With the advancement of urbanization and the profound transformation of socio-economic development in China, land use transition has become a complex research field involving multiple disciplines and dimensions. This paper comprehensively uses bibliometric analysis and systematic review methods to systematically sort out the research progress of land use transition in China from following dimensions: development context, theoretical framework, model and methodology, effect and mechanism, and regulation path. The study finds that: (1) Since the introduction of land use transition research to China in 2001, the field has flourished in the aspects of project funding, publication of monographs, and talent cultivation. Through hotspot analysis, it is found that research has shifted from being technology-driven to policy and economic-driven, and finally focused on multi-functional synergy and sustainable development. (2) Theoretical research can be divided into three levels: description-explanation, process characterization and diagnosis, and mutual feedback mechanism and regulation, forming a research paradigm of "dominant morphology-recessive morphology" coupling. The transition measurement method presents a three-dimensional characteristic of integration of 3S technology, mathematical model simulation, and field investigation. (3) Driven by the dual strategies of rural vitalization and food security, the socio-economic effects of land use transitions are manifested as a cascading response of farmers' livelihoods, factor flow, and industrial upgrading; related ecological and environmental effects show the bidirectional characteristics of negative effects and positive synergistic effects. (4) The driving mechanism of land use transitions is analyzed from the "element-structure-system" perspective, and its regulation system is discussed from multiple dimensions such as engineering technology innovation, institutional innovation, policy intervention, and multi-dimensional collaborative governance. (5) Future research needs to focus on breakthroughs in multi-scale transition threshold identification, complex system feedback simulation, regional model extraction, and optimization and regulation of transition through theoretical and methodological innovations. This study provides not only knowledge support for the construction of a land use transition research theoretical system with Chinese characteristics, but also decision-making support for the modernization of national territorial space governance and urban-rural integrated development.

To enhance the scientific rigor and practical relevance of disaster resilience evaluation in mountainous rural communities, this study developed a multilevel assessment framework based on the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model by integrating the entropy method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The framework comprised three dimensions (pressure, state, and response), nine elements, and 32 indicators tailored to the unique environmental and socioeconomic contexts of mountainous regions. Focusing on four representative communities (Taoyuan, Caogu, Niulang, and Qunying) in the Anning River Basin of Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China, a combination of field surveys, GIS spatial analysis, and multi-source datasets were used to empirically evaluate community resilience. The key findings revealed the following: (1) The comprehensive resilience scores ranked Taoyuan > Niulang > Qunying > Caogu. Taoyuan's top performance stemmed from its designation as a national disaster prevention demonstration community featuring robust infrastructure and frequent emergency drills, whereas Caogu's lowest resilience resulted from its high-altitude topography, aging population, and inadequate infrastructure. (2) State resilience contributed most significantly to overall resilience (51.43%), with the building quality (C9) being the pivotal driver. Pressure resilience was predominantly influenced by the proximity to active faults (C2) and population exposure to geological hazards (C6), whereas response resilience relied on disaster-monitoring equipment (C26) and early warning efficiency (C27). (3) A synergistic optimization strategy was proposed, emphasizing risk zoning and engineering controls (pressure layer), housing retrofitting and social capital cultivation (state layer), and intelligent early warning systems integrated with indigenous knowledge (response layer). The study validates the applicability of the PSR model in mountainous rural contexts, highlighting a "state resilience dominance with response capacity gaps" pattern. Notably, communities with higher state resilience demonstrate stronger recovery capabilities despite elevated hazard pressures, underscoring the importance of robust infrastructure and social cohesion. Conversely, insufficient investment in monitoring technologies and external rescue coordination hinders response effectiveness in remote villages such as Caogu. The framework provides methodological support for tailored disaster-prevention planning, particularly in ethnic regions where traditional ecological knowledge complements modern governance. However, limitations include a focus on earthquakes and geological hazards, excluding concurrent multi-hazard scenarios (e.g., wildfires and pandemics), and a static assessment that overlooks temporal resilience dynamics. Future research should incorporate longitudinal monitoring and cross-scale interactions to refine the generalizability of the model. This study advances the theoretical integration of socioecological systems into resilience assessments and offers actionable insights for sustainable rural development in hazard-prone mountainous areas.

Main function zoning (MFZ) is the fundamental system of China's territorial development and protection. Through differentiated functional orientation, the core objectives of MFZ are to guide the orderly flow of resources across regions and optimize the spatial pattern of national development. This study evaluates the impacts, their heterogeneities among four types of zones, and underlying mechanisms of MFZ planning on China's population redistribution using county-level data from the three latest national population censuses and causal inference tests through difference-in-differences models. The results show that: The MFZ effects generally align with policy orientation. Post-implementation, optimized development zones, prioritized development zones, main agricultural zones and key ecological zones experienced declining population growth rates, accelerated population agglomeration, accelerated population decline, and growth-to-decline transition, respectively. Using main agricultural zones as reference, the planning reinforced the population concentration advantages of prioritized development zones. The policy effect exhibits dual heterogeneity across regions and hierarchical levels. Population changes in agricultural and ecological zones mostly complied with planning guidance, whereas only 40% of county-level units within prioritized development zones achieved the policy goal of accelerated agglomeration. National-level prioritized development zones demonstrated approximately twice the impact of provincial-level counterparts. Population migration from restricted development zones to urbanized areas predominantly occurred through cross-regional migration rather than intra-prefecture movements, making the policy goal of "concentrated equilibrium" within prefecture-level cities difficult to achieve. The planning promoted shifts in influencing factors of population redistribution within each type of MFZ. The diminished role of secondary industries and enhanced influence of tertiary sectors in optimized zones, along with weakened economic drivers in ecological zones, aligned with planning objectives. However, industrialization in prioritized development zones failed to significantly boost population agglomeration, while agricultural zones remained profoundly influenced by industrialization and economic development, both deviating from intended planning orientations. The findings suggest that the new-round planning could moderately concentrate urbanized area layouts, clarify development sequences for prioritized development zones, and implement more targeted differentiated governance requirements for restricted development zones.

Under the influence of climate change, drought poses a novel and urgent challenge to sustainable development in the humid regions of southern China. Therefore, it is essential to estimate future drought changes and population exposure comprehensively. Using CMIP6 climate models and population forecast data, we estimated drought variations and population exposure in the Xijiang River Basin of Guangxi from 2021 to 2100 under three scenarios of Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5). The findings are as follows: (1) By employing Taylor diagrams to evaluate the multi-model ensemble mean method (MME) of 18 CMIP6 climate models, we found that the method effectively simulated temperature and precipitation in the Xijiang River Basin, reducing the uncertainty associated with single-model simulations. Under all future scenarios, temperature and precipitation in the Xijiang River Basin are projected to increase, with effects of climate change becoming more pronounced in this region. (2) Using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), we observed a significant increasing trend in aridification in both historical and future periods. Significant differences and complex changes in the rate, occurrence time, frequency, intensity, and other drought characteristics were observed under various scenarios. Droughts are expected to be alleviated under low-emission scenarios but intensify comprehensively under high-emission scenarios. (3) The spatial variability of drought in the Xijiang River Basin will differ significantly under different scenarios. In low-emission scenarios, the intensity and extent of droughts nearly disappear in the long-term. Under medium-emission scenarios, the intensity and extent of droughts may increase. Drought events in this region are severe and worsen comprehensively, under high-emission scenarios, and the long-term impact will be extensive and serious. Drought events in this region are influenced by global climate change and are closely linked to the specific socioeconomic development path of the area. (4) Future, population exposure to drought will be highly correlated with different emission scenarios in the Xijiang River Basin. Under low-emission scenarios, the total population affected by droughts decreased. However, under medium-emission scenarios, the population exposed to each drought level will substantially increase in the medium- to long-term, and the spatial distribution will be more complex. In high-emission scenarios, although the exposure of populations may decrease in the short-term owing to extreme weather events, it will sharply increase in the medium- to long-term, especially with a sharp rise in exposure to severe droughts in the long-term. Climate change is the main factor affecting population exposure to drought; however, emission strategies are fundamental drivers, and population growth and structural changes cannot be ignored. Therefore, emission reduction measures play a key role in mitigating the risk of drought under the impact of global climate change. It is urgent to promote the transformation of low-carbon development models, strengthen regional coordination, and formulate adaptive strategies. This study provides scientific evidence for water resource management and drought response strategies in the Xijiang River Basin, and is of great significance for regional sustainable development.

Developing new quality productive forces is a significant proposition emphasized at the meeting on promoting the full revitalization of Northeast China in the new era. Subsequently, research on the spatiotemporal evolution and spatial differentiation of new quality productive forces has become a cutting-edge and hot topic in geographic science. Based on the theory of productivity layout in economic geography, this paper introduces a spatial perspective from geography into the study of new quality productive forces and systematically examines the locational conditions and spatial layout of new quality productive forces from two dimensions: policy-side and factor-side. The paper constructs a three-dimensional evaluation indicator system for new quality productive forces, consisting of "new laborer-new labor materials-new labor object", and employs threshold regression model and coupling coordination degree model to explore the dynamic relationship and spatial characteristics between local government attention and the level of new quality productive forces from 2009 to 2022. The results show that: (1) From the perspective of policy-side, there is a growing trend of following the crowd and repetitive competition in the development of new quality productive forces among provinces. (2) From the perspective of factor-side, there is spatial heterogeneity in the level of new quality productive forces across different regions, presenting a gradient pattern of "high in the east and low in the west", and the spatial distribution of new quality productive forces is more imbalanced than regional development. (3) From the perspective of dynamic analysis, there is a U-shaped threshold characteristic for the role of government attention in developing new quality productive forces, and there is a positive coupling relationship between the two. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on the matching and connection between policy-side and factor-side of regional new quality productive forces. The conclusions of this study fill the research gap in the relevant fields of geography and provide policy inspiration for optimizing productivity layout, developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions, and promoting high-quality regional development.

The urban-rural integration in the new era requires the coupled and coordinated development of new urbanization and comprehensive rural revitalization. This paper constructs an evaluation index system for new urbanization and comprehensive rural revitalization, and uses the modified coupling coordination degree model, spatial Markov chain, random forest model and other methods to quantitatively analyze the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics and influencing factors of coupling coordination types of new urbanization and comprehensive rural revitalization in Central China from 2007 to 2022. The results show that: (1) From 2007 to 2022, the coupling coordination type in the study area experienced a transition from moderate imbalance to minimal coordination, with regions of severe imbalance gradually disappearing and high-quality coordinated areas emerging, and the coupling coordination relationship has continuously improved. In terms of spatial distribution, high-value zones of coupling coordination level have remained concentrated in provincial capitals, while low-value zones have shifted toward western edge and the junction of Henan-Anhui-Hubei provinces, with boundary effects gradually emerging. (2) Regardless of the neighborhood conditions, the transition of the coupling coordination state exhibits "path dependence" and "self-locking" effects, while displaying "club convergence" phenomena, there is the possibility of transition to higher level but it is difficult to achieve leapfrog development. The geographical background plays an important role in the evolution of the coupling coordination state, which has an obvious spatial spillover effect, and the Markov prediction results also prove that spatial spillover effect will exist for a long time, the long-term evolution trend of the coupling coordination state is relatively good. (3) In the process of coupling and coordinated development, the level of industrial development plays a core leading role, the level of regional investment, the level of scientific and technological innovation, the level of human capital, and the employment structure of the population offer guarantees in terms of essential factors, and the geographical distance plays a restrictive role. Finally, this paper puts forward specific countermeasures and suggestions to provide scientific basis for the coordinated development of new urbanization and comprehensive rural revitalization in Central China.

Promoting social green transformation is an inherent requirement and a key task in the national strategy for a comprehensive green transformation of the economy and society. However, research on the quantitative characterization and spatiotemporal patterns of social green transformation remains relatively lacking. To address this gap, this paper introduces social psychology theory to construct a quantitative characterization framework for social green transformation. Using 19 urban agglomerations in China as the study area and following the "pattern-process-effect" research logic, the study integrates methods such as entropy-weighted TOPSIS, spatial Markov chains, and Random Forest model to sequentially reveal the spatiotemporal evolution patterns, spatiotemporal transformation, and dynamic impacts of the social green transformation on the economic green transformation. Finally, a comprehensive quantitative framework for regional green transformation is proposed. The results show that: (1) During the study period, the level of social green transformation in China's urban agglomerations showed a fluctuating upward trend, with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, and Pearl River Delta urban agglomerations leading in social green transformation, while those along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, the northern slope of Tianshan Mountains, Lanzhou-Xi'an region, and Ningxia along the Yellow River were relatively lagging. (2) There is a phenomenon of club convergence and spatial spillover effects in the social green transformation of urban agglomerations, and the transformation exhibits path dependence and spatial dependence, with low probabilities of cross-level and cross-regional transitions. (3) Social green transformation serves as a significant driving force for the green transformation of urban economies, and this driving effect has been strengthening over time. The role of social green transformation in advancing the strategy of ecological prioritization and green development is increasingly profound. Furthermore, this study helps to improve existing research on regional green transformation evaluation, providing new methods and ideas that better align with and respond to the current comprehensive green transformation strategy.

Foreign aid is a tool of U.S. foreign policy and provides a window into U.S. national strategy. In the era marked by frequent local conflicts and global turmoil, delving the motives of U.S. aid can enhance our comprehension of U.S. national strategic objectives. Utilizing U.S. aid data from 2000 to 2019, this paper examines the spatial evolution patterns in U.S. aid and its driving paths, considering altruistic, egoistic, and utilitarian motives. This analysis is conducted using GIS spatial analysis and Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). The results show that: (1) Total U.S. aid exhibits a basic trend of initial growth followed by stabilization, with military security aid and economic development aid as the primary categories of U.S. aid. (2) There are significant spatial and temporal differences in the distribution of U.S. aid. The Middle East and North Africa region has been a long-standing aid priority but is trending downwards, with an emphasis on military security aid, economic development aid, and humanitarian assistance. Sub-Saharan African countries have emerged as new hubs for U.S. aid, with primary focuses on social sector aid, economic development aid, and humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, other regions have seen diminishing amounts of U.S. aid. (3) The key drivers of U.S. aid have expanded from the level of economic development and U.S. exports to geostrategic, political relations and institutional quality factors, with an overall trend of a gradual shift from being driven by economic interests to geopolitical interests. This may be related to the eastward shift of the U.S. strategic centre of gravity. In terms of specific types of aid, economic development aid, social sector aid and humanitarian aid are economic interest-driven, military security aid is geopolitical interest-driven, and democratic political aid is democratic value-driven. The different types of aid serve different foreign policy objectives and together constitute a tool for the U.S. to pursue its political and economic interests. This paper can provide some reference for China's foreign policy making.

To realize the "dual carbon" goals, it is necessary to actively explore the "dual carbon" response strategy in the national spaces and innovate the research on carbon emission reduction and carbon sink enhancement pathways within the existing Chinese national conditions and institutional framework. Currently, discussions centered around supporting carbon neutrality predominantly emphasize the carbon reduction dimensions of a single space or department, lacking comprehensive coordination and specific pathways demonstration research across multiple spaces and departments. This has led to unclear goal positioning and accountability relationships for carbon emission reduction and carbon sequestration in different national spaces, making it challenging to decompose the overall tasks and implement them concretely. On the basis of considering the spatial functional attributes and interactions of ecological space, agricultural space, and urban space, this study first establishes a cognitive framework for carbon balance effects of three types of space (ecological, agricultural, and urban spaces) and proposes design principles for carbon emission reduction and carbon sink enhancement pathways. Then, based on the share of carbon reduction undertaken by the three types of space, as well as the current application status, historical contributions, scope of application, and future potential of each pathway, this study further summarizes and proposes a multi-spatial coordinated pathway for enhancing carbon sinks within ecological spaces, reducing carbon emissions and increasing sinks in agricultural spaces, and decreasing emissions in urban spaces. This initiative not only contributes to achieving sustainable ecological restoration, efficient cropland management, and effective urban control, but also fosters the formation of climate mitigation optimization strategies and green transformation response methods under the integration of future national space.

Against the background of rapid urbanization, China's districts and counties are characterized by unbalanced, inadequate, and asynchronous development, accompanied by different degrees of population loss. It is of theoretical and practical significance to explore the spatial distribution, evolution, and influencing factors of population shrinkage in county and district units in order to adapt to population shrinkage and formulate locally adapted development plans. Taking Guangdong Province as an example, this study analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of population shrinkage during 2000–2010 and 2010–2020 based on resident population data at the district and county scales from 2000 to 2020. The study also constructed a socioeconomic-natural-demographic indicator system, explored the factors influencing its formation and evolution from the perspective of non-linear influence with the help of a multi-classification logit regression model and a random forest model, and put forward relevant suggestions. This study has the following results: (1) In the spatial dimension, the population shrinkage areas in Guangdong Province are primarily distributed in the periphery of the Pearl River Delta, with a spatial core-periphery imbalance, as well as differences between counties (including counties and county-level cities) and municipal districts. Among these, counties and county-level cities are the main areas of population shrinkage, characterized by a wide range of shrinkage, a more profound degree, and a more extended period; (2) In the temporal dimension, in the two stages of 2000–2010 and 2010–2020, Guangdong Province has seen an increase in the intensity of population shrinkage, with a trend towards slower, more sustained, wider, and more widespread population shrinkage and a deepening of the shrinkage in the areas adjacent to the nine cities in the Pearl River Delta. The degree of population shrinkage deepened in the eastern part of the northern mountainous region of Guangdong, mainly Meizhou. In contrast, the northern mountainous region of Guangdong, mainly Shaoguan, has gradually recovered from shrinkage; and (3) In the context of globalization, regionalization, and aging, the formation of population shrinkage areas in Guangdong Province is affected by the interaction of multiple factors in the four dimensions of demographic structure, production, life, and nature, with complex mechanisms and different impacts on different types of population shrinkage. Persistent population shrinkage is mainly affected by the demographic structure, especially the increasing aging problem, which leads to a long-term stable population decline. At the same time, economic and social factors also impact the continuous population shrinkage. Additionally, the policy regulation of ecological reserves, which has a direct impact on population distribution and mobility, cannot be ignored. However, in addition to the endogenous factors of the population, intermittent shrinkage is also affected by social and economic aspects such as industrial adjustment and fiscal expenditure, which may lead to fluctuations in economic activities in the short term and thus affect the population distribution.

Space of flows research provides a novel analytical perspective in the domain urban and regional development, facilitating the elucidation and comprehension of dynamic interactions within urban systems and inter-regional networks. This research not only offers scientific analytical tools for urban governance and spatial planning but also provides theoretical guidance for promoting sustainable urban and regional development by optimizing resource allocation and improving spatial efficiency. This paper systematically reviews and analyzes the connotation of the space of flows in terms of its concept, attributes, characteristics, and fundamental elements. Based on this, the paper proposes and examines the evolutionary framework of space of flows research. Through theoretical tracing, research trend analysis, and hotspots identification, the study reveals that space of flows research exhibits a development pattern characterized by "super-core, polycentric, and pan-thematic" tendencies. Furthermore, this paper explores the analytical paradigm of space of flows research and its significant shifts: the research domain has expanded from singular economic linkages to multi-dimensional connections encompassing social, cultural, ecological, and geographical spheres; research data have evolved from traditional statistical surveys to an integration of conventional data and multi-source big data; and research methodologies have transitioned from qualitative studies to dynamic quantitative research. Future directions for deepening space of flows research include innovating data acquisition and integration technologies, developing advanced analytical tools, expanding cross-scale research methods, enhancing the synthesis of theoretical and empirical studies, and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration in the context of spatial dynamics and urban-regional systems.

Border ports serve as critical frontlines against potential threats from neighboring countries, with their risk status directly impacting national security and the livelihoods of local residents and businesses. Despite this importance, there remains a lack of quantitative assessments of geo-risk at these border ports. This study addresses this gap by constructing a geo-risk assessment model based on the concepts of probability and potential loss. By integrating multi-source spatio-temporal data, the geo-risk at border ports is estimated for type classification and feature analysis. The results reveal several key findings: geo-risk stress is gradually shifting westward, with significant accumulation at southwestern border ports, and comprehensive border ports are experiencing heightened risk. Geo-risk probability is high at China-Myanmar and China-Vietnam border ports, with notable risks at northern transit node ports, and Ruili ranks highest in geo-risk probability among all ports. Potential losses are concentrated along the southern border, especially at critical nodes of external transit routes and ports along the Belt and Road. The overall spatial distribution of geo-risk at border ports follows a pattern of "dense in the south, sparse in the north, and balanced across multiple points,"with risks categorized into four types: high risk, high probability, high loss, and low risk, with approximately one-quarter of ports categorized as high-risk. This study enhances the understanding of border risk, and the constructed geo-risk assessment model provides a valuable reference for risk quantification in other countries or regions while offering a scientific basis for decision-making related to border security.

With the rapid growth of the digital economy, integrating the cultural and tourism industries has become a key driver of regional economic development and industrial upgrading. As a vital component of the cultural and digital sectors, the gaming industry facilitates integration through digital innovation and creative design. While existing research on cultural-tourism integration is extensive, little attention has been paid to how virtual cultural symbols transform and drive this process in the digital era. Recent advancements in gaming have blurred the boundaries between virtual and real experiences through virtual scene construction, cultural symbol reproduction, immersive interactions, and social media dissemination, accelerating the transformation of cultural resources into tourism assets. Understanding how the gaming industry promotes cultural-tourism integration enhances existing research frameworks, deepens insights into the dissemination and reproduction of cultural symbols in the digital economy, and offers new regional cultural tourism development strategies. Using Black Myth: Wukong as a case study, this research applies the field conversion theory to examine the flow and transformation of cultural symbols between virtual and real-world tourism contexts. It explores two key questions: (1) How does the gaming industry reconstruct traditional cultural symbols through digitalization and integrate them into real-world tourism using field conversion mechanisms? and (2) How does the participation and feedback of different groups influence the effectiveness of this integration, shaping the gaming industry's role in regional cultural tourism development? The findings indicate that digital technologies not only overcome spatial constraints on cultural resources but also enhance interactivity and dissemination, promoting the transformation of symbolic capital into cultural, social, and economic capital. However, engagement levels varied across groups. Players deeply immersed in virtual cultural symbols strengthened the connection between gaming and real-world tourism through social media, offline activities, and digital communities. In contrast, non-players rely on traditional tourism information sources and respond passively and indirectly to game-driven cultural symbols. This study identifies capital accumulation, habit migration, and stakeholder collaboration as the core mechanisms facilitating cultural-tourism integration. While gaming fosters cultural identity, tourism consumption, and economic diversification, it also presents challenges, such as infrastructure strain and tourism industry homogenization due to sudden visitor influxes. This research expands the scope of the theory's application by integrating the field conversion theory into the study of gaming and cultural-tourism integration. It examines how cultural symbols gain value through cross-field transformations. Furthermore, it highlights how digital games that leverage virtual reality, short videos, and social media facilitate cultural symbols' cross-regional flow and reproduction. Moving beyond static cultural transmission models, this study reveals the dynamic evolution of virtual culture and offers fresh perspectives on the development of the cultural industry in the digital economy.

A series of regional major strategies has continuously been implemented since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (2012). The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomerations are the core spatial carriers of regional major strategies. In the new situation of decreasing and aging population, the growth of employment and the changes in employment structure in the four major urban agglomerations will have a profound impact on the regional sustainable development. Based on the location quotient model, and spatial autocorrelation analysis, the spatial and temporal patterns of employment size and employment industrial structure in the four major urban agglomerations were examined by using the sectoral population data from the 2000, 2010 and 2020 national population censuses. Comparative analysis was conducted in the context of regional major strategies to explore the regularities of urban agglomeration employment growth and structural transformation. The study finds that: (1) The scale of employment in the four major urban agglomerations continues to grow, but the overall growth rate slows down. The overall pattern of employment distribution remains stable, and the high-value areas of employment growth rate have shifted from the central cities to the surrounding cities of the urban agglomerations, forming a trend of balanced distribution and multi-point support within the urban agglomerations. (2) The trend of advanced and high-tech development in employment structure is obvious, and the distribution of employment types within urban agglomerations presents a clear "core-periphery" pattern. The central city always maintains a structure of "high-tech manufacturing and high-tech service industry", while the employment structure of the cities near the central city of the urban agglomeration is characterized by an alternating distribution of "low-tech manufacturing and high-tech service industry" and "high-tech manufacturing and low-tech service industry". The majority of employment in peripheral cities of urban agglomerations belongs to the structural type of "low-tech manufacturing and low-tech service industry". (3) The continuous growth of the employed population and the advanced and high-tech employment structure have created conditions for the four major urban agglomerations to carry out regional major strategies and participate in global competition. However, urban agglomerations face different challenges. It is essential to strengthen the multiplier effect of high-tech employment, promote the qualitative transformation of non-high-tech employment, and implement differentiated employment attraction policies to foster coordinated development among urban agglomerations and ensure the effective implementation of regional major strategy.

The spatiotemporal evolution of settlements during historical periods is of great significance for a better understanding of past environment changes, land use, and the dynamics of human-land relationships. Chinese historical documents contain abundant information on settlements, serving as an important proxy for the study on the evolution settlements over the past century. Historical documents typically employ place names to record the spatial location of settlements, but the existing historical place names spatial databases often fall short in automating the precise localization of micro-scale place names, such as settlements, which in turn impedes the advancement of research on the spatial reconstruction and spatiotemporal evolution of these historical settlements. This study focuses on the automated matching method of historical settlement place names, utilizing Suzhou Prefecture during the late Qing Dynasty (1820-1911) as the research area. It selected 11340 settlement place names and their associated primary-level division data extracted from local chronicles, and combined contemporary place names matching techniques to construct a conceptual model for correlating ancient and modern place names. The study identifies characteristics of place names evolution, establishes rules for place names matching, and proposes an algorithm for the aggregation and matching of settlement names predicated on similarity metrics, thereby accomplish the spatial reconstruction of historical settlements within the research area. On this basis, the spatial distribution and urban-rural relationships of the reconstruction results were analyzed. The results indicated that approximately 98% of the settlements, relative to the total number documented in the literature, were reconstructed using an automated place names matching method. The spatial resolution of the reconstruction was approximately 1.4 km × 1.4 km, and the consistency between the automatic matching outcomes and the manually verified results was about 96%. During the late Qing Dynasty, the distribution of settlements in the study area exhibited agglomerative characteristics, with a hierarchical structure of settlement networks centered on the western suburbs of Suzhou city. However, urban-rural connections within the network were sparse. The findings from this study have enhanced the technical methods for the spatial reconstruction of historical settlement space and deepened the scientific understanding of the characteristics and influencing factors of long-term settlement evolution.

The population problem has always been an overall, long-term, and strategic issue facing China; the fertility rate can reflect the population problem, and the identification of the temporal and spatial evolution characteristics and driving factors of fertility rate is of great significance to the long-term balanced development of population and the coordination of human-land relationship. Based on the census data of 2000, 2010, and 2020, the Theil index, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and geographically weighted regression models were used to explore the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and influencing factors of city fertility in China from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that: (1) Based on the perspective of time series characteristics, from 2000 to 2020, China's fertility rate presented a downward trend, the degree of distribution first increased and then decreased with the passage of time, the discrete trend between cities decreased, and the regional differences in fertility rate have narrowed. (2) Based on the perspective of spatial pattern, the fertility rate is high in the south and west and low in the north and east, whereas heterogeneity is obvious. Specifically, the west side of the Hu Line is higher than that of the east side, but the fertility rate fluctuation on the east side is higher than that on the west side. China's four major economic regions are in the order of Western > the Central> the Eastern > the Northeast, with fertility rates still declining in the Western and Northeast regions. Focusing on the five major urban agglomerations, the urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River has the highest fertility rate, followed by the Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration, and the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration, with the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration having the lowest fertility rate. Overall, the H-H cluster agglomeration areas are mainly distributed in the southern and western regions of China, while the L-L cluster agglomeration areas are concentrated in the northern and eastern regions. (3) Based on the perspective of influencing factors, economic, policy, demographic, and social factors are always the key factors affecting fertility, with economic and policy factors generally having a greater impact on China's fertility rate. The spatial heterogeneity of economic factors represented by per capita GDP and urbanization rate is significant, the positive impact of policy factors in northern and eastern China is significant, the population quality and fertility rate in the west of the Hu Line are strongly negatively correlated, the population number and fertility rate in southeast China are positively correlated, the negative impact of marriage and childbearing on fertility on the east side of the Hu Line is greater than that on the west side, and the influence of the concept of raising children and preventing old age in some areas in the east is still greater.

As part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has actively participated in global port construction over the past decade. This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of these efforts and enrich the theoretical framework of BRI development. We constructed a port vitality index (PVI) using shipping big data. The PVI was calculated across four key dimensions (production, maritime, service, and radiation) using 17 fundamental indicators based on the port transportation chain model. This study evaluated the vitality of port development over the past decade. The results were as follows. (1) There was significant growth from 2013 to 2022 in the overall vitality index of ports invested in China, with Asia and Europe being the primary hubs of port vitality, and Africa emerging as a major center of growth. (2) There was higher vitality growth among ports where China was involved in both investment and operations, compared to ports where China's role was limited to construction. (3) Chinese port construction companies held global power by helping developing countries or regions lacking transportation capacity quickly establish international transportation capabilities. (4) Terminal operators and shipping companies invested in ports with strong underlying conditions, located on key shipping routes with minimal economic risks, to ensure effective investment outcomes. (5) Some small and medium-sized ports gained rapid production vitality through investment, yet lacked maritime vitality, as insufficient urban market growth hinders the increase in maritime vitality. The port vitality evaluation method proposed in this study provides insights for adjusting China's future port investment strategies and optimizing location choices for enterprise investments. It also enriches the theoretical framework of the BRI development and provides practical evidence of China's commitment to fostering shared prosperity with the Global South through port infrastructure development.

Geomorphologic regionalization is the division of geomorphologic regions based on geomorphologic similarities and differences. The study of Martian geomorphic regionalization is of great significance to the understanding of Martian geomorphic evolution history as well as the rational development and utilization of Martian resources. However, there is currently a gap in the study of Martian geomorphologic regionalization. Conventional Martian location names lack clear boundaries. Additionally, the boundaries of force modification landscapes have not been clarified. On the basis of these situations, the "senior region, sub-senior region, region" Martian three-grade geomorphologic regionalization scheme was proposed using multi-source data, including bouguer gravity, topographic data, optical image data, and geological maps. Firstly, the boundaries of the Martian geotectonic domain were mapped based on data from geophysical and topographic features, which were used as the boundaries of the senior region. Secondly, the geologic units clustered by geomorphic similarity were used as the boundaries of the sub-senior region based on different terrain factors using random forests combined with the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) model. Thirdly, the data on volcanic, glacial, wind-sand, and fluvial landforms were collected and the results from adaptive optimal bandwidth kernel density estimation method were used as the boundaries of the region. Finally, the three boundaries were integrated. The geomorphic regionalization units were named in an order from senior region to region. The semi-automatic methods reduced the workload and subjectivity of global mapping. The problem of high fragmentation results from traditional clustering was solved in this scheme. The geomorphic regionalization scheme coupled geomorphic morphology and genesis and took into account the influence of different elements on the boundaries of tectonic domains, which is of high reference value for future research on the geomorphic evolution of Mars.

The current risk assessment of single landslides and debris flow disasters ignores the increasing supply, accumulation, and superposition amplification effects of disasters from top to bottom, resulting in a serious underestimation of the risk of landslide-debris flow disaster chains. This study takes the "2010.9.21" mega-landslide debris flow disaster in the Magui River Basin in Gaozhou, western Guangdong as a case study. A landslide-debris flow disaster chain risk assessment index system, guided by the cumulative amplification effect, was established from the perspective of disaster chain initiation, transmission, and cumulative amplification. A comprehensive index model was used to scientifically evaluate the risk of the disaster chain, and actual investigation results were used for verification. The results are as follows: 1) The landslide-debris flow disaster chain in the Magui River Basin is characterized by multi-ditch collection, high impact force, and major terrain fluctuation. The landslide in the starting area is directly transformed into a debris flow during the instability process and flows into the debris flow branch ditch over a short distance. Several debris-flow branches received landslides along the path, converging into the main ditch. After potential energy accelerates through the circulation area, the flow rushes out of the ditch, leading to a large area of fan-shaped accumulations in the low- and slow-terrain areas, causing serious damage to residential houses and farmland. 2) A total of one small watershed unit carries an extremely high risk, accounting for 2.04% of the total number of small watersheds. The extremely high-risk area covers 3.64 km², accounting for 2.24% of the total area. It is mainly distributed in a small watershed east of Liutang Village. There were eight small watersheds in high-risk areas, accounting for 16.33% of the total small watershed number. The dangerous area covers an area of 20.50 km², accounting for 12.62% of the total area. Most watersheds are concentrated in Langlian Village, Shenshui Village, Makeng Village, and northern Longkeng Village in the Middle East region of Liutang Village. The number of small watersheds in the medium-risk area was 18, accounting for 36.73% of all the small watersheds, and the total area covered by dangerous area was 81.22 km², accounting for approximately 44.90% of the total study area. The medium-risk areas were widely distributed within the scope of the study, especially in the southern part of Longkeng Village, most of the small watersheds of Liutang Village, the southern part of Langlian Village, Magui Village, Chengdong Village, Gancheng Village, the central area of Daxi Village, Houyuan Village, and Shanxin Village. There were 22 small watersheds in the low-risk area, accounting for 48.98% of the total number of small watersheds. The low-risk area covers 57.07 km², accounting for 35.13% of the total study area. It is mainly distributed in the small watersheds of Shanxin Village, Houyuan Village South, Yadong Village South, and Zhoukeng Village in the northeast; Daxi Village in the west; Hemudong Village in the central region; and Longkeng Village in the south. 3) The evaluation results of this study were verified using actual investigation data, which showed high consistency with field survey results, thereby confirming the credibility of the method employed in this study. The index system and evaluation approach for the risk assessment of mass landslide-debris flow disaster chains proposed in this paper can serve as a reference for risk studies of landslide-debris flow disaster chains in South China and other similar areas.

As an important economic form for the innovation and development of human society, since the 21st century, the low-altitude economy has become one of the key ways to promote China's modern industrial development, with its unique charm and broad application prospects. Research on the low-altitude economy of manned vehicles has a long history. However, this research is still growing; and there are many ambiguities within the human-cultural research of low-altitude economies. Therefore, it is necessary to review the existing results so as to promote the development of a theoretical and methodological system for low-altitude economic research. Based on data from the Web of Science (WOS), Scoups, and CNKI databases with the low-altitude economy as the research theme, the CiteSpace software was used to comprehensively sort out the publication status, research content, and research lineage of domestic and foreign low-altitude economy research. This study analyzes and summarizes the characteristics of the publication, subject matter, and characteristics and trends of the various phases. The results show that: (1) Although the leading figures and research teams of domestic and foreign low-altitude economy research have initially appeared, there are fewer cross-institutional academic contacts and a broad academic consensus is yet to be formed. (2) There are also differences in the development history and research characteristics of domestic and foreign low-altitude economy research, but in the early stage of the research, the focus is mainly on general aviation. It then moves to a new era of drone dominance that is centered on the low-altitude economy after 2010. (3) As is, foreign studies have focused on, for example, the exploration of UAV models and their engineering technology, UAV traffic management systems, UAV application scenarios. On the contrary, Chinese studies focus on the reflection and summary of the reform of low-altitude airspace, construction of UAV systems and their industrial development, etc. (4) The directional shift of the low-altitude economy from the natural space to the human-cultural space is an important feature in this growth period but the current low-altitude economy research on human culture is still in the trial phase. Therefore, it is recommended that scholars establish a scientific system suitable for the development of low-altitude economies in China, expand research perspectives and interdisciplinary cooperation, and strengthen extensive communication and exchanges among scholars, which helps construct a diversified inter-institutional, interdisciplinary, and inter-geographical cooperation network. In addition, it will deeply excavate the human-earth relations and spatial organization concepts in the study of low-altitude economies and integrate natural-social-economic-humanities perspectives on intelligent, synergistic, and sustainable development of UAVs, as well as systematically expose the UAV industry chain, UAV-related supporting facilities, market consumption, and public attitudes. This study aims to accelerate the high-quality development of China's low-altitude economy and comprehensively promote its modern development.

This study analyzes the development of the discipline of human geography in China over the past 40 years, based on projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) from 1986 to 2023. The analysis focuses on research directions and themes, the hosting institutions and their spatial distribution, as well as the structure of high-level talents. This paper primarily employs methods such as keyword cloud analysis, probability density distribution analysis, and spatial analysis. The findings are as follows: (1) Although the number and financial volume of funded projects have grown rapidly, human geography remains at a disadvantage in terms of scholarly influence and the magnitude of funding support. (2) The majority of approved projects and funds are concentrated under the application codes for Urban and Rural Geography (D0109) and Economic Geography (D0108), though growth in these areas has been limited in recent years. Promising areas of focus include cultural geography, political geography, and behavioral geography. (3) New research topics have emerged, such as spatiotemporal behavior and quality of life, social space and mobility, innovation networks, city networks, rural revitalization, geopolitics, and carbon reduction. (4) The distribution of approved NSFC projects in human geography generally follows a Pareto distribution and is predominantly located east of the Hu Line. (5) There are relatively few high-level talents in human geography in China, with an unbalanced gender ratio. To advance the field, we propose to raise human geography's profile in interdisciplinary dialogue, to consolidate disciplinary consensus, to articulate key research priorities and assessment frameworks, address developmental disparities among subfields, and prioritize groundbreaking research agendas. The study underscores key unresolved issues in the discipline's governance and financing, including the generality-specificity spectrum in knowledge generation, and reconciling inter-direction competition with distributive justice in resource allocation. The research advances scholarly understanding by documenting funding-driven development patterns in Chinese human geography while addressing dual challenges of international disciplinary recognition and domestic academic consensus-building.

Rural areal system is a multidimensional object of rural revitalization in the new era, and its complexity and dynamics require a breakthrough in single-domain thinking. Through the in-depth fusion of system science theories, multi-source data-driven technical methods and sustainable transformation paths, the full-chain governance of system diagnosis-scenario simulation-precise policy implementation should be carried out. Based on the scientific theory of human-land system and the multi-scale analysis paradigm of geography, this paper explores the "element-structure-function" cascade analysis system of rural areal system, analyzes the scientific connotation of rural areal system and rural revitalization, clarifies the multi-scale evolution law and transformation mechanism of rural areal system, develops rural areal system development status assessment and scenario simulation technology, and sorts out and proposes a "three-device" (diagnostic device, detector, simulator) platform framework for the transformation mechanism and simulation of rural areal system. By innovating multimodal spatiotemporal data fusion and intelligent interpretation methods, it can break through the technical bottleneck of quantitative inversion of rural areal system elements, establish a multi-factor collaborative observation indicator system and a data sharing application platform, reveal the spatial pattern of rural transformation under different development paths, and explore and create "three major systems", including a theoretical system of rural areal system with multi-dimensional interaction of nature-society-technology, a technical system of cross-platform coordinated observation of rural areal system, and a system of standards and norms for the scientific path of rural revitalization and its management. The findings will help to achieve the systematization of coordinated observation and scenario simulation of multi-source heterogeneous data in rural areal system, and provide theoretical guidance and technical support for the scientific formulation of rural revitalization plans and the comprehensive promotion of rural revitalization strategic decisions. Additionally, focusing on the current trend of technological progress, modern geography should connect with the international scientific frontier and national strategic needs, and take the system integration of geographic science-technology-engineering-practice (Geo-STEP) as the core to promote the transition of rural areal system research from "problem explanation" to "future design" and "scientific governance".