Functional Coupling Degree and Human Activity Intensity of Production–Living–Ecological Space in Underdeveloped Regions in China: Case Study of Guizhou Province

Xuesong Zhang,Zijin Xu

doi:10.3390/land10010056

Xuesong Zhang, Zijin Xu

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/land10010056

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Abstract

(1) Background: Clarify the coordinated development level of production, living, and ecological spaces in the underdeveloped areas of China and their relationship with the intensity of human activity. Explore and address the problems that are likely to be faced when developing these areas and improve the quality of China’s new urbanization development. Promote the coordinated and sustainable development of the economy, society and ecology in underdeveloped areas. Guizhou Province is located in southwest China; the landform is broken and complex. Its economic development level is low. It is one of the representatives of underdeveloped areas in China. Therefore, Guizhou Province of China was selected as the study area. (2) Methods: This paper constructs the evaluation index system of the production–living–ecological space (PLES) functional system in China’s underdeveloped areas, and uses the coupling coordination degree model to measure the development coordination level of the study area. The human activity intensity model was used to calculate the human activity intensity in the study area. Response index is introduced to analyze the relationship between the spatial function coupling coordination degree and the intensity of human activities. (3) Results: Before 2015, the level of functional coupling coordination degree of production–living–ecological space (PLES) in the study area fluctuated, and after 2015, it showed a stable and coordinated development trend. The intensity of human activity continues to increase, and the interaction between human activity and local production–living–ecological space (PLES) function coupling coordination is intense. (4) Conclusions: human activity is a significant factor affecting regional, coordinated and sustainable development. In less developed areas, the impact of human activity is more obvious. Human activity, in combination with the theory of the human–land relationship and the moderate intensity of human activity, are important ways to improve the coordinated and sustainable development of underdeveloped regions.

Highlights

IntroductionThe production–living–ecological space (PLES) function can be divided into production, living, and ecological spaces from the perspective of the multifunctionality aspect of the national territory
From 2012 to 2018, the results indicate that Guiyang and Zunyi exhibited higher the coordinated development of the local production–living–ecological space functional human activity intensities in the entire province
The results indicate that, before 2017, there is no obvious trend in the response degree of the production–living–ecological space function coupling coordination degree to human activity intensity, and the relationship between them is disordered

Summary

Introduction

The production–living–ecological space (PLES) function can be divided into production, living, and ecological spaces from the perspective of the multifunctionality aspect of the national territory. This space reflects the comprehensiveness, complexity, and systematicity of the national territorial space. This concept exerts an important influence on the coordinated development of regions. In China, the existing studies on production–living–ecological space (PLES) focus mainly on the definition and connotation 4.0/). Huang Jinchuan et al [1] proposed a detailed definition of the concept and connotation of production–living–ecological space.

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