Abstract
Urbanization is a comprehensive and complex socioeconomic phenomenon that plays an influential role in promoting global socioeconomic development. The Loess Plateau region is an important part of the China’s ecological security pattern, and occupies an important position in the implementation of China’s new-type urbanization strategy and the realization of the urban dream. The characteristics of the staged changes and regional differentiation of urbanization in the area from 1990 to 2018 were studied with focus on regions and subregions by selecting 341 county-level administrative units on the Chinese Loess Plateau as the research area, and employing partition analysis and geographic detector methods. This revealed the formation mechanism of the spatial differentiation pattern of urbanization on the Loess Plateau. We found that the urbanization of the Loess Plateau, previously in a slow growth phase, entered the accelerated development phase, presenting a macro pattern of high rates of urbanization in central and eastern areas and low rates in western areas. The formation of the regional differentiation patterns of urbanization on the Loess Plateau were the combined results of natural geographical and socioeconomic factors. Among these factors, the interaction of any two factors had a stronger impact on regional urbanization patterns than a single factor, which was specifically manifested as nonlinear or bi-factor enhancement effects. The findings of this paper may provide a theoretical reference and scientific basis for the scientific promotion of healthy urbanization on the Chinese Loess Plateau and the ecologically fragile areas of developing countries around the world.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahlers AL (2015) Weaving the Chinese dream on the ground. Local government approaches to “new-typed” rural urbanization. J Chin Polit Sci 20(2): 121–142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11366-015-9342-6
Bai XM, Chen J, Shi PJ (2011) Landscape urbanization and economic growth in China: Positive feedbacks and sustainability dilemmas. Environ Sci Technol 46(1): 132–139. https://doi.org/10.1021/es202329
Bai XM, Shi PJ, Liu YS (2014) Society: Realizing China’s urban dream. Nature 509(7499): 158–160. https://doi.org/10.1038/509158a
Bloom DE, Canning D, Fink G (2008) Urbanization and the wealth of nations. Science 319(5864): 772–775. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1153057
Chen JL, Gao JL, Chen W (2016) Urban land expansion and the transitional mechanisms in Nanjing, China. Habitat Int 53: 274–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2015.11.040
Chen YG, Zhou YX (2005) Logistic process of urbanization falls into four successive phases: revising Northam’s curve with new spatial interpretation. Econ Geogr 25(6): 817–822. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.15957/j.cnki.jjdl.2005.06.016
Dang YX, Chen L, Zhang WZ, et al. (2020) How does growing city size affect residents’ happiness in urban China? A case study of the Bohai rim area. Habitat Int. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2020.102120
Ding Y, Zhang L, Wu YM (2018) Predicament and solution of urbanization in mountainous regions: a case study of Dali autonomous prefecture in Yunnan Province, China. Mt Res 36(06): 917–929. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.16089/j.cnki.1008-2786.000387
Fang CL, Liu XL, Lin XQ (2008) Stages correction and regularity analysis of urbanization course of China. Arid Land Geogr 31(4): 512–523. (In Chinese)
Fang CL, Ma HT, Wang J (2015) A regional categorization for “New-Type Urbanization” in China. Plos One 10(8): 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0134253
Fang CL, Zhou CH, Gu CL, et al. (2017) A proposal for the theoretical analysis of the interactive coupled effects between urbanization and the eco-environment in mega-urban agglomerations. J Geogr Sci 27(12): 1431–1449. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-017-1445-x
Fang CL, Yu DL (2017) Urban agglomeration: An evolving concept of an emerging phenomenon. Landscape Urban Plan 162: 126–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2017.02.014
Fang CL (2018) Important progress and prospects of China’s urbanization and urban agglomeration in the past 40 years of reform and opening-up. Econ Geogr 38(9): 1–9. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.15957/j.cnki.jjdl.2018.09.001
Fang CL (2019) The basic law of the formation and expansion in urban agglomerations. J Geogr Sci 29(10): 1699–1712. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-019-1686-y
Fang CL (2019) Basic rules and key paths for high-quality development of the new urbanization in China. Geogr Res 38(1): 13–22. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/dlyj020180445
Fan J (2015) Draft of major function oriented zoning of China. Acta Geogr Sin 70(2): 186–201. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb201502002
Fan J, Wang YF, Liang B (2019) The evolution process and regulation of China’s regional development pattern. Acta Geogr Sin 74(12): 2437–2454. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb201912002
Fan T, Xue DQ (2020) Spatial correlation of cultural industry and tourism industry in Shaanxi Province, China: LISA analysis based on coordination model. Asia Pac J of Tour Res 25(9): 967–980. https://doi.org/10.1080/10941665.2020.1808492
Gao JL, Bao JW, Liu YS, et al. (2018) Regional disparity and the influencing factors of land urbanization in China at the county level, 2000–2015. Acta Geogr Sin 73(12): 2329–2344. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb201812005
Ghosh S, Meer A (2020) Extended urbanisation and the agrarian question: Convergences, divergences and openings. Urban Stud (74): 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098020943758
Guan XL, Wei HK, Lu SS, et al. (2018) Assessment on the urbanization strategy in China: achievements, challenges and reflections. Habitat Int 71: 97–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2017.11.009
He SJ, Kong LL, Lin George CS (2017) Interpreting China’s new urban spaces: State, market, and society in action. Urban Geogr 38(5): 635–642. https://doi.org/10.1080/02723638.2016.1139404
Huang Y, Qiu QQ, Sheng YH, et al. (2019) Exploring the relationship between urbanization and the eco- environment: a case study of Beijing. Sustainability 2019, 11: 6298. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226298
Ibrahim RE, Taha LG, Shalaby A (2019) Urban expansion and pattern analysis using Shannon’s entropy approach in ElMinya Governorate, Upper Egypt. Circuits, Syst Signal Process 13: 637–646. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337415307
Jin G, Deng XZ, Zhao XD, et al. (2018) Spatiotemporal patterns in urbanization efficiency within the Yangtze River Economic Belt between 2005 and 2014. J Geogr Sci 28(8): 1113–1126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-018-1545-2
Kuang B, Lu XH, Han J, et al. (2019) How urbanization influence urban land consumption intensity: Evidence from China. Habitat Int 100: 102103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2019.102103
Lenzi C, Perucca G (2020) Not too close, not too far: Urbanisation and life satisfaction along the urban hierarchy. Urban Stud (82): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098020962397
Li H, Wei YD, Liao HH, et al. (2015) Administrative hierarchy and urban land expansion in transitional China. Appl Geogr 56: 177–186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.11.029
Lin George CS (2014) China’s landed urbanization: neoliberalizing politics, land commodification, and municipal finance in the growth of metropolises. Environ Plan A 46(8): 1814–1835. https://doi.org/10.1068/a130016p
Lin George CS (2015) The redevelopment of China’s construction land: practising land property rights in cities through renewals. China Quart 224: 865–887. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305741015001228
Lin XQ, Lu CY, Song KS, et al. (2020) Analysis of coupling coordination variance between urbanization quality and eco-environment pressure: A case study of the west Taiwan Strait urban agglomeration, China. Sustainability 12: 2643. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072643
Lin WQ, Wu MH, Zhang Y, et al. (2018) Regional differences of urbanization in China and its driving factors. Sci China Earth Sci 61(6): 778–791. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-016-9163-3
Liu HM, Fang CL, Miao Y, et al. (2018) Spatio-temporal evolution of population and urbanization in the countries along the belt and road 1950–2050. J Geogr Sci 28(7): 919–936. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-018-1513-x
Liu HM, Fang CL, Fang K (2020) Coupled Human and Natural Cube: A novel framework for analyzing the multiple interactions between humans and nature. J Geogr Sci 30(3): 355–377. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-020-1732-9
Liu TY, Jia Y (2014) An empirical study on the relationship between urbanization and changes in resources and environment. Asian Agr Res 6(9): 72–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(00)80108-7
Liu YS, Hu ZC, Li YH (2014) Process and cause of urban-rural development transformation in the Bohai Rim Region, China. J Geogr Sci 24(6): 1147–1160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-014-1144-9
Liu YS, Yang R (2012) The spatial characteristics and formation mechanism of the county urbanization in China. Acta Geogr Sin 67(8): 1011–1020. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/xb201208001
Lu DD, Chen MX (2015) Several viewpoints on the background of compiling the “National New Urbanization Planning (2014–2020)”. Acta Geogr Sin 70(2): 179–185. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb201502001
Luan WF, Li X (2019) Rapid urbanization and its driving mechanism in the Pan-Third Pole region. Sci Total Environ 750: 141270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141270
Northam RM (1979) Urban Geography. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1979.
Nathaniel SP (2020) Modelling urbanization, trade flow, economic growth and energy consumption with regards to the environment in Nigeria. GeoJournal 85: 1499–1513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-019-10034-0
National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Ministry of Water Resources of the People’s Republic of CHINA (MWRPRC), Ministry of Agriculture (MA), et al. (2010) Outline of comprehensive management plan for the Loess Plateau (2010–2030). (In Chinese) Available online at: http://www.gov.cn/zwgk/2011-01/17/content_1786454.htm (accessed on 19 May 2020)
Peng L, Wang XX (2019) What is the relationship between ecosystem services and urbanization. A case study of the mountainous areas in Southwest China. J MT Sci 16(12): 2867–2881. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-019-5390-2
Adams S, Klobodu EKM (2019) Urbanization, economic structure, political regime, and income inequality. Soc Indic Res 142: 971–995. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-018-1959-3
Sarkar R (2019) Urbanization in India and West Bengal: Focuses an unequal growth of cities in the state of West Bengal. Pratidhwani the Echo 7(3): 276–284. https://www.thecho.in/files/30_72c482l8.-Raju-Sarkar
Song YY, Ma BB, Li WB, et al. (2019) Regional differentiation and driving mechanism of the county urbanization in the Loess Plateau, China. J Shaanxi Norm U Nat Sci Edition 47(4): 9–21. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.15983/j.cnki.jsnu.2019.04.442
Song YY, Ma BB, Xue DQ, et al. (2020) Urbanization process and its ecological environment response pattern on the Loess Plateau, China. Econ Geogr 40(6): 174–184. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.15957/j.cnki.jjdl.2020.06.019
Song YY, Xue DQ, Dai LH, et al. (2020) Land cover change and eco-environmental quality response of different geomorphic units on the Chinese Loess Plateau. J Arid Land 12(1): 29–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-019-0031-8
Song YY, Xue DQ, Xia SY, et al. (2021) Change characteristics and formation mechanism of the territorial spatial pattern in the Yellow River Basin from 1980 to 2018, China. Geogr Res 40: 1–19. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/dlyj020191065
Sun LQ, Chen J, Li QL, et al. (2020) Dramatic uneven urbanization of large cities throughout the world in recent decades. Nat Commun (11): 5366 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19158-1
Tan YT, Xu H, Zhang XL (2016) Sustainable urbanization in China: a comprehensive literature review. Cities 55: 82–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2016.04.002
Taylor JR (2015) The China dream is an urban dream: assessing the CPC’s national new-type urbanization plan. J Chin Polit Sci 20: 107–120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11366-015-9341-7
Team of Loess Plateau Comprehensive Science Research of Chinese Academy of Sciences (TLPCSRCAS) (1990) Study on the regionalization of comprehensive management and development of Loess Plateau. Beijing: China Economic Press. (In Chinese)
Wang J, Li YR (2016) Spatial pattern and influencing factors of urbanization development in China at county level: a quantitative analysis based on 2000 and 2010 census data. Acta Geogr Sin 71(4): 621–636. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb201604007
Wang Y, Fang CL, Wang ZB (2012) The study on comprehensive evaluation and urbanization division at county level in China. Geogr Res 31(7): 1305–1316. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/yj2012070013
Wang JF, Xu CD (2017) Geodetector: Principle and prospective. Acta Geogr Sin 72(1): 116–134. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb201701010
Xiong N, Huang ZH, Zhao SS, et al. (2018) Driving factors for promoting urbanization of small towns in southwest China. In: Chau K, Chan I, Lu W, Webster C (eds.), Proceedings of the 21st International Symposium on Advancement of Construction Management and Real Estate. Springer, Singapore.
Yang B, Shi PJ (2014) Geographical features and formation mechanisms of county level urbanization in Gansu Province. Arid Land Geogr 37(4): 838–845. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.13826/j.cnki.cn65-1103/x.2014.04.023
Yang CK (2019) On the foundation and path of in-situ urbanization within county in China. J East China Norm U Humanit Soc Sci 51(4): 114–122. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5579.2019.04.012
Yang J, Wu TH, Gong P (2017) Implementation of China’s new urbanization strategy requires new thinking. Sci Bull 62(2): 81–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scib.2016.12.013
Yang XG, Zhang SW, Qiang QL (2016) Temporal and spatial patterns evolution of county urbanization quality in Anhui. Econ Geogr 36(4): 84–91. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.15957/j.cnki.jjdl.2016.04.012
Yang Z, Zhang XL, Lei J, et al. (2019) Spatio-temporal pattern characteristics of relationship between urbanization and economic development at county level in China. Chinese Geogr Sci 29(4): 553–567. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-019-1053-z
Zhang WJ, Wang M (2018) Spatial-temporal characteristics and determinants of land urbanization quality in china: evidence from 285 prefecture-level cities. Sustain Cities Soc 38: 70–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2017.12.011
Zhang XL, Kong YS, Ding XH (2020) How high-quality urbanization affects utilization efficiency of agricultural water resources in the Yellow River basin under double control action. Sustainability 12: 2869. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072869
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant N0.2018YFD1100101), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.42001251), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No.GK202103139).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Song, Yy., Ma, Bb., Dai, Lh. et al. Spatial-temporal pattern and formation mechanism of county urbanization on the Chinese Loess Plateau. J. Mt. Sci. 18, 1093–1111 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-020-6282-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-020-6282-1