Spatiotemporal evolution of urban land uses in modern urbanization of China

Abstract

Taking social statistic data as basic data, this paper extended the meaning of urban land uses, highlighted the meaning of urban land uses in modern urbanization, which includes direct, indirect and induced land uses, quantitatively simulated the indirect and induced land uses by the substitution method of agricultural consumption and urban carbon emission and then, analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution of urban land uses in China during 1952–2005 by spatial analysis tool of Geographic Information System. The results indicate that the area of urban land use in China had been increasing since 1952, showing an inversed pyramid structure, i.e., the direct<the indirect<the induced. Specifically, Chinese urban land use has changed from concentrated distribution in Northwest China to balanced spatial distribution, and the eastern coastal area is under great pressure. Moreover, the northeastern region has moved into the induced dominant stage, while the western region remains at the indirect dominant stage. Finally, it is proposed that in order to guarantee the future demand of urban land use in China, ensuring the induced land use in the eastern region should be taken as a priority goal of Chinese developing policy.