Multifunctionality assessment of the land use system in rural residential areas: Confronting land use supply with rural sustainability demand

Abstract

By applying an integrated framework, we developed a new way to quantify the multifunctionality of rural residential land: analyzing the reciprocal relationships between the structure and function of land use, as well as identifying the demand of rural sustainability for residential land functions. In the assessment of the rural residential land functions from the supply and demand perspectives by establishing an indicators system, the results show that there are five substantial functions of rural residential land, i.e., residential, public service, industrial, commercial and ecological function, and a potential function. Unbalanced development patterns between function supply and demand are clearly observed at multilevel: at the regional level, demand exceeding supply refers to the public service, commercial, and ecological function, especially for ecological function; at the town level, the spatial pattern of the difference is closely linked with topographic features; the inferior and complex topographic condition always is associated with inadequate function supply. Strategies based on the arrangements of rural residential land use structure, including function conversion and function enhancement, have been adopted to balance the supply and demand of land functions. Together, alternative strategies (e.g., industrial allocation, population introduction, and location choices) also need to be recognized by policymakers to achieve rural sustainable development.