Against the backdrop of global environmental changes and the ongoing advancement of China's ecological civilization, the natural resources science must deepen its theoretical foundations and refine its academic system to address pressing challenges such as population-resource conflicts. Based on a review of the development trajectory of natural resource science, this paper focuses on the interaction and coordination between "space" and "elements" and proposes a disciplinary framework for natural resource planning centered on the "space-element-planning" triad. The proposed framework takes "spatial positioning-element allocation-planning coordination" as its logical starting point and builds the disciplinary content system around three key dimensions: revealing spatial patterns, optimizing element configurations, and constructing spatial support. Looking ahead, the development of natural resource planning should be guided by indigenous knowledge innovation, supported by interdisciplinary curricula, and driven by major scientific and technological missions. This will promote the establishment of a robust discipline of natural resource planning that supports the unified management of natural resources and territorial spatial governance, contributing to the realization of Chinese-style modernization characterized by harmony between humanity and nature.
Based on the theory of cultural ecosystem services (CESs) and the simultaneous development of five educations, this study constructs a comprehensive framework to elucidate the mechanisms among landscape education, CESs values, and natural resources teaching. It compiles expert evaluations of illustrations from middle school geography textbooks and a collection of study-tour itineraries for Gansu province. Using methods including categorical statistics, kernel density estimation, and MaxEnt model prediction, the study assesses the CESs values of natural resources featured in middle school geography curricula and Gansu study sites, and explores pathways through which value evaluation can advance natural resources teaching. Findings indicate: (1) Digital landscapes convey the digital CESs values in theoretical teaching through multimedia courseware, textbook illustrations, and other forms. Students perceive the physical CESs values via observation, experience and research. The values of CESs provide a pivotal basis for selecting teaching materials and field sites. (2) The illustrations in chapters such as "Resources Security and National Security" carry high value. Mixed multiple illustrations layouts better express educational and spiritual values. Chapter cover illustrations convey aesthetic values, and educational and spiritual are strongly linked. Values evaluation informs textbook revision through the selection of graphic and textual cases, innovative arrangement methods, optimized visual effects, and exploration of ideological and political elements. (3) Study-tour courses in Gansu show overall agglomerative spatial distribution. Lanzhou city and surrounding counties are the main high-value areas for five types of CESs. The high-value areas in the Hexi Corridor are concentrated in oases and cities. Value distribution is highly correlated with the density of primary and secondary schools in the region. Values assessment guides study-tour product development and practical education-based construction. The research has practical significance in refining teaching strategies and objectives across educational levels, optimizing teaching resources, and linking of theory with practice in teaching.
Land-sea integration is the core value orientation for the synergistic utilization of terrestrial and marine space and resources in China. To construct a coastal human settlement environment system featuring human-land (sea) interaction under the multidimensional goals of land-sea integration, this paper proposes the concept of the "Key Zone of Land-Sea Integration" and its spatial structure of "supporting zone-core zone-associated zone-hinterland zone". The Key Zone of Land-Sea Integration implements the research perspective of the coastal human settlement environment system in terms of scope definition, hierarchical structure, research priorities, and development dimensions. It follows the research approach of "spatial structure-geomorphic pattern-ecological network-human settlement order", couples the multidimensional values of "ecology-economy-space-culture-society", and puts forward key research issues. Specifically, in scope definition, it clarifies the spatial scope integrating land and sea, covering both coastal areas and their adjacent terrestrial and marine extensions. In hierarchical structure, it establishes a multi-level system to adapt to analyses and management at different scales. In research priorities, it focuses on the dynamic interactions between human activities and the natural environment within the zone. In development dimensions, it emphasizes the balance among economic growth, social progress, and ecological protection. Focusing on the integration of human-land (sea) interaction and the integration of land-sea multidimensional values at the urban scale from the perspective of the coastal human settlement system environment, the Key Zone of Land-Sea Coordination proposes clear spatial objects and carriers. It will further promote the integration of land-sea coordinated territorial spatial planning and governance, break down traditional barriers between land and sea management, and facilitate high-quality development of coastal human settlement by guiding rational spatial layout, efficient resource utilization, and harmonious coexistence between human and nature. Thus, it provides theoretical support and practical guidance for advancing systematic management of coastal areas and optimizing the sustainable development pattern of coastal human settlement.
International digital infrastructure represented by submarine cables has important strategic value in information transmission, economic and trade stability, and military security, and can provide solid support for the spatial selection of China's overseas strategic pivots (COSPs). Based on the theoretical framework of spatial selection of COSPs and the distribution pattern of global submarine cable network, we identified global Internet gateways and then screened COSPs at the regional, national and teleport scales. The results show that: (1) Overseas strategic pivot is further extension of Internet gateway, which endows the latter with a pivot attribute and strategic meaning on the basis of its connotation. The identification logic of COSPs based on submarine cable network follows the three-level spatial scale of ''region-country-teleport'', and geopolitical theory, new state space theory and location theory respectively dominate the spatial selection of COSPs at higher scale, mesoscale and lower scale. They each have their own focus and are nested with each other, forming a logical framework of the spatial selection of COSPs based on submarine cable network. (2) The global submarine cable network exhibits a distinct spatial imbalance, a pattern further diversified by the cumulative effects of scale on node distribution. However, regardless of the scale, the global submarine cable network has formed a ''one heart, three poles, three corridors'' pattern with the rimland of the Eurasian continent as the heart, the United States, the United Kingdom and Singapore as the three poles, and the three main corridors spanning the North Atlantic, the southeastern and the southwestern sea area of the Eurasian continent. (3) The spatial selection results of COSPs have geographical proximity and similarity, mainly distributed in six strategic zones, namely East Asia-Southeast Asia strategic zone, Persian Gulf-Red Sea strategic zone, Mediterranean-Europe West Coast strategic zone, Africa West Coast strategic zone, Caribbean strategic zone, and Eastern North Pacific strategic zone, presenting a ''core-expansion-periphery'' distribution pattern. The results can enrich the research framework of submarine cable and strategic pivot, providing theoretical reference and policy inspiration for expanding China's overseas interests.
Facing complex international situation such as geopolitics, superpower games and resource nationalism, the overseas supply uncertainty of nickel and cobalt continues to increase, which not only seriously threatens the supply security, but also impacts self-supply. However, quantitative research addressing this issue remains limited. This study employs a system dynamics model coupled with scenario analysis to quantify the specific impacts of overseas supply uncertainty on the domestic self-supply of nickel and cobalt. It then delves into the positive effects of five mining and recycling strategies, both individually and in coordinated implementation. The results show that: (1) Compared with the expansion of overseas supply, its contraction has a greater impact on the self-supply, which increases the primary supply of nickel and cobalt in the short and medium terms, while is unfavorable to the long-term primary supply and nickel secondary supply. (2) The mining countermeasures are conducive to the increase of primary supply in the short term but not conducive to the long term. They accelerate the consumption of primary resources and advance the onset of "reserve shortages". Therefore, it is necessary to surmount reserves limitations. (3) The recycling strategies could effectively cope with the scenario of low overseas supply contraction by improving the secondary supply of nickel and cobalt. While due to the substitution effect, they have a negative impact on primary supply. (4) The coordinated implementation of mining and recycling strategies can balance sustainable resource utilization, demand adaptation, and self-supply support, while mitigating the risks from tightening overseas supply constraints. The research results provide not only a theoretical basis for preventing overseas supply risks, as well as a practical reference for the development, utilization, and integrated allocation of primary and secondary nickel and cobalt resources in China.
The bidirectional empowerment between value realization of ecological products and rural cultural revitalization is an important proposition for comprehensively advancing rural revitalization. Based on the "human-culture-technology-industry-institution" five-dimensional synergy framework to systematically explore the fundamental logic, operational mechanisms, and key strategies for the bidirectional empowerment between the value realization of ecological products and rural cultural revitalization. The study reveals that ecological resources and rural cultural exhibit inherent symbiosis. The bidirectional empowerment of the value realization of ecological products and rural cultural revitalization embodies the unification of theoretical inevitability, institutional necessity, and practical feasibility. This synergy is achieved through three mechanisms: resource integration, economic incentives, and cultural identity reconstruction. To address the practical challenges of bidirectional empowerment, we propose the following key pathways: multiple actors cultivation and incentive pathway; cultural conservation and innovation-driven pathway; digital technology empowerment for the entire chain pathway; ecocultural industry value-added pathway; planning leadership and policy coordination pathway.
In the context of ecological city construction, residents' environmentally responsible behavior plays a crucial role in enhancing urban environmental quality and fostering a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. As an important component of the urban ecosystem, urban greening serves as an essential focus for understanding and promoting residents' environmentally responsible behavior. This study investigates the impacts of cultural ecosystem services (CES) and place attachment on residents' environmentally responsible behavior, with banyan tree spaces in Guangzhou serving as the case study. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze survey data collected from 1226 questionnaires in 59 banyan tree spaces. The results indicate that: (1) Environmentally responsible behavior is positively associated with the social relations and recreational services dimensions of cultural ecosystem services. (2) The social relations and recreational services dimensions of cultural ecosystem services positively affect place attachment. (3) Place attachment mediates the relationship between cultural ecosystem services and environmentally responsible behavior-cultural ecosystem services influence residents' environmentally responsible behavior through two pathways: social relations-place attachment-environmentally responsible behavior and recreational services-place attachment-environmentally responsible behavior. Overall, our research highlights that focusing on the non-material cultural services provided by urban greening and deepening the understanding of residents' place attachment are essential for optimizing environmentally responsible behavior. Such insights not only provide theoretical guidance for urban ecological construction but also offer practical references for policy formulation and implementation, thereby contributing to sustainable urban development. Therefore, future governments should enhance planning and policy guidance to effectively alleviate conflicts between urban renewal and tree protection. By scientifically and rationally designing green spaces, it will be possible to ensure that ancient and noteworthy trees are fully preserved during urban renewal processes, thereby collectively fostering a more livable and sustainable urban environment.
Drawing on the social-ecosystem framework, this study integrates resilience, adaptive cycle, and embeddedness theories to systematically and stagewise dissect the theoretical process through which rural land factor marketization enhances rural resilience. Taking the Rice Dream Space as an example, it examines specific initiatives and outcomes in the market-oriented reform of rural land factors. This summarizes the mechanisms and paths through which market-oriented reform of rural land factors empowers rural resilience. The results show that: (1) During the market-oriented reform of rural land factors, the rural resource system (RS), governance system (GS), resource units (RU), and actors (A) interact effectively across diverse and complex scenarios. These interactions enhance rural resilience and facilitate the adaptive cycle process. (2) The market mechanism enhances rural resilience through three primary drivers: the realization of land value as an economic driver, the sustainable use of resource units within the rural-social ecosystem as an ecological driver, and the restructuring of rural resource elements coupled with improvements to the rural governance system as socio-institutional drivers. (3) To empower rural resilience through the rural land factor market, a viable implementation path should be initiated through "policy opportunities + market embedding", advanced through "in-depth stakeholder engagement + collaborative governance", and driven by "technological innovation + industrial transformation". This approach couples multiple actors and factors to achieve rural transformation and upgrading. Different villages should tailor their approaches to market-oriented land reform based on their unique development characteristics and resource endowments. By stimulating multi-stakeholder participation to invigorate the market, these tailored approaches can achieve the intended effects of resilience and empowerment.
Market-driven advancement of mine ecological restoration serves as an effective solution to address the substantial historical deficits, large funding requirements, and insufficient investment in this field. The Eco-environment-oriented Development (EOD) model facilitates the achievement of market-based self-sustainability for mine ecological restoration projects. Using the EOD model for mine ecological restoration as a case study, this paper begins by defining core concepts and clarifying its underlying logic. It then outlines the operational workflow and key implementation stages of the mine ecological restoration EOD model, distilling its two core mechanisms: the capital-driven mechanism and the resource-driven mechanism. Drawing on domestic practices, the paper analyzes the primary pathways embedded within this model: land quota exchange, utilization of abandoned resources, introduction of eco-industries, and carbon sink economy models. Looking ahead, efforts should focus on further improving policy support for the conversion of mining land uses, increasing participation from private capital, and strengthening risk response capabilities. Finally, the paper proposes policy recommendations, including standardizing land quota trading rules, refining the policy framework for social capital participation, and innovating profit mode.
Since ecological protection and high-quality development became an important national strategy for the Yellow River Basin, the relationship between tourism development and ecolognical civilization construction in the region has drawn significant academic attention. Drawing on synergetics theory, this study thoroughly analyzes the synergistic evolution mechanism of tourism development and ecological civilization construction. This study analyzes the synergistic evolution of the two systems using the Haken model and HP filter analysis on data from 78 prefecture-level cities in the Yellow River Basin. Furthermore, it leverages an obstacle degree model to identify and classify systemic impediments, thereby informing the design of targeted promotion strategies. The results indicate that: (1) Tourism development in the Yellow River Basin has undergone three distinct phases, "steady improvement", "sharp decline", and "moderate recovery", and exhibits a "core-edge" spatial structure. Meanwhile, the level of ecological civilization construction has steadily improved, forming a spatial pattern of "the contiguity of low-value areas and the dispersion of high-value areas". (2) Ecological civilization construction is identified as an order parameter, which facilitates the synergistic evolution and upgrading of the complex giant system. This process can be divided into three stages: "gradual improvement (2012-2016)", "secondary development (2017-2019)", and "accelerated upgrading (2020-2021)". (3) The synergistic evolution of this complex giant system is characterized by a reduction in primary co-evolution areas, an expansion of intermediate co-evolution areas, stable higher-level co-evolution areas, and a sporadic distribution of those higher-level areas. (4) The main obstacles to synergistic evolution have shifted from being dominated by ecological factors to being driven by economic development. Furthermore, in various prefecture-level cities, the predominant obstacles have evolved from diversified differentiation to a focus on economic development or social livelihood. In the new development stage, at the basin level, the government should seize the opportunity to strengthen regional coordination and linkage strategies. For prefecture-level cities, local governments need to adopt measures suited to their specific conditions and implement targeted policies accordingly.
Analyzing the evolution patterns of carbon emission efficiency at different spatiotemporal scales and revealing the driving mechanisms of multi-dimensional factors on carbon emission efficiency are of great significance for scientifically formulating energy-saving and emission-reduction policies and measures. The study first measured the carbon emission efficiency of 17 prefecture-level cities in Henan province from 2006 to 2022 using the super-efficiency SBM model. Then, the spatiotemporal evolution patterns of carbon emission efficiency at the municipal and regional scales were revealed through spatial analysis and the Gini coefficient method. Finally, the spatial Durbin model was employed to examine the degree of influence and constraint relationship of various factors affecting carbon emission efficiency in Henan. The results suggest that: (1) At the municipal administrative level, there is a significant difference in the carbon emission efficiency among the 17 prefecture-level cities in the province, with most not reaching the optimal level, and the unevenness phenomenon is prominent. Carbon emission efficiency presents a clear central and peripheral difference feature in geographical space. (2) There are significant differences in the carbon emission efficiency among different parts of the study area, and the carbon emission efficiency in Central Henan has remained in a relatively stable state for a long time, while the regions with low carbon emission efficiency are mainly concentrated in Southern, Northern, and Western Henan. (3) The factors influencing carbon emission efficiency in Henan have significant differences at the municipal and regional scales. In the future, Henan should formulate and implement differentiated carbon reduction policies based on the scale differences of carbon emission efficiency, focusing on optimizing the industrial structure, strengthening technological innovation, and reasonably guiding energy consumption to promote the overall improvement of carbon emission efficiency in the province.
Based on panel data of 30 provincial-level regions in China from 2010 to 2022, the carbon emission reduction efficiency in the electricity sector (ECERE) is measured using the Super-SBM-GML model, and the impact of green finance (GF) on ECERE is demonstrated from multiple dimensions, global and local, temporal and spatial, and direct and indirect, using the SLX model and its hybrid model constructed with the PGTWR model. The results show that: (1) GF contributes to the enhancement of ECERE in the region and has a dampening effect on the neighboring regions through spatial spillover effects. When the geographic distance reaches 1950 km, the spatial spillover effect presents a clear geographic decay boundary. (2) Over time, the promotional effect of GF on local ECERE exhibits a U-shaped trend, decreasing and then increasing, while the inhibitory effect on ECERE in neighbouring areas shows a fluctuating and increasing trend. (3) GF's contribution to local ECERE and its inhibitory effect on ECERE in neighbouring regions are more pronounced in areas with limited hydropower and nuclear power resources. (4) GF primarily enhances ECERE through power technology progress, management efficiency improvements, and power structure optimization. The results of this study provide scientific references for improving China's GF policies and energy policies, as well as for promoting the process of carbon emission reduction.
It is necessary to assess the impact of carbon emission reduction targets on urban green total factor productivity, a topic with significant practical implications. Based on a panel data of 275 Chinese cities, this paper constructs a two-tier stochastic frontier model to evaluate the "innovation compensation" spillover effect, "compliance cost" crowding-out effect, and net effect of carbon emission reduction targets on urban green total factor productivity. The main conclusions of this paper are as follows: (1) Carbon emission reduction targets have both "innovation compensation" spillover effects and "compliance cost" crowding-out effects on urban green total factor productivity. Among the effects of carbon emission reduction targets, the spillover effect prevails over the crowding-out effect. Specifically, the spillover effect of carbon emission reduction targets increases urban green total factor productivity by 6.468% relative to the frontier, while the crowding-out effect reduces urban green total factor productivity by 1.655% relative to the frontier. The combined action of the spillover and crowding-out effects results in a net effect of a 4.814% increase in urban green total factor productivity due to carbon emission reduction targets. (2) The spillover effect, crowding-out effect, and net effect of carbon emission reduction targets on urban green total factor productivity exhibit temporal and spatial variations. Specifically, under the combined influence of the spillover and crowding-out effects, the net effect of carbon emission reduction targets on urban green total factor productivity shows a U-shaped curve over time. Spatially, under the combined influence of the spillover and crowding-out effects, the net effect of carbon emission reduction targets on urban green total factor productivity varies across eastern, central, and western regions. The net effect is strongest in the western region, followed by the central region, and weakest in the eastern region. (3) Regional characteristic factors influence the spillover and crowding-out effects of carbon emission reduction targets on urban green total factor productivity. Specifically, local economic growth pressure, resource endowment, and financial development level all contribute to heterogeneous manifestations of how carbon emission reduction targets affect urban green total factor productivity through spillover and crowding-out effects. The conclusions of this study have theoretical and practical significance. These findings not only enhance our understanding of the complex impact of China's carbon intensity target management on urban green development but also offer practical insights for local governments to refine the design of emission reduction policies.
The construction of cultivated land protection agglomeration area is an innovative exploration to promote regional coordinated development in the New Era. Taking Zhuhai city as the research area, according to the main line of 'relationship analysis, subject determination, bottom line control and overall coordination', this paper constructs the evaluation system of main controlling factors of cultivated land agglomeration in three dimensions of resource endowment assortativity, service function assortativity and regional coordinated development assortativity, and uses Criteria Importance Though Intercrieria Correlation, three-dimensional magic cube model, Logistic model, coupling coordination degree model and spatial autocorrelation model. The spatial decision model of cultivated land agglomeration and the spatial layout decision model of cultivated land agglomeration protection are constructed to plan the optimal spatial layout of cultivated land agglomeration under multi-objective trade-off. The results show that: (1) The zoning process must comprehensively account for natural resource conditions, ecosystem service functions, and planning coordination, with evaluation results revealing significant spatial heterogeneity in controlling factors across Zhuhai. (2) Medium-to-high potential zones for cultivated land aggregation constitute 43.24% of the total area, demonstrating significant spatial clustering at 99.90% confidence level. Further optimization through spatial decision-making models identifies priority areas including Northwest Youji Mountain (Nanping town), Lianzhou town, central Baijiao town, Pingsha town, and Hongqi town. (3) Three distinct types of conservation zones are delineated totaling 59.84 km2: resource endowment-oriented (65.85%), service function-oriented (1.05%), and regional synergy-oriented (33.10%), with tailored consolidation strategies proposed for each category. This research offers guidance for balancing urban expansion and cultivated land preservation within the institutional framework of major land requisition-compensation policies in the New Era.
The improvement of land use performance in residential areas is of great significance to the efficiency of urban land use, the balance between work and residence, the allocation of public resources and the vitality of the social economy. However, there is still a lack of dynamic monitoring and evaluation methods for the land use performance of residential areas, especially effective monitoring means for the development of land use performance in newly built residential areas. Guided by the human-earth coordination theory and utilizing mobile phone signaling data, this study systematically investigates long-term temporal patterns of population migration through three analytical dimensions, dynamics, scale, and direction, while developing a dynamic evaluation model for assessing land use performance in newly developed residential areas. The development trend of land use performance in newly built residential areas in Wuhan can be classified into the following six categories: (1) Fast-heating and fast-stabilizing plots, mainly in Central and Northern Wuhan, are characterized by a rapid increase and subsequent stabilization of the static population. This is accompanied by declining immigration but a consistent net inflow, indicating that these areas are reaching maturity. (2) Slow-heating and stabilizing plots, predominantly located in the southern and western transition zones of Central Wuhan, exhibit a slow static population growth that eventually stabilizes a rise-and-fall pattern in immigration, and a volatile net inflow that eventually stabilizes, resulting in relatively late maturity. (3) Slow-developing plots, concentrated in Western, Northern and Central Wuhan, have an increasing static population, a gradual declining inflow population, and a net inflow that falls then stabilizes, resulting in a lagging development process. (4) Slow-heating and developing plots, scattered across Wuhan, characterized by a gradual increase in static population, followed by a later surge in immigration and a sharp increase in net inflow at a late stage, indicating strong development momentum. (5) Fluctuating development plots, found scattered in Southern and Western Wuhan, are marked by a rising static population, high volatility in both immigration and net inflow, and an overall unstable developmental trajectory. (6) Dynamically unstable plots, sporadically distributed in southwestern and southeastern periphery of Wuhan, have a low static population, are characterized by a low static population, high volatility in both immigration and net inflow, and slow development progress.
Rapid urbanization has intensified the conflicts among the production-living-ecological spaces (PLES), especially in mountainous urban agglomerations where complex terrain and ecological fragility lead to pronounced multi-scale spatial heterogeneity. Clarifying the coupling-coordination relationships and their driving mechanisms is essential for achieving refined territorial spatial governance. Taking the Central Yunnan Urban Agglomeration (CYUA) as a case study, this paper developed an integrated analytical framework combining multi-functional evaluation, coupling coordination degree modeling, and Geographical Convergent Cross Mapping (GCCM) to systematically examine the coupling characteristics and drivers across grid, township, and county scales. The results showed that PLES coordination had significant scale dependence, with the lowest coordination at the township scale due to concentrated heterogeneity, and the highest at the county scale driven by macro-level resource integration. As spatial scale increased, dominant driving factors shifted progressively from natural to socio-economic elements. At the grid level, factors such as NDVI and the proximity to cultivated land played key roles in promoting ecological stability and local coupling. At the township scale, road density and nighttime light indicated spatial accessibility and human activity intensity. At the county scale, per capita GDP, industrial agglomeration, and infrastructure development shaped spatial coordination through structural planning and institutional integration. Additionally, complex mountainous terrain moderated the transmission of spatial effects across scales, amplifying spatial fragmentation and functional isolation. Based on these findings, this study proposed a multi-scale collaborative governance strategy of "grid monitoring-township regulation-county integration". These findings offer both theoretical insights and practical strategies for enhancing spatial coordination and promoting sustainable development in topographically constrained and ecologically sensitive mountainous regions.
