Farmland dataset reconstruction and farmland change analysis in China during 1661–1985

Abstract

This research reconstructs China’s provincial farmland dataset in the last 300 years (1661–1985) by applying factor correction, citing replacement, linear interpolation, cohesion and contrast, man-land relationship test, farming trend test, provincial administrative area adjustment, etc. on available farmland data based on China’s current provincial administrative boundary. Based on this dataset, a quantitative analysis has been applied to study the farmland amount and its change characteristics at both national and provincial level. Three conclusions are derived: (1) Along with the rapid population growth, national farmland amount has increased by about 320% in the last 300 years from 424,480 km2 in the early Qing Dynasty to 1,368,600 km2 in 1985. Comparing with global and national farmland datasets, in terms of the overall trend of national farmland growth, very low deviation exists but significant variances do appear for some provinces. (2) At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, China's farming activities mainly existed in the Yangtze River Plain, the North China Plain, the Guanzhong Basin and the Yinchuan Plain. Thereafter, reclamation activities expanded to outer agricultural areas. Regarding of the growth rate, national farmland increase can be divided into five phases. National policy, disasters, wars, and economic development, are the main factors affecting farmland changes. (3) Significant regional variances exist in farmland changes. In the space shaped by the average farmland amount and the average annual change rate of farmland, the nation can be divided into six areas.