on LCEG, explores the underlying mechanisms, and analyzes the moderating effects and regional disparities associated with labor factor mobility. The results show that AI significantly enhances LCEG in China, with this conclusion robustly supported by various tests. Secondly, mechanism analysis indicates that, from the supply side, AI fosters LCEG by facilitating industrial structure upgrades and green technology innovation. From the demand side, AI contributes to low-carbon outcomes by advancing the upgrading of green consumption, but the pathway for enabling LCEG through transforming the energy structure of end consumption is only significant in highly polluted areas. Thirdly, heterogeneity analysis shows that the positive effects of AI are more pronounced in regions characterized by non-resource dependence, higher levels of marketization, and stringent environmental regulations. Finally, the research highlights that AI's impact on LCEG is amplified by accelerated inter-provincial labor mobility. These findings provide valuable insights for promoting LCEG in China and other developing nations, supporting the attainment of carbon neutrality and peak carbon emissions goals.
Urban ruin exploration is an activity that involves seeking out, visiting, and documenting temporary, obsolete, abandoned, and derelict spaces. By drawing public attention to more diverse and heterogeneous urban environments, explorers create images of ruins that offer an extraordinary way to experience the city. This study employs qualitative research methods to examine the burgeoning practice of urban exploration in China. Drawing on theories of spatial practice and the tourist gaze, it investigates explorers' bodily practices and their spatial implications. The findings reveal that: (1) Urban explorers treat the city as a game board, where transgressing “forbidden zones” becomes a playful and subversive act. Through this game-like engagement, they deconstruct conventional urban spaces and break away from the constraints of everyday routines. By physically entering and documenting marginal, forgotten, and neglected spaces, explorers reconstruct the meaning of the city, offering alternative spatial narratives through their embodied experiences and photographic practices. (2) In an increasingly mediated society, the production and consumption of ruin imagery have become central to this activity. Explorers perceive the allure of ruins as stemming from their ability to evoke boundless imagination, offering a stark contrast to increasingly regulated, homogenized, and commercialized urban spaces. Different types of ruins are primarily framed as singular spectacles—sublime, nostalgic, and decayed—providing an alternative vision of urban life. (3) Under the dominance of the “gaze of singularity”, both explorers and viewers of ruin photography have developed a growing fascination with the spectacle itself, overshadowing the act of exploration. This shift diminishes the practical and experiential nature of the activity, integrating ruins into the broader trend of urban spatial spectacularization. This study contributes to the literature on urban spatial practices in China and offers insights into urban renewal and the development of creative industrial parks. By introducing the concept of the “gaze of singularity”, it provides a new framework for understanding the media and spatial logic that underpin the current popularity of social media-driven activities such as da ka and travel photography.
With the completion of the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the solid promotion of common prosperity has become an essential field of Chinese-style modernization, and promoting the intra-provincial regional balanced development is an important aspect of the substantial promotion of common prosperity, which has great significance to the construction of Chinese-style modernization. Based on the perspective of evolutionary economic geography, this paper uses provincial-level panel data from 2002 to 2019 to examine the effects of population migration on the intra-provincial regional imbalance in the province, the moderating effect of improved transportation infrastructure and the intensity of industrial relatedness between prefecture-level cities. Additionally, it incorporates sampled survey data on migrant populations from 25 provincial-level regions in China from 2011 to 2016 to further explore its influencing mechanisms. The empirical results have several findings: (1) Population mobility contributes to intra-provincial balanced development, and the income level of the mobile population significantly strengthens the effect. The above effects also depend on the type and scale of the population mobility, showing spatial and temporal heterogeneity. (2) The empirical results indicate that improving transportation infrastructure and strengthening industrial relatedness between prefecture-level cities can enhance the impact of population mobility on balanced development within provinces. (3) The mechanism lies in the fact that population mobility promotes the transfer of production factors, with the mobile population serving as the carrier, thereby contributing to balanced development within the province. The research findings of this paper provide empirical support for policy-making concerning new trends in population mobility and balanced development within provinces.
Using data from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey, this study constructs a diagonal reference model that integrates “origin-destination-pure mobility” into a unified analytical framework. It decomposes the effects of geographical mobility into three components: the influence of the city of origin (origin), the destination city (destination), and pure mobility effects, to examine their impacts on homeownership among the floating population in destination cities. The analysis further explores heterogeneity across groups defined by hukou status (urban vs. rural) and educational attainment. The results show that both origin and destination contexts significantly shape homeownership, with the effect of destination cities being substantially stronger than that of origin cities. Moreover, moving across different levels of the urban hierarchy—particularly involving larger hierarchical leaps—tends to hinder access to homeownership in destination cities. In addition, the influence of structural contexts varies markedly across individual characteristics. Individuals with urban hukou and higher levels of education are better able to overcome constraints associated with their geographical origins and upward mobility, thereby increasing their likelihood of achieving homeownership in destination cities. Overall, these findings deepen our understanding of how geographical mobility interacts with structural factors to shape housing outcomes, and provide important policy implications for improving housing access among the floating population.
Understanding the spatial distribution and interaction of heterogeneous labor forces is foundational to unlocking China's talent dividend. However, research on the spatial dynamics among different occupational labor groups remains insufficient. This study constructs a “heterogeneous labor cube” framework from the perspective of occupational division of labor. By integrating multi-source datasets with machine learning methods, we analyze the evolution of spatial interactions among managerial personnel, professional technicians, and general laborers in Chinese cities from 2000 to 2020. Special focus is placed on the determinants of the Labor Structure Alignment (LSA), which measures the level of occupational coupling and coordination. The results show that: (1) The spatial distribution of all labor types is markedly uneven, with a clear gradient of polarization intensity: managers professionals general laborers; (2) The spatial matching among labor groups remains high overall, yet displays a coexistence of both high- and low-equilibrium zones, with large-scale “spatial collapse” observed in southwestern China; (3) High-LSA regions exhibit a “coastal belt-inland points” spatial configuration, with their center of gravity shifting southward and showing signs of spatial convergence over time; (4) Six distinct patterns of labor interaction are identified, with a structural transformation occurring around 2010. Within major urban agglomerations, a hierarchical “core-subcenter-node” structure has gradually emerged, shaped by regional disparities and spatial heterogeneity in industrial structures; (5) A geographically anchored “employment-pollution” lock-in effect constitutes the core mechanism shaping labor spatial interactions. While economic opportunities remain the dominant driver of LSA, urban livability does not exert a direct effect as previously assumed. Instead, it indirectly influences spatial configurations as a subsidiary condition linked to economic opportunity. These findings provide empirical insights for optimizing labor resource allocation and designing policies that promote high-quality regional development in China.
Residential spatial differentiation is an important manifestation of social stratification and sociospatial separation among different population groups. As migrant populations in large cities continue to expand and diversify, residential differentiation may also arise among migrant subgroups from different places of origin; however, comparative studies on intra-provincial migrant subgroups remain limited. Using residential communities as the unit of analysis, this study draws on multi-source data, including Getui mobile user profiling data, to examine the residential spatial patterns of migrants from Wuxi (Southern Jiangsu), Taizhou (Central Jiangsu), and Huai'an (Northern Jiangsu) in Nanjing's central urban area and to explore their influencing factors through an interpretable machine-learning framework. The results show that: (1) migrants from Wuxi tend to cluster in the inner-city core or near high-amenity landscape areas, those from Taizhou are concentrated in large communities in Jiangbei and some new urban centers, while those from Huai'an are more likely to reside in peripheral low-cost neighborhoods and subsidized housing areas; (2) intra-provincial migrants share several common tendencies, including stronger hometown-based clustering, concentration in younger neighborhoods, and a preference for communities with more pronounced rental characteristics, while their residential locations also exhibit a gradient pattern broadly consistent with the economic development levels of their places of origin; and (3) differences in housing costs and consumption capacity are important factors associated with residential differentiation among the three groups, while the hukou system, residential preferences, and value orientations may further shape these spatial disparities. This study contributes to the literature on urban residential differentiation in China under conditions of high mobility and provides empirical evidence for improving population mobility governance, migrant social integration, and sustainable sociospatial development in metropolitan areas.
Against the backdrop of the profound reshaping of China's urban-rural relations and the deepening advancement of the rural revitalization strategy, the counter-stream of rural-urban migration is emerging as a new source for stimulating rural endogenous dynamics. Based on township-level panel data from Luotian County, Hubei Province, spanning 2013 to 2023, this study employed the entropy method to measure the level of integration of the three rural industries. It explored the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of both the counter-stream of rural-urban migration and the integration of the three rural industries. Utilizing a two-way fixed effects model and a mediating effect model, the study analyzed the impact mechanism of the counter-stream of rural-urban migration on the development of this integration. The findings revealed that: (1) Temporally, both the counter-stream of rural-urban migration and the development level of the integration of the three rural industries in Luotian exhibited a steadily rising trend from 2013 to 2023. Spatially, areas with high levels of integration showed a “northeast-southwest” band-like distribution pattern, while the counter-stream of migration displayed a “low in the center but high in the periphery” spatial configuration. (2) The counter-stream of rural-urban migration in Luotian exerts a promoting effect on the development of integration of three rural industries, and this effect remains valid after a series of robustness tests and endogeneity tests. (3) The counter-stream promoted this integration by enhancing agricultural labor productivity and rural financial levels, demonstrating partial mediating effects. (4) The impact of the counter-stream exhibited significant heterogeneity concerning rural economic levels, cultural and tourism resource endowments, and transportation accessibility. The research results aim to provide a theoretical reference for formulating differentiated policies to promote high-quality development of rural industries and achieve urban-rural integration.
In recent years, border tourism has become a crucial driving factor for the economic and social development of China's land border areas. This study employs a modified coupling coordination model, ESTDA, and GTWR to examine the spatial and temporal evolution and the influencing factors of the coupling coordination within the border tourism economy. The results show that: (1) Since 2010, there has been a steady upward trend in the coupling coordination level of China's border tourism economy development. (2) Significant spatial differences exist in the coupling coordination level of the border tourism economy, with the southwest region exhibiting high level of coupling coordination and the northwest region exhibiting low level. (3) The local spatial structure and spatial dependence direction of the coupling coordination level of the border tourism economy have strong stability and strong spatial integration. The southwest and northeast regions show coordinated development, and the northwest region is a differentiated development area. (4) The number of border ports, the density of transportation facilities, the Fragile States Index, the cultural proximity and other factors are the key factors affecting the spatial and temporal evolution of the coupling and coordination level of border tourism economy, which have different effects in different regions. The research results have important guiding significance for the development of border tourism.
Against the backdrop of frequent extreme climate events, the tourism industry is facing severe adaptation challenges. However, research on stakeholders' adaptation to extreme climate events is clearly insufficient and needs to be deepened. Based on the Model of Private Proactive Adaptation to Climate Change (MPPACC), this study constructs a framework integrating structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore the influencing factors and mechanisms of rural tourism operators' adaptation intentions under the background of extreme high temperatures. The study found that: (1) social discourse significantly positively affects adaptation evaluation and climate change risk assessment, and objective adaptability significantly positively affects adaptation evaluation; both adaptation evaluation and climate change risk assessment have a positive effect on adaptation intention, and adaptation incentives have a significant direct impact on adaptation intention. (2) fsQCA necessity analysis shows that a single factor is difficult to constitute the necessary condition for the formation of adaptation intention, and adaptation behavior is driven by multiple factors. (3) Sufficiency analysis identifies three typical adaptation paths: “cognitive incentive type”“capability cognitive type” and “interaction driven type”, reflecting the diverse adaptation logic and path selection under different adaptation resource bases and cognitive structures. The research deepened the theoretical understanding of the adaptive behavior of tourism practitioners under the background of extreme climate, enriched the application of social cognitive theory of climate change in the field of tourism, and provided empirical basis for formulating adaptive policies for different types and groups in areas with frequent extreme climate. It has important practical value for enhancing the resilience of the tourism system under the background of climate change.
The rapid development of rural tourism destinations has increasingly highlighted community conflicts. Understanding the spatial association characteristics of these conflicts can facilitate targeted policy interventions to enhance tourism development and community governance efficiency, thereby supporting rural revitalization strategy. Taking Liujiang Ancient Town in Sichuan as a case study, this research investigates local residents through participatory mapping and semi-structured interviews. A mixed-methods approach integrating qualitative, spatial, and quantitative analyses was employed to identify conflict types, analyze their interrelationships and correlation intensity, and reveal the formation mechanisms of spatial associations. Key findings include: (1) Rural tourism community conflicts can be categorized into management, economic, environmental, and cultural conflicts, with six identified interrelationships: management-economic, economic-cultural, management-environmental, management-cultural, economic-environmental, and environmental-cultural dimensions. The first three constitute primary relationships. (2) Conflict association generally exhibit a polycentric spatial distribution pattern, demonstrating three distinct spatial models: high-value polarization with low-value differentiation clustering, dual-core concentration, and single-core aggregation, primarily associated with increasingly diversified spatial properties and locations undergoing significant transformations. (3) Spatial correlation intensity varies across conflict types, with management-economic conflicts showing the strongest association and environmental-cultural conflicts the weakest. (4) The spatial association of community conflicts in rural tourism destinations emerge through the institutional arrangements as the leading factor, economic interest conflicts as the core content, symbolic value alienation as the underlying cause, and ineffective environmental governance as an important extension, which is attached to the concentrated presentation of spatial nodes. This study extends tourism conflict research through beneficial application of mixed methods to investigate conflict associations, providing deeper insights into the inherent relationships of community conflicts and offering practical references for community governance.
With the deepening development of rural tourism, left-behind women in rural areas are undergoing a livelihood transition from traditional domestic caregiving roles toward diversified employment participation. While existing research has predominantly examined their transition intentions and influencing factors from a static perspective, limited attention has been paid to the dynamic process through which such decisions are formed. Based on a case study of Chongmudang Village in Longhui County, Hunan Province, this study adopts an assemblage theory perspective and employs a grounded theory approach to uncover the dynamic formation mechanism of livelihood transition decision-making among left-behind women in rural tourist destinations. The findings reveal that: (1) Livelihood transition decisions are shaped by both human-agential elements—family responsibility, cultural adaptation, and material needs—and non-human material elements—spatial quality, social influence, and tourism market. These components interact to form a “livelihood transition decision assemblage”, with family responsibility serving as the core driving factor. (2) This decision assemblage is primarily constituted by three relational configurations: “spatial quality-tourism market-family responsibility”“spatial quality-material needs-social influence-tourism market-family responsibility”, and “spatial quality-tourism market-cultural adaptation”. (3) The transition process follows a “process + conjunctural moment” decision-making pattern, wherein the six elements, through spatial reorganization characterized by“territorialization-deterritorialization-reterritorialization”, converge at specific conjunctural moments to trigger decision formation. (4) The endogenous desire for “life quality optimization” acts as the fundamental impetus for breaking through the inertia of traditional livelihoods.
