Spatial units of land use potential evaluation on regional scales

Abstract

In the course of studying on regional land use potential evaluation a certain spatial basic unit is often used as the analysis groundwork. The analysis result relies on unit division methods and research scales. In the same area space unit characters correlate with the space scales. In geography, the conclusions made on a scale can't be applied to other scales. Modifiable Area Unit Problem, MAUP, is the classical theory to solve the effects of spatial scale, that is, there are many different ways to divide the surface into non-overlapping million units for spatial analysis. This paper studies on the spatial unit scale transformation process of land use potential evaluation in the same area on different scales, such as at local, regional and global levels .etc. Characteristic Scales is defined in the transformation process from large scale to Small Scale. Then the fractal characteristic of spatial unit is raised on different scales to form land use potential geospatial hierarchy. Using geo-statistical procedures, we mainly study on the transformation progress of SUs of land use potential evaluation on different scales in the same area, define the eigenvalue of SUs on each scale. We find the definition of spatial units (SUs) makes a point of the spatial analyses results on regional scales. Finally, aiding the fractal dimension, the fractal characteristic of spatial unit is raised in a broader area. Land use potential geospatial hierarchical structure is explored to aid the regional development policymaking.