Spatial distribution and influencing factors of settlements in the farming–pastoral ecotone of Inner Mongolia, China

Abstract

ABSTRACT Rural settlements serve as an important part of the rural landscape, and environmental conditions influence their spatial distribution. We hypothesize that there are variations in the spatial patterns of settlements across different farming–pastoral ecotones that exist in accordance with different human activities and environmental conditions. We used remote sensing imagery, digital elevation model, and GIS technology to analyze and compare the spatial patterns of settlements and factors influencing these patterns across pastoral, agricultural, and ecotone areas in Inner Mongolia, China. A Voronoi model, adjacency analysis, landscape metrics, and quantitative analysis were conducted. The results indicated that (1) the settlements in the three areas tended to have a random spatial distribution, and although there were no significant differences between the settlement types, agricultural settlements tended to be clustered and pastoral settlements tended to be evenly distributed; (2) the pastoral area had only a few large and sparsely fragmented patches; (3) the factors influencing settlement distribution mainly differed with respect to the NDVI, distance to roads and rivers, and elevation across three areas, but the slope degree was similar. These results indicated there are no significant differences between the spatial patterns of settlements along the agricultural to pastoral gradient, although environmental conditions differ. Consequently, we can optimize the spatial pattern of settlements and achieve sustainable development within farming–pastoral ecotones.