As an important aspect of the notion that "spatial is special", spatial heterogeneity has been a central topic of geospatial analytics. It is also closely related to the methodological tradition of geography and replicability of geographic research. The emergence of fine-grained big geospatial data and the development of Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) have brought new opportunities and challenges to spatial heterogeneity modeling. Spatial heterogeneity may refer to (1) values of geographic variables; and (2) associations, or the generation process of geographic variables, which correspond to data and process heterogeneity, respectively. Moreover, the specification of spatial heterogeneity may be categorized as continuous and discrete. Based on the dichotomies above, we summarize the main scenarios of spatial heterogeneity modeling and review corresponding methods: (1) homogeneity-based regionalization; (2) local spatial regression; and (3) spatial regime regression. In particular, we discuss approaches to delineate spatial regimes in an endogenous manner. We also review related methodological advances in GeoAI, where the principle of spatial heterogeneity is reflected in the design of neural network models. Finally, we point out several potential directions for future research. As emerging directions in spatial heterogeneity modeling, spatial regime regression and GeoAI methods need more attention from researchers.

Alluvial fans are common fan-shaped depositional landforms that develop at the outlets of mountain rivers or gullies. Mature and stable alluvial fans are important areas for both human habitation and production in mountainous regions, but they also pose potential hazards associated with flash floods and debris flows. Research on alluvial fans enhances our understanding of regional environmental dynamics and geomorphic evolution, as well as contributes to the mitigation of flood and debris-flow hazards. Therefore, it holds significant scientific value and practical importance. Although considerable research has been conducted on alluvial fans, both domestically and internationally, in recent decades, much of it has focused on geomorphology (morphometry), sedimentary history and characteristics, and historical environmental reconstruction (or inversion). Investigations into the mechanisms of fan development and their geomorphic effects remain relatively underexplored. This review systematically summarizes the key advancements in the research on the dynamic processes, mechanisms, and morphodynamics of alluvial fan development. We first provide an overview of current technical approaches applied in the study of alluvial fans, including field investigations and model experiments. Then, we summarize four critical aspects of fan dynamics processes and development mechanisms: primary and secondary processes; mechanisms of flow channel avulsion; interactions between tributary and main rivers; and the impact of alluvial fan development on sediment production, transport, and geomorphic processes. Finally, we discuss several areas that require further attention in future research. Currently, field observations and monitoring of the dynamic processes of alluvial fan development are inadequate. As an essential complement to post-event field surveys and experimental model research, there is an urgent need to enhance field observations in order to expand and deepen our understanding of alluvial fan development mechanisms. This will promote scientific insights into sediment dynamics and geomorphic processes within regional river systems.

Under the background of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, data centers with high energy-consumption characteristics are facing a huge challenge of energy saving and emission reduction, which is related to the achievement of the goal of green and high-quality development of new infrastructure. To address this challenge, the national level has formulated the “East Data and West Calculation” Project to leverage the advantages of resource endowment in the west and alleviate the pressure on resources and the environment in the east. The carbon emission reduction effect and spatial transfer law resulting from this strategy are scientific issues worth studying. To investigate these issues, this study constructs a carbon accounting framework based on the fine-grained data of data centers in each region of China. It simulates and predicts the amount of carbon emissions and the scale of spatial transfer of data centers in 2 scenarios: with or without the implementation of the “East Data and West Calculation” Project in 2020—2030. The study also analyzes the potential of energy saving and emission reduction associated with the strategy. The results of the study demonstrate that the “East Data and West Calculation” Project can achieve energy saving and emission reduction in data centers by optimizing the spatial distribution of computational resources. In the context of the strategy, the total carbon emissions of national data centers in 2030 are expected to reach 2.11×10⁸ t, which is a reduction of 22.74×10⁶ t compared to the scenario without the strategy. Specifically, the strategy effectively relieves the pressure on carbon emissions in the regions of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Hub and the Yangtze River Delta Hub, resulting in a reduction of 55.45×10⁶ t of CO₂ in the east. Additionally, the project facilitates the transfer of 17.89×10⁶ t of CO₂ to the central region and 13.33×10⁶ t of CO₂ to the western region, thereby slowing down the rate of increase of carbon emissions in high-carbon regions. The conclusions of this study provide data support for understanding the scale and spatial transfer pattern of carbon emissions from data centers, a new type of infrastructure, in the context of the east data and west calculation strategy.

The low-carbon transformation of the energy system has emerged as a key strategy for addressing climate change risks, promoting high-quality development, and ensuring energy security. However, the clean transformation of the energy system faces significant uncertainties and challenges due to the complex constraints of multiple goals. This paper provides a comprehensive review and integrated analysis of the basic concepts, research methods, and challenges associated with energy transformation, drawing the following conclusions: (1) Shifting focus of energy transition: The energy transition in the context of carbon neutrality has evolved from being primarily technology-driven to problem-driven. The pace and success of energy transitions vary greatly across regions and nations, with policy regulation, technological innovation, market mechanisms, and behavioral factors playing pivotal roles in driving change. (2) Quantitative research on energy transition primarily centers on assessing the extent of the transition and forecasting its future trajectory. However, due to the intricate interconnections and mutual influences among multiple systems, including energy, economy, environment, and society, the predictive simulations often exhibit a pronounced "black box" effect, making interpretation and transparency more challenging. (3) Controversies and future research directions: There is ongoing debate within the international community regarding the comprehensive effects of energy transformation. The development model and pathways that balance low-carbon goals, economic growth, and energy supply security still require further theoretical and empirical exploration. While significant attention has been paid to the environmental, economic, and safety benefits of energy transformation, the social impacts have received less focus, which may undermine the long-term sustainability of the transition. Future research should integrate the dual objectives of climate change mitigation and economic development, adopt diversified transformation strategies, emphasize supply-demand coordination, and promote regionally coordinated transitions. Furthermore, strengthening multi-scale, cross-sectoral analyses will enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of energy transformations. This research aims to deepen understanding of the epistemology and methodology surrounding energy transformation, offering geographical scholars new perspectives and avenues for further investigation into this critical area of study.

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.

China’s innovative network exhibits high productivity combined with high volatility. While existing research has focused on the generative mechanisms of the network, the process of maintaining or dissolving innovative relationships and the underlying causes of high volatility remain unclear. Based on the “generation-maintenance” perspective, this study constructs a national innovative network using collaborative invention patents from 2001 to 2019, explores its evolutionary characteristics, and employs a separable temporal index random graph model to reveal the mechanisms of generating and maintaining innovative relationships. The results show that: 1) The scale of China’s innovative network is expanding, and the spatial pattern is evolving from a triangle to a “diamond + cross” shape. The innovation network maintenance process presents an evolutionary path of “upper triangle-full triangle-diamond-diamond+cross” in four stages. The formation process presents a spatial pattern similar to the maintenance process in the next stage, and it changes from the north-to-Shenzhen dominant to the urban agglomeration as the main body, reflecting the path-dependent effect. The unwinding process is dominated by the core nodes in the generating network, as well as cities in the northeast, southwest. 2) The evolutionary mechanisms of the innovative network show stage-dependent differentiation. The agglomeration effect has changed from inhibiting to promoting innovative relationships, while the intermediary effect has shifted from promoting to inhibiting innovative relationships. The effects of transmission, GDP, innovation level, geographic proximity, and organizational proximity on urban innovative relationships have continued to decline. 3) The evolutionary mechanisms of generating and maintaining innovative relationships have differences. Economic scale and innovation level have become ineffective in maintaining innovative relationships, while the effect of geographic proximity on generating innovative relationships has continued to decline but has increased in maintaining innovative relationships. This study addresses the lack of exploration into the mechanisms of maintaining innovative relationships in existing research and provides theoretical and methodological support for improving the growth and reducing the volatility of the innovative network, thereby optimizing the regional innovation system.

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.

Under the “dual carbon” goals, conducting in-depth research on the role of the digital economy, in improving carbon emission performance and its impact mechanism on promoting the low-carbon transformation of the socio-economic structure, is beneficial for carbon reduction and helps to achieve the “dual carbon” targets on time. Based on the theoretical mechanism of how the digital economy affects carbon emission performance, this article calculates the development of the urban digital economy and carbon emission performance, visualizes the spatial-temporal evolution trends of digital economy development and carbon emission performance, and empirically tests the impact mechanism and spatial effects of the digital economy on the carbon emission performance of Chinese cities. The results show that: 1) The overall development level of the digital economy continues to improve, and the digital divide phenomenon has been alleviated to some extent. However, the overall level of carbon emission performance remains relatively low, with significant room for improvement. 2) The digital economy can significantly improve urban carbon emission performance, and the results remain robust after a series of sensitivity tests. The impact mechanism results reveal that the digital economy positively influences carbon emission performance mainly through advancements in green technologies, industrial agglomeration, and improvements in energy efficiency. 3) Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the impact of the digital economy on urban carbon emission performance varies by region and resource endowment. It can significantly improve the carbon emission performance in eastern regions and non-resource-based cities, but its impact on central and western regions and resource-based cities has yet to be seen. 4) Spatial spillover effect analysis shows that the development of the digital economy not only significantly improves local carbon emission performance but also promotes the improvement of carbon emission performance in neighboring regions through spatial spillover effects. This reflects its important role in regional green transformation. However, its spillover effect is highly sensitive to distance, and the spillover effect under the economic geography nested weight matrix and the inverse distance weight matrix is significantly lower than that under the geographical distance weight matrix.

Chinese materia medica (CMM) is derived from nature, inherited from history, used in society, prospered in industry and benefited in the region. The ancient Chinese people began studying the relationship between CMM and their origin very early, which reflects that CMM is closely related to geography, and it is also the natural way of the formation of CMM, but the interdisciplinary fusion of CMM and geography has not yet formed. Based on the geographical characteristics of herbs, resources, products, industry and business of CMM, this paper analyzes the research framework of the medicine-geography relationship in CMM geography, and preliminarily analyzes its research objects, scientific problems, research contents and research methods. Results show that: (1) CMM geography is a science that studies the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of CMM and medicine-geography relationship. It is a discipline that examines the regional differences, spatial patterns, medicine-geography relationship, and sustainable utilization of CMM at the geographic spatial level, based on the division of production areas, featuring Daodi herbs, and aiming to ensure healthy use of drugs. (2) On the basis of the concept of "following the rules of time" in traditional Chinese medicine, CMM geography studies the medicine-geography relationship from three aspects: medicinal use, time, and space, based on the characteristic of "different origins of medicinal materials have differences" in CMM. It adheres to the concept of "selecting, using, and developing traditional Chinese medicine based on geographical differences and characteristics". (3) The study of CMM geography has the characteristics of intersectionality, comprehensiveness, regionalism, and dynamism. It integrates the research results and theoretical methods of CMM and geography, and conducts research on the regional differentiation, spatial structure, and evolutionary laws of five elements: the ecological attributes of CMM resources, the temporal attributes of CMM (herbal medicine), the social attributes of CMM products, the economic attributes of the CMM industry, and the regional attributes of CMM industry. (4) CMM geography integrates CMM with geography, utilizing techniques such as origin identification, changes in production areas, and spatial relationship models, following the principles of combining micro and macro perspectives, qualitative and quantitative approaches. It conducts research on the medicine-geography relationship, in order to promote the integration of pharmacology, medical science, physiology, and geography, and enrich the research content of traditional Chinese medicine and geography.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The phenomenon of gentrification in rural areas has garnered increasing attention both domestically and internationally in recent years. However, there is a prevailing inclination towards qualitative analysis at the level of case studies, with a lack of quantitative identification and comparative research at the regional or urban scale. To understand the distribution pattern and socio-spatial characteristics of gentrified villages in the metropolitan areas of eastern China, this paper focuses on 534 rural communities in Nanjing as the research subject. Leveraging mobile user profile data and quantitative evaluation clustering models, 36 gentrified villages were chosen and categorized into four types according to their spatial location, resource endowments, and behavioral attributes: Tourism and cultural-creative, enterprise-driven, amenity-immigrant, and suburban-commuter. As urban residents are relocated to villages with varying locations and resource endowments, they demonstrate differences in their motives for reverse migration, social attributes, and life patterns. This dynamic contributes to the emergence of various types of gentrified villages and the evolution of their distinct social environments. Additionally, this study highlights significant distinctions among these categories of gentrified villages in terms of their scale distribution, material spatial structure, social characteristics of residents, and daily commuting patterns. This comparison is conducted from a broad perspective and through typical case studies. Tourism and culturally creative villages rely on natural and cultural resources to attract urban tourists and foster self-gentrification among villagers due to their authentic and experiential allure. On the other hand, enterprise-driven villages, commonly found in developed areas in the east, promote gentrification through industrial resources, attracting populations beyond agriculture. Moreover, amenity-immigrant villages capitalize on limited comfort amenities to attract urban immigrants and short-term vacationers, fostering cohesive communities. Furthermore, suburban-commuter villages represent transitional entities in the transformation from rural outskirts to urbanized areas, where the overall substitution of physical and social spaces serves as the main mechanism for aggregating gentrification groups. Tourism and culturally creative villages, along with amenity-immigrant-gentrified villages, fall under the category of leisure and lifestyle gentrification. Conversely, enterprise-driven and suburban-commuter-gentrified villages focus on production and employment, reflecting the distinctive characteristics of rural gentrification in the developed regions of eastern China. By thoroughly identifying Nanjing's gentrified villages and systematically depicting their socio-spatial features, this study both enriches Chinese case studies on rural gentrification and enhances China-specific rural gentrification research systems and theories. Moreover, it proposes to develop the positive economic and social effects of rural gentrification to promote rural revitalization and integrated urban-rural development.

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.