Analysis on the Evolution Characteristics and Driving Forces of Territorial Space Pattern in the Qinling-Daba Mountain Area

Abstract

[Objective] To scientifically understand the spatio-temporal evolution process and formation mechanism of urban space, agricultural space and ecological space in Qinling-Daba Mountain area is the key to promote the overall coordination of the national spatial development pattern and the rise of the central and western regions, and it is also an urgent need for high-quality transformation and development of the region. [Methods] Based on the methods of spatial transfer matrix, topographic location analysis and random forest regression, the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics and driving mechanism of Qinba Mountain region during 2000—2020 were studied from two dimensions of “pattern scale-topographic location”. [Results] (1) In the past 20 years, the cities and towns in the Qinba Mountain area expanded dramatically, and the agricultural and ecological space continued to shrink. While the population of 58.33% of the counties decreased, the urban land was still expanding, and the “total population and urban size” showed a serious polarization. (2) The phenomenon was characterized by urban and agricultural space “climbing up the hills”, while ecological space “descended into the valleys”. The newly added urban and agricultural space was moved up 1 to 2 topographic positions on average. The dam elevation project of Danjiangkou Reservoir downstream had a significant impact on the overall spatial distribution gradient of the mountainous areas. (3) The dynamic adjustment and replacement of “agricultural space to ecological space” was the leading type of transformation in Qinba Mountain area, and the influence of fiscal expenditure was the most significant. Agricultural space was the main source of new towns, and the scale of urban degradation into agricultural and ecological space was significant in Qinba mountain area. (4) Land development policies, mountain terrain attributes, traffic location conditions and social and economic factors jointly restrict and affect the results of territorial spatial evolution in Qinba Mountain area, and there were obvious differences in the effect intensity and the number of significant factors of various types of factors in different conversion directions. [Conclusion] Promoting the concentration of new towns to the key development zones, scientifically guiding agricultural and ecological space to conform to the topographic gradient layout, carefully carrying out water conservancy project construction, and planning the overall regional layout of the “Three districs and Three lines” will have a positive impact on the optimization of territorial spatial pattern in Qinba Mountain area.

Keywords

• territorial spatial planning
• three-function space
• spatio-temporal pattern
• terrain gradient
• driving mechanism
• the qinling-daba mountain area