Geo-spatial Information Science (Apr 2024)

Understanding the impact of modifiable areal unit problem on urban vitality and its built environment factors

  • Haojian Deng,
  • Kai Liu,
  • Jiali Feng

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/10095020.2024.2336593

Abstract

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ABSTRACTUrban vitality is an essential reference for formulating urban planning and urban development policies, while the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP) is a crucial issue that affects the accurate assessment of urban vitality and the understanding of its driving factors. Currently, MAUP in urban vitality studies has not received sufficient attention, and there are limited investigations on whether MAUP significantly affects the spatial autocorrelation of urban vitality. Moreover, existing studies have mainly focused on the impact of individual factors on urban vitality, with minor consideration of the interactions between factors and their effects on urban vitality at different spatial scales. This study takes the Pearl River Delta Core (PRDC) region as the research area. It used the Optimal Parameters-based Geographic Detector (OPGD) model and spatial autocorrelation to analyze the impact of the MAUP on urban vitality and its Built Environment (BE) factors. The results indicated that (1) the five types of BE driving factors, including work, living, rest, traffic, and Points of Interest (POI) diversity, were spatially sensitive and exhibited scale threshold effects. (2) The zoning schemes demonstrated the ability to alter the explanatory power (q-value) of driving factors and their trends. The spatial granularity and aggregation level of the grid-based zoning scheme, NPP-VIIRS nighttime light zoning scheme, and land surface temperature zoning scheme exhibited a logarithmic relationship, where spatial autocorrelation levels decreased with increasing aggregation level. (3) Compared to single-factor effects, the interactive effects of BE factors exhibited a higher q-value for urban vitality. Additionally, the q-values for factor interactions were more stable in multiple spatial scales than those q-values for individual factors. This study provides decision-making references for urban planners and policymakers to accurately assess urban vitality and find balanced, improved paths to enhance it.

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