Agroecosystem transformation and its driving factors in karst mountainous areas of Southwest China: The case of Puding County, Guizhou Province

Abstract

With the rapid socioeconomic development and urbanization, global agroecosystems (AESs) have undergone varying degrees of transformation, and conducting an in-depth study on how AESs are transforming in karst mountainous areas (KMAs) is essential. To further reveal the transformation process of AESs in KMAs, we proposed a theoretical framework for the transformation of AESs in KMAs. Following a “theory construction–empirical analysis–pattern evolution–mechanism revelation” research methodology, we studied the trend of AES evolution in “typical study area—typical landforms of the study area,” summarized the transformation patterns of AESs in different karst landforms, and analyzed the influencing factors of their transformation. The study found that (1) a large amount of productive land (PL) was abandoned as ecological land (EL) on steep slopes at high altitudes in KMAs, while river valleys are dominated by the transformation of PL into ecological and economic land (EEL), and the spatial distribution structure has evolved into a coordinated distribution of EL–EEL–PL, with the dominance of the production function transformed into the dominance of ecological and eco-economic functions and the living function strengthened. (2) The transformation of AESs in different karst landscapes can be summarized into four types: eco-economic development, food supply, ecological conservation, and living service. (3) The transformation of AESs is influenced by various factors, including the region's particular natural environment and socioeconomics. This study also shows that traditional extensive agriculture is moving toward modern intensive agriculture with remarkable ecological and economic win–win benefits. Our study provides theoretical guidance for land remediation, ecological environment restoration, and agricultural transformation in KMAs and similar mountainous areas to alleviate regional human–land conflicts and promote sustainable agricultural development in KMAs.