Comprehensive Carrying Capacity Research Articles

Evaluation of land resources carrying capacity based on entropy weight and cloud similarity

Land is the foundation of human life and development, which is also the most important part of a country. The study of land carrying capacity is one of the important contents of land management, wherein the evaluation of land resource carrying capacity (LRCC) is an important reference for land resource planning. Aiming at the information fuzziness and uncertainty in the evaluation of LRCC, firstly, a comprehensive evaluation model based on entropy weight and normal cloud similarity was proposed, which is based on cloud model theory and combined with normal cloud similarity measurement method and entropy weight method. Secondly, taking the asphalt pavement experiment as an example for empirical analysis, the experimental results are consistent with the actual situation, which proves the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model. Finally, taking China’s Chongqing city as the research area, the proposed evaluation model is used to study LRCC. The research results indicate that the comprehensive carrying capacity and average carrying capacity of various systems in China’s Chongqing have been improved in the past decade. Among them, the comprehensive carrying capacity rose from the second level during the "12th Five-Year Plan" period to the third level during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period. In the future, it is necessary to focus on the improvement of soil and water resources system and economic and technological system. This conclusion reflects LRCC of Chongqing in China objectively and has a reference value for Chongqing's land planning.

Urban comprehensive carrying capacity analysis in Zhejiang Province of China from the perspective of production, living, and ecological spaces

ABSTRACT Urban Comprehensive Carrying Capacity (UCCC) can describe the development of a city and is an important guarantee for its sustainable development. Production-Living-Ecological Space (PLES) is an important guideline for the optimal development of China’s land space in the new era. Based on the PLES, we construct a UCCC index system and analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of the UCCC of each city in Zhejiang Province from 2006 to 2020. In addition, a coupling coordination degree model and an obstacle degree model are introduced to analyze the coupling coordination degree of the development of PLES of each city and the main constraint indicators, respectively, and a GM(1,1) model is used to predict the UCCC of each city in Zhejiang Province from 2021 to 2025. The study indicates that (1) the UCCC of each city is steadily increasing, with a growth rate of over 30% in 15 years. (2) As of 2020, the highest degree of coupling coordination reaches only 0.508, and it remains a major challenge for cities to improve the coordination degree of land use. (3) Some production space and living space indicators are the main obstacle indicators hindering the development of the UCCC in Zhejiang Province. (4) The forecast results show that the UCCC in each city will still maintain an upwards trend in the following 6 years and will gradually reach a high carrying capacity level.

A Study on Resource Carrying Capacity and Early Warning of Urban Agglomerations of the Yellow River Basin Based on Sustainable Development Goals, China

The Yellow River Basin is an essential ecological barrier in China, but it is relatively underdeveloped. The human–land relationship needs to be coordinated, and the ecological environment is fragile, which seriously restricts the sustainable development of the urban agglomeration in the Yellow River Basin. In this study, a “five-dimensional integrated” comprehensive carrying capacity evaluation model is constructed using the five dimensions of water, land, ecology, monitoring, and early warning to evaluate its resource carrying capacity quantitatively. It constructs an early warning system of the resource carrying capacity based on the quantitative evaluation results and monitors the state of the resource carrying capacity. The results show that (1) seven major urban agglomerations’ populations, grain productions, and land are surplus, and 50.85% of prefecture-level cities have food surpluses regarding human–food relationships. (2) There are shortages in the urban agglomeration’s water resources and a deficit in the water resource carrying capacity. (3) The average ecological carrying capacity index is 0.519, indicating a state of ecological affluence. (4) The comprehensive resource carrying capacity is defined as level-three heavy-load conditions, while 67%, 22%, and 14% of cities have level-one, -two, and -three heavy-load conditions, respectively. This study can aid in the monitoring of the resource carrying status of the Yellow River Basin. These results provide a scientific basis for effectively restraining the utilization and development of natural resources in the Yellow River Basin. It can also provide a research paradigm for the world’s river basins, as well as the sustainable development of man and nature in the world.

Measurements and Spatial–Temporal Evolution of Urban Comprehensive Carrying Capacity in the Yellow River Basin

An evaluation index system was conducted to determine the urban comprehensive carrying capacity of the Yellow River Basin using four subsystems (resources, society, ecology, and economy). The urban comprehensive carrying capacity level of nine provinces in the Yellow River Basin from 2008 to 2019 was determined using the entropy weight TOPSIS model, and the spatial and temporal dynamics of the urban comprehensive carrying capacity of each province were investigated. There were four key results. (1) The urban comprehensive carrying capacity of the upstream and downstream provinces decreased from 2008 to 2011 and increased from 2011 to 2019; in the midstream provinces, it increased from 2008 to 2011 but decreased after 2011. (2) The urban comprehensive carrying capacity of the Yellow River Basin was “high in the east and west, low in the middle” from 2008 to 2017, while in 2019, the distribution was “high in the west and low in the east.” The gap between the urban comprehensive carrying capacities of the nine provinces and regions gradually narrowed over the study period. (3) The urban comprehensive carrying capacity of the Yellow River Basin increased annually during the study period. (4) The urban comprehensive carrying capacity was mainly influenced by the social and ecological subsystems.

Urban Comprehensive Carrying Capacity and Urbanization in Northeast China

The scientific evaluation and identification of the relationship between urban comprehensive carrying capacity and urbanization in Northeast China, a famous old industrial base, is an important basis for realizing the overall revitalization of the region. Using a panel data set of 34 prefecture-level cities in Northeast China from 2003 to 2019, this study constructs an ordinary panel data model to identify the relationship between urban comprehensive carrying capacity and urbanization. The results show that urbanization has significantly positive effects on urban comprehensive carrying capacity, and there is a significant inverted U-shaped curve relationship between urban comprehensive carrying capacity and comprehensive urbanization in Northeast China, especially in the shrinking cites. In addition, the economic urbanization variables of the fixed-asset investment, the total retail sales of social consumer goods, and the social urbanization variable of internet users play significantly important roles in forming of the inverted U-shaped curve relationship with the urban comprehensive carrying capacity of the shrinking cities in Northeast China. Hence, innovation-driven economic regrowth, promoting equalization of basic public services, alleviating talent outflow, and strengthening the leading roles of the core cities are effective measures for improving urban comprehensive carrying capacity and urbanization quality in Northeast China.

Influence of Intercity Network on Land Comprehensive Carrying Capacity: A Perspective of Population Flow

The world is experiencing the largest wave of urban growth in history. Maintaining the rapid growth of cities without causing land and resource shortages is a severe problem that must be solved urgently. With the rapid development of globalization and information technology, the meaning of land comprehensive carrying capacity presents new changes. It is no longer entirely dependent on local resources and is likely to benefit from intercity connections beyond urban boundaries. However, can an inter-city network be a non-local solution to sustain urban growth without increasing land pressure? To address this question, this study adopted 287 cities in China as the research object to describe the spatial carrying characteristics of land at the national level by constructing an evaluation index system for land comprehensive carrying capacity. Furthermore, we constructed a population flow network model through social network analysis to explore the influence of intercity network on land comprehensive carrying capacity. Our findings are as follows: (1) The regional differentiation characteristics of land comprehensive carrying capacity at the national scale are evident, and reveal a spatial pattern significantly related to the urban economic development level. (2) The weighted in-degree, weighted degree centrality, and betweenness centrality in the intercity network positively impact the land comprehensive carrying capacity, and land use efficiency has a partial mediating effect. (3) Land comprehensive carrying capacity can be determined by non-local factors rather than local factors. As an effective non-local channel, strengthening intercity population flow and network integration can flexibly manage urban land scarcity.

Analysis of the Driving Mechanism of Land Comprehensive Carrying Capacity from the Perspective of Urban Renewal

After a period of rapid development, the process of urbanization in China has gradually shifted from “scale expansion” to “enhanced quality”. The scarcity of urban land resources has created constraints on resources and economic development. This paper examines the carrying capacity of urban land resources from the perspective of urban renewal. A conceptual model of the driving mechanism of land comprehensive carrying capacity is constructed, incorporating six dimensions and 22 indicators, including urban renewal and urban ecology. Through questionnaire surveys and structural equation modeling, feedback data are analyzed, and measurement models, structural models, and mediation effects are examined to analyze the causal paths of factors in different dimensions on the comprehensive carrying capacity of urban land. The research results indicate that all six dimensions in the conceptual model have a direct positive impact on the land carrying capacity. In terms of direct effects, the influencing factors are ranked in descending order of magnitude as follows: urban development, urban disaster prevention and mitigation capacity, infrastructure development, urban renewal, social economy, and urban ecology. In terms of overall effects, factors are ranked in descending order of magnitude as follows: urban development, social economy, urban ecology, urban renewal, urban disaster prevention and mitigation capacity, and infrastructure development.

Objective diagnosis of machine learning method applicability to land comprehensive carrying capacity evaluation: A case study based on integrated RF and DPSIR models

The evaluation of land comprehensive carrying capacity (LCCC) is a popular topic in regional sustainable development and land science research. However, these evaluations are often not objective due to the complexity and nonlinear characteristics of the LCCC evaluation indicators. This study provides a new framework for using machine learning methods to objectively evaluate LCCC. The Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) indicator conceptual framework was used for the spatial visualisation of indicators and was then combined with the random forest (RF) model to optimise the LCCC evaluation. The results showed the following: (1) The accuracy of the integrated RF and DPSIR model was better than that of traditional support vector machine (SVM) and principal component analysis (PCA) methods, indicating that RF model was more suitable for LCCC evaluations. (2) The contribution of the DPSIR indicators after RF optimisation was significantly different from that of the traditional analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the contribution of the influence subsystem (I) (48.7%) was enhanced, while the contribution of the drive subsystem (D) (6.8%) was weakened, demonstrating that after RF optimisation, the DPSIR was more conducive for handling complex nonlinear systems and objectively reflecting indicator contributions. (3) The objective attributes of the DPSIR indicators were optimised through the processing of spatial visualisation models, indicating that RF was suitable for processing evaluations with a multidimensional spatial heterogeneity index system. The LCCC evaluation model can be applied to other carrying capacity case studies and operational processes and provide a scientific method for handling the multidimensional nonlinear evaluation index system and objective evaluation of LCCC.

Research on Comprehensive Carrying Capacity Evaluation Indicator System and Optimal Dispatching of Active Distribution Network

With the development of wind and solar power, the randomness and uncertainty of the power system have brought challenges to the optimal dispatching of active distribution networks. A dispatching model based on the comprehensive carrying capacity index system is proposed to improve the safety and stability of the active distribution network under uncertain factors and to excavate the potential of controllable resources. Firstly, the comprehensive carrying capacity indicator system is proposed from the three sides respectively, including network and load. Then economic optimal dispatching model is established on the basis of the indicator system. Finally, the model and its effectiveness are verified by the simulation analysis of the improved IEEE 33 nodes system by Particle Swarm Optimization.

An inquiry into urban carrying capacity of sustainable development demonstration belt of China: Multiscale evaluation and multidimensional interaction

AbstractHow to seek multiregional sustainable development within planetary boundaries depends on the scientific inquiry into urban carrying capacity from multiscale evaluation and multidimensional interaction. Using a typical region moving forward on the sustainable development demonstration belt of China, the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB), as a case study, a new integrated framework of multiscale evaluation and multidimensional interaction is proposed to track the urban comprehensive carrying capacity. We made a multiscale comprehensive assessment and constructed a panel vector autoregressive model for giving dissection on the drivers of urban carrying capacity and the qualitative and quantitative interaction from multidimensional variations. Results show that (1) the urban carrying capacity of China's YREB and its three reaches harbors an upward trend over time although there are uneven development patterns of inter‐regional and inter‐dimensional urban carrying capacity; (2) factor market carrying capacity (FMCC) is the critical driving force among four dimensions of urban carrying capacity, which has promotion effects on ecological environment carrying capacity (EECC) and industrial economics carrying capacity, but an inhibiting effect on transportation carrying capacity (TCC). (3) FMCC is the Granger cause of TCC, and there is a bidirectional Granger causality between the dimensions of FMCC and EECC; (4) each dimension is self‐supporting and influenced by its fluctuations. Tracking the underlying factors of urban carrying capacity can help construct an early‐warning mechanism when confronting the challenge of sustainable development and play a guiding role in both academic and practical aspects.

Multiscale disparity and spatial pattern of comprehensive carrying capacity in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China

Exploring and revealing the comprehensive carrying capacity is a critical barometer and benchmark for multiregional sustainable development. Using a typical multiscale region moving forward on a green development demonstration belt (China’ s Yangtze River Economic Belt) as a case study, the multiscale disparity of comprehensive carrying capacity during the period 2005–2019 is presented after a comprehensive assessment of multiscale carrying capacity level. Some convergence models, covering δ-convergence, absolute β-convergence, and conditional β-convergence, are constructed to test the disparity of urban comprehensive carrying capacity. Furthermore, the multiscale disparity of comprehensive carrying capacity is quantified when the decomposition model is used to determine the specific contributions to total disparity (from inter-urban agglomerations or intra-urban agglomeration), and then the spatial aggregation effect of urban comprehensive carrying capacity is analyzed. The results highlight that: YREB’s comprehensive carrying capacity is gradually improving whether at the scale of upper, middle, lower reaches, or the whole; there is an obvious inter-city disparity of comprehensive carrying capacity from the results of conditional β-convergence; the further conditional β-convergence tells that urban ecological and sustainable management and its stakeholder engagements should begin with the sufficient eco-environment endowment, good transportation system, well-reconstructed market environment, and the healthy economic structure or benefit; the disparity from the lower reaches is greater than that from the middle and upper reaches when the specific disparity from intra-low reaches plays a significant role, and there is a spatial aggregation effect of urban carrying capacity in the study area. Future policies and regulatory decisions must address such multiregional disparities to foster sustainable development based on the “equity and efficiency” philosophy.

Multi-Dimensional Evaluation of Land Comprehensive Carrying Capacity Based on a Normal Cloud Model and Its Interactions: A Case Study of Liaoning Province

Studying land comprehensive carrying capacity (LCCC) is the foundational and key requirement for determining land development planning and urban spatial development patterns of a region. However, the traditional evaluation method discounts the fuzziness and randomness of the evaluation index and its results. The cloud model combines randomness and fuzziness to reveal the correlation between randomness and fuzziness using numerical feature entropy and is used to represent the granularity of a qualitative concept. This study used the Liaoning Province as the study area, and developed a multi-dimensional evaluation index system for LCCC using a normal cloud model. Based on this, the relationship between the different elements of geological condition, resources and environment, economic scale and urban construction were studied using the coupling coordination degree model that reflected not only the system interactions but also the strengths of its degree of coordination. Our results were as follows: (1) numerical feature entropy were evaluated to determine the carrying capacity level of the land, and comprehensive land carrying capacity evaluations were conducted in terms of both quantitative results and the reliability of the results, promoting the scientific application of uncertainty theory in the field of comprehensive land evaluation as well as carrying capacity. (2) Liaoning Province’s prefecture-level cities had distinctly different LCCC, demonstrating “low in the west and high in the east” spatial distribution characteristics. Cities with established economies and relatively strong infrastructures had larger comprehensive land carrying capacities. Overall, there was considerable consistency across the region, though the “low in the west and high in the east” spatial distribution characteristics affected the degree of coordination.

Study on Water Resource Carrying Capacity of Zhengzhou City Based on DPSIR Model.

Based on the driving force-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) model, a comprehensive evaluation index system is constructed. The index weight is determined by the combination weighting method in combination with the data of 2010-2019. The TOPSIS model is used to comprehensively analyze the water resource carrying capacity of Zhengzhou as the central city in China with a developed economy and relatively short water resources. The study results are as follows. (1) During the sample period, the comprehensive evaluation value of water resources carrying capacity of Zhengzhou increases from 0.4183 in 2010 to 0.5560 in 2019, with an overall fluctuating rise. Simultaneously, the water resource carrying capacity grade improves from Grade III (normal carrying capacity) to Grade II (good carrying capacity). (2) The contribution of each subsystem to the comprehensive evaluation value increases year by year. Among them, S subsystem and I subsystem make the largest contribution to the comprehensive carrying capacity. R subsystem makes a relatively stable contribution to the overall carrying capacity. Affected by GDP growth rate and uneven temporal-spatial distribution of water resources in Zhengzhou, the D subsystem and P subsystem of water resource carrying capacities show the fluctuating change. Finally, based on the above conclusions, this paper puts forward the countermeasures and suggestions to improve the level of water resource carrying capacity of Zhengzhou.

Study of Township Construction Land Carrying Capacity and Spatial Pattern Matching in Loess Plateau Hilly and Gully Region: A Case of Xifeng in China

With the acceleration of urbanization, the construction land scale of urban and rural areas is constantly expanding, which leads to contradiction and conflict between territorial development and ecological protection becoming more and more serious. Therefore, as an important unit of county (district), and even urban and rural, development, the study on land resource carrying capacity and the rationality of the development can provide some basis for developing the optimal strategies of differential territorial space. Taking Xifeng, Gansu Province, China as the research area, this study constructs the evaluation index system of township construction land carrying capacity from the three dimensions of ecological protection, natural environment, and social economy. It evaluates the suitability of township construction land by the means of a comprehensive scoring method and discusses the carrying capacity and spatial pattern matching of township construction land based on the suitability evaluation results. The results showed that: (1) the spatial difference of suitability of construction land is obvious, which is higher in the city center than in the surrounding areas; (2) the comprehensive carrying capacity of township construction land is 52.62%, and different townships range from 3.78% to 13.15%. It is different between towns; (3) on the whole, the condition of township construction land is well-developed, and the main distribution forms are flaky, banded, and dotted. (4) There is a positive correlation between spatial matching and carrying capacity. The carrying capacity should be considered in regional development to avoid overdevelopment. It can provide a basis for optimizing the territorial spatial layout, strengthening the coordinated development among townships, and improving the comprehensive township carrying capacity in the Loess Plateau hilly and gully region.

Exploring Spatiotemporal Variations and Driving Factors of Urban Comprehensive Carrying Capacity in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration

The Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRDUA) is one of the most active economic development regions in China. However, the YRDUA is facing the severe test of sustainable development. Therefore, this study evaluates the urban comprehensive carrying capacity (UCCC) of cities in the YRDUA from 2009 to 2019 from natural, social, and economic perspectives, and uses the Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression model to analyze driving factors of spatiotemporal variations of the UCCC. Besides, this study divides the UCCC into three levels: high, medium, and low. The results indicate that: 1) there is a significant spatial heterogeneity of the UCCC in the YRDUA; 2) the UCCC in the YRDUA is generally at medium level and presents a gradually increasing trend; 3) 10 driving factors significantly affect the UCCC, and the influence intensity is non-stationary in time and space. These findings can provide references for improving the UCCC in the YRDUA.

Land comprehensive carrying capacity and spatio-temporal analysis of the guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic regions in China. Changes in land comprehensive carrying capacity (LCCC) is of vital significance. In China, various studies have assessed LCCC, however, they majorly focused on single cities, with less studies focusing on urban agglomeration, particularly GBA. Based on social, economic, resource and technology aspects, we established an index system for evaluating LCCC by the entropy method. It analyses temporal and spatial evolution characteristics of LCCC from 11 cities in the GBA of China, 2009–2018. There are many social, economic, resource and technology differences among the 4 subsystems. We established that technology is the prominent factor in LCCC. With regards to LCCC, these cities have their respective strengths and weaknesses. On a temporal basis, there were rising trends in LCCC curves, with different degrees of the 11 cities. Spatially, LCCC is relatively high in central cities and it exhibits a declining pattern of the carrying capacity from the city center outwards. Therefore, regional collaborative efforts are vital for increasing LCCC.

Land Comprehensive Carrying Capacity of Major Grain-Producing Areas in Northeast China: Spatial–Temporal Evolution, Obstacle Factors and Regulatory Policies

Major grain-producing areas in Northeast China serve as a significant national commodity in their role as grain bases. In order to achieve sustainable land use in such areas and ensure national food security, it is critical to understand the spatial–temporal evolution features of the land comprehensive carrying capacity of such areas, ascertain major obstacle factors and propose regulatory policies for effectively improving the land comprehensive carrying capacity. In this paper, a TOPSIS model based on grey relational entropy weight is developed to analyze the spatial–temporal evolution features of the land comprehensive carrying capacity of major grain-producing areas in Northeast China from 2000 to 2020, and an obstacle degree model is employed to determine the main obstacles to improving the land comprehensive carrying capacity of major grain-producing areas in Northeast China. The study results show the following: (1) The land comprehensive carrying capacity of major grain-producing areas in Northeast China is at a low level, showing an N-shaped trendline, and its spatial–temporal evolution features are subject to changes in land food carrying capacity, land economic carrying capacity and land ecological carrying capacity.(2) The main obstacle factors for improving the land comprehensive carrying capacity of major grain-producing areas in Northeast China are urbanization rate, gross industrial output per hectare and industrial solid waste emission per hectare. Cultivated land area per capita, grain output per hectare and industrial wastewater discharge per hectare have recently become obstacle factors for the land comprehensive carrying capacity of the study areas. Based on these results, the paper proposes regulatory strategies for stabilizing agricultural population transfer to avoid its reversal, exploring the optimization and upgrading of secondary sector structures to promote a low-carbon transition to green industries, and implementing cultivated land protection policies to steadily boost cultivated land grain productivity, with a view to increasing the land comprehensive carrying capacity of major grain-producing areas in Northeast China. The findings of this study act as a scientific reference for enhancing the land comprehensive carrying capacity of major grain-producing areas in Northeast China, which is crucial for ensuring national food security.

Territorial Pattern Evolution and Its Comprehensive Carrying Capacity Evaluation in the Coastal Area of Beibu Gulf, China.

Changes in the territorial pattern of the Beibu Gulf, an environmentally sensitive and ecologically fragile area in China, will directly or indirectly affect the regional ecological environment, while profoundly influencing economic development and human well-being. Therefore, it is significant to understand the ecological response in the process of territorial space changes in the Beibu Gulf to promote the coordination between sea and land and sustainable regional development. This paper used remote sensing image interpretation to generate land-use maps in 2000, 2010 and 2020, and then analyzed the spatial and temporal evolution of the territorial pattern of the Beibu Gulf from 2000 to 2020. Finally, this paper proposed a comprehensive carrying capacity evaluation system and explored the spatial functional zones of the coastal areas of the Beibu Gulf. The results showed that the demand for urban development and ecological protection between 2000 and 2020 increased built-up land and forestland by 386.71% and 25.56%, respectively, and reduced farmland by 28.33%. There was significant spatial heterogeneity in various land-use types. Where forestland is mainly distributed in the west, farmland is mainly distributed in the east, wetland is mainly distributed in the south, and orchards are spread throughout the whole area. The evaluation results of land resources, water resources and ecological conditions in the Beibu Gulf area showed that its comprehensive carrying capacity was high in the south and low in the north, and high in the west and low in the east. On this basis, this paper considered the actual situation of natural resources, ecological conditions, socio-economic development, protection and development in coastal areas; divided the study area into four categories: developed areas, priority development areas, ecological reserve areas and coastal reserve areas; and put forward corresponding control suggestions. The results of this paper could provide a scientific basis for regional development and territorial spatial planning in the coastal areas.

Urban Comprehensive Carrying Capacity and Development Order: A “Pressure-Capacity-Potential” Logical Framework

Urban comprehensive carrying capacity determines the scale and development direction of a city and is an important factor in the optimization of main function areas, the arrangement of urban development order, and the demarcation of urban development boundaries in China’s new national spatial planning system. Using the constructed “pressure-capacity-potential” model as a theoretical basis, this study combines human factors and natural factors and calculates the urban carrying capacity index by means of multi-factor weighted summation, graded assignment, stepwise correction, and subsection variable weight. From the perspective of the integration and coordination of “three forces,” urban development rules are established, and an urban development order based on the framework of “three districts and six types” is put forward. The results reveal four key findings. First, the “pressure-capability-potential” conceptual model analyzes the urban carrying capacity from the perspective of the integration of externality and internality, which can effectively support the orderly arrangement and rational layout of urban development. Second, the urban carrying pressure of Shandong province is general, and the urban carrying capacity is high. The results also showed that the urban carrying potential is low and the urban comprehensive carrying capacity is high. Third, in the “3+6” urban development pattern of Shandong province, priority development and key development zones are the main areas. For the most part, these zones are distributed in the Jiaodong Peninsula, the Jinan–Tai’an–Jining development zone, and the surrounding areas of Weifang, Linyi, Liaocheng, and Heze. Moderate development zones are concentrated in Nansi Lake and the Yellow River Delta. Fourth, the urban development in Shandong province is mainly restricted by landform, water resources, environmental capacity, and geological disasters. Under the premise of ensuring resource conservation and environmental friendliness, using policies and engineering measures to revitalize stock space is an effective way to foster urban development in the 14th Five-Year Plan period. This study can provide reference for the evaluation of urban comprehensive carrying capacity and the establishment of development order in Shandong province and other similar areas.

Exploring resource and environmental carrying capacity and suitability for use in marine spatial planning: A case study of Wenzhou, China

The sea is the key to conducting sustainable scientific research and achieving strategic development of economic and environmental goals. The international community attaches great importance to the coordinated development of marine ecology, environment and socio-economic growth, and Europe has taken the lead in conducting relevant research. In recent years, although China has gradually tried to use quantitative and precise models for spatial planning, it still lacks a scientific logic - from theory to methodology - to address marine spatial planning. Based on the previous study of ecological and environmental quality and socio-economic development, this paper advocates the application logic of marine resources and ecological carrying capacity (MRECC) and marine use suitability (MUS). The Wenzhou City in Zhejiang Province was selected as the research area and MRECC is measured by four dimensions: spatial development of the marine area, fishery resources, environment and ecology. Two types of typical marine use, fishing use and construction use, were selected as the suitability for analysis to determine the optimal spatial arrangement of the sea and to assess the spatial conflict of the sea in Wenzhou. The results show that: (1) the comprehensive carrying capacity index of the marine area varies greatly among the districts and counties of Wenzhou city, and the resources and environment are highly differentiated. Longwan and Dongtou counties are overburdened with fishery resource development; Yueqing city and Longwan county are overburdened with marine environment. (2) There are only a few suitable areas for fisheries, and these are distributed in the nearshore area. The unsuitable areas are concentrated in the Oujiang River, Feiyun River and Aojiang River estuary. The areas that are particularly suitable for marine construction are concentrated in the coastal waters. The water depth in the near-shore area is far from urban settlements, which is not suitable for marine construction and development. (3) The spatial conflict phenomena in Cangnan County and Pingyang County are less - the spatial arrangement of marine planning is more reasonable. Yueqing City, Longwan County and Dongtou County have significant conflicts in the arrangement of marine fishery use and need to be optimised. Overall, the intensive development of the sea affects the carrying capacity and suitability of the sea, and inevitably leads to conflicts in the sea. Marine protection and development urgently require active management measures and sound spatial planning. The implementation of targeted and marine spatial planning with “double assessment” is of great importance for coastal spatial planning and an important means to achieve sustainable development of the marine economy. Therefore, the recommendations are to implement environmental protection of coastal areas, improve the level of marine development and balance the development of marine areas to promote the sustainable development of the region.