Multi-Objective Spatial Suitability Evaluation and Conflict Optimization Considering Productivity, Sustainability, and Livability in Southwestern Mountainous Areas of China

Yishu Fang, Dong Ai, Yuting Yang, Weijian Sun and Jian Zu
Additional contact information
Yishu Fang: College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Dong Ai: College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Yuting Yang: Department of Geography, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Weijian Sun: College of Information and Electrical Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Jian Zu: College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-23

Abstract: Space is the fundamental carrier for production, living, and ecological activities, and optimizing the spatial pattern is of vital importance to promote regional sustainable development. To achieve this goal, the core issues are to identify the risks of resource and environmental constraints of development and to realize the rational distribution of human living space. Based on the integration of multisource heterogeneous data, taking Yunnan Province, a typical mountainous area in China, as an example, this research proposes a multi-object suitability evaluation method based on 50 × 50 m grid data at the provincial scale. We build a spatial conflict analysis model to identify production–living–ecological space (PLES) and propose governance suggestions for different functional areas. The results show that (1) areas suitable for ecology make up the greatest proportion of Yunnan Province, but areas with living and ecological functions show obvious spatial complementarity; (2) areas suitable for production are restricted by steep slope, geological hazards and fragmented pattern; (3) areas suitable for living is rare, and they are mainly concentrated in the plains of central Yunnan; and (4) twenty-seven percent of area has potential spatial conflicts, among which 4.38% of the area is all suitable for production–living–ecological. The production–living advantage areas are concentrated in the central Yunnan UA (Urban agglomeration), which has a high spatial overlap. These results are expected to provide valuable insights to support comprehensive multifunctional spatial utilization and sustainable development in mountainous areas.

Keywords: production–living–ecological space (PLES); multi-object; suitability evaluation; land use conflict; southwestern mountainous areas; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/1/371/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/1/371/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2021:i:1:p:371-:d:714452

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().