Trends and Factors Influencing the Evolution of Spatial Patterns of Cropland toward Large-Scale Agricultural Production in China

Xinyan Wang, Qingyu Feng, Boyong Li, Yinlin Fan, Huihui Fan, Nengliang Yang, Yuan Quan, Huanru Ding and Yunlu Zhang ()
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Xinyan Wang: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Qingyu Feng: State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Boyong Li: State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Yinlin Fan: State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Huihui Fan: State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Nengliang Yang: State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Yuan Quan: State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Huanru Ding: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Yunlu Zhang: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-19

Abstract: Considering the essential expansion of agricultural production, current research primarily focuses on static factors, such as the distribution of fine-grained arable land, omitting an in-depth analysis of its developmental dynamics and key drivers. Addressing this knowledge gap is crucial for enhancing the scalability of agricultural production. This research utilizes landscape ecology techniques, correlation analysis, random forest algorithms, and structural equation modeling to explore spatial pattern trends of arable land in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. Its objective is to clarify how the expansion of agricultural production scale affects food production through changes in arable land patterns and to determine the impact of socio-economic factors on these configurations. The results show that: (1) the landscape pattern of arable land is transitioning to a more fragmented arrangement with complex contours, (2) grain yield per unit area correlates positively with the landscape pattern index in Beijing, negatively in Hebei, and exhibits no significant correlation in Tianjin, and (3) land ownership plays a crucial role in land fragmentation, alterations in land morphology, and influences other socio-economic variables. Analyzing the spatial pattern of arable land in conjunction with socio-economic factors is essential for developing holistic land management approaches, improving resource efficiency, minimizing external inputs, and mitigating food security challenges.

Keywords: scaled agriculture; social and economic factors; landscape patterns; agricultural production; arable land; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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