An evaluation method and its application on land resource carrying capacity based on human exploitation and settlement patterns

• Published in: Zi yuan ke xue Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 344 - 358
• Main Authors: Xiaoren, XU, Xiaofang, ZHANG, Yong, XU, Liang, WANG, Jian, DUAN
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: Science Press, PR China 01.02.2025
• Subjects: human exploitation and settlement pattern|land resource carrying capacity|linkage equation|productive construction land|employment density|production monomer|jiexiu city
• ISSN: 1007-7588
• DOI: 10.18402/resci.2025.02.10

[Objective] This study aimed to propose an systematic evaluation method of land resource carrying capacity based on human exploitation and settlement patterns, to provide a reference for the improvement of the evaluation technical standard system of various individual factors and comprehensive carrying capacity in China’s territorial spatial planning. [Methods] By putting forward the new concepts and indicators of the human exploitation and settlement patterns, production monomer, productive construction land parameter and employment density parameter, this study revealed the micro-quantitative connection relationship between human production activities and land resources. It then constructed the linkage equation of land resource carrying capacity.Therefore, this study proposed the evaluation method of land resource carrying capacity based on human exploitation and settlement patterns for the first time, and carried out an empirical study with Jiexiu City in Shanxi Province as an example. [Results] (1) The evaluation method proposed in this study divided human exploitation and settlement patterns into five types, including rural, town, urban, industrial park and scenic spot patterns. It refined and supplemented the division of three-type space of the double evaluation. This method took production monomer as the starting point, comprehensively considered the internal structural relationship among land resources, industry and population, established linkage equation, and further enriched the thinking and method system of multi-factor comprehensive integration and classification evaluation of land resource carrying capacity. (2) A total of 238118 people could be reasonably employed in Jiexiu City. The rural and urban patterns were the main force to absorb employment. The land resource carrying capacity was 426652 people in Jiexiu City, which was in the state of human-land balance. The rural and town exploitation and settlement patterns were in the state of overload, and the urban and industrial park patterns were in the state of balance and surplus respectively. The industrial park pattern still had large carrying potential, which was related to the low efficiency of land use and the low level of intensive and efficient industrial development. Through the development of non-agricultural characteristic industries such as rural tourism, homestays and catering, the rural pattern will remain to be an important carrier of industrial agglomeration and population distribution in the future. [Conclusion] The evaluation method of land resource carrying capacity based on human exploitation and settlement patterns is scientific and useful, and can effectively reflect the differences of land use structure, labor employment and population carrying capacity in different functional spaces. The evaluation of land resource carrying capacity, and the evaluation results can provide beneficial supplements for the evaluation of land resource population carrying capacity in territorial spatial planning.