Rural Residential Areas Research Articles

Does delivery service differentiation matter? Comparing rural to urban e-consumer satisfaction and retention

In the context of continuously growing e-commerce and the rising global count of e-consumers, e-retailers and logistics service providers need to differentiate and tailor their offerings to refine their operations and meet e-consumers' needs. This study investigates how e-consumers' residential-area type affects the satisfaction with delivery services and reuse intentions in relation to e-consumers' ability to choose between delivery options. The aim was to explore and compare rural e-consumers to urban ones and conclude whether the service fitting can be performed without satisfaction loss. The results showed that for e-consumers from rural residential areas, the availability of different delivery options did not translate into greater satisfaction with the delivery service and reuse intention, while for urban residents, service diversity was linked to greater satisfaction.

Exploring the Rural Residential Area Transition Under Actor Network Theory (Ant) Framework: Multidimensional Forms, Operational Mechanism and Action Responsiveness

Exploring the Rural Residential Area Transition Under Actor Network Theory (Ant) Framework: Multidimensional Forms, Operational Mechanism and Action Responsiveness

Forecast and Analysis of the Total Amount of Civil Buildings in China in the Future Based on Population Driven

Controlling the scale of civil buildings is of great significance for energy saving and emission reduction in the construction field. This paper analyzes and extracts the key index parameters for the calculation of various civil building areas, establishes a detailed calculation model of the total civil building area, and constructs three different scenarios to predict various civil building areas in China from 2020 to 2060. Under the three scenarios, the total amount of civil buildings in China will reach a peak of 93.5, 84.6, and 76.3 billion m2 in 2040, 2035, and 2035, respectively. Under the constraints of energy consumption and carbon emission, this paper suggests that civil buildings develop according to the medium control scenario. In 2035, the urban per capita residential area will reach a peak of 42 m2, the urban residential area will reach 43 billion m2, the rural per capita residential area will reach the peak of 55 m2, the rural residential area will reach 20.6 billion m2, and the public building area will reach 21 billion m2. By 2060, the total area of civil buildings will drop to 76.5 billion m2, including 37.1 billion m2 of urban residential buildings, 18.5 billion m2 of rural residential buildings, and 20.9 billion m2 of public buildings.

Investigations on Off-Grid Hybrid Renewable Energy Microgrid for Sustainable Development Growth

The principal aim of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals is to attain a much better and more sustainable future for all. In recent times, microgrids have attracted much attention, given the transformation of software systems and raising the bar for customers in terms of sustainability, reliability and cost predictability. Consequently, there is a need for microgrid development in remote areas. Our paper proposes a hybrid renewable energy microgrid (HREM) that focuses on the affordable, efficient, reliable and sustainable growth of energy systems. This paper presents an optimized off-grid HREM for a remote locality in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The proposed approach employs a configuration of photovoltaic (PV) arrays, AC loads, a diesel generator set, a wind turbine and a battery energy storage system (BESS) connected to AC/DC buses and designed to satisfy the power requirements of a remote, rural community residential area. The primary objective was to carry out a cost optimization of the designed system. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to obtain a feasible solution from the optimized results and evaluate the robustness of the design. The primary objective was to carry out a cost optimization of the designed system. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to obtain a feasible solution from the optimized results and evaluated the robustness of the design. A detailed analysis was made by comparing the [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] and it was found that the former offered better results for the particular location. Overall, it was observed that our proposed system offers renewable energy for residential loads that is relatively inexpensive, reliable and sustainable.

Transaction model and energy management optimisation method of rural microgrid

ABSTRACT Owing to the wide distribution of rural areas, the construction of power facilities is not perfect, which poses a great challenge to the power supply stability of the rural power grid. As an important supplement, the microgrid (MG) plays a complementary role in improving the power supply quality. However, the addition of the MG increases the complexity, and how to balance the interests of the participants has become a substaintial problem. Based on the analysis of the power consumption characteristics of rural residential, agricultural and industrial areas, a game relationship model between MG operators and power users is established, and the overall optimal strategy is obtained in this paper. For consumers, it can effectively achieve the effect of ‘peak shaving and valley filling’ and reduce the cost of electricity. For MG operators, it can improve the consumption rate of renewable energy and increase revenue.

Agroecological load on rural residential areas of Zhytomyr region as a factor of nitrogen content in drinking water

The paper examined content of nitrogen compounds in drinking water in the sources of decentralized water supply in rural areas of Zhytomyr region and studied the dependence of their content on agroecological indicators such as the area of agricultural land owned and used by agricultural enterprises, the introduction of mineral and organic crops as well as livestock amount in the studied areas. The research was conducted in the new enlarged districts of Zhytomyr region. The analysis of drinking water for nitrogen content was carried out in the Measuring Laboratory of Polissya National University according to generally accepted methods, groundwater quality was determined by the total coefcient of complex pollution. It was established that in the territory of Berdychiv district during 2020 the largest amount of mineral fertilizers equal to 63719 centners was applied. The largest amount of organic fertilizers was used in the territory of Novograd-Volynsky district and amounted 32358 tons. The content of nitrogen containing compounds exceeded was recorded only for nitrates, and this trend was typical of all the studied areas. The situation was critical for Berdychiv district, where the average content of nitrates in drinking water was at the level of 129.8 mg/dm3, which exceeds the standard by 2.6 times. Groundwater, according to the coefcient of complex pollution, of all districts is quite clean. Strong correlations have been shown between nitrate content in drinking water and mineral and organic fertilizers, and weak correlations with the area of agricultural land used by farms and the number of cattle. Key words: area of agricultural lands, mineral and organic fertilizers, cattle population, drinking water, nitrates, nitrogen-containing compounds, rural settlements, correlations.

Study of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in tertiary care hospital children with reference to cartridge based nucleic acid amplification test

Background: Tuberculosis is an infectious disease cause by the mycobacterium tuberculosis which typically involve lung but can affect other site called extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB). In EPTB lymph node tuberculosis is most common and most severe is tuberculous meningitis. Cartridge based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) have high sensitivity and perform both respiratory and non-respiratory specimen. The aim of this retrospective study is to find out the proportion of extra pulmonary tuberculosis in hospitalized patient and determine the association of CBNAAT in diagnosis EPTB and Rifampicin resistance.Methods: This is the retrospective observational study done at Civil Hospital Ahmedabad in between October 2017 to October 2019 among the admitted patient age 1 month to 12 year diagnosed cases of EPTB according to RNTCP guidelines. Data collection done by medical records as indoor case sheets and investigation data from laboratory department.Results: Incidence of EPTB among the hospitalized children is 1.95% and among total tuberculosis patient is 42.48%. Among 191 suspected EPTB cases 59 confirmed indicate sensitivity of 37.3% and no false positive cases indicate 100% positive predictive value. Sensitivity of CBNAAT was highest in gastric aspirate followed by CSF in present study.Conclusions: Tuberculosis is more common in male child less than 5-year-old with frequent risk factor is rural residential area, lower socioeconomic class and contact with active cases. In my study is CNS tuberculosis is most common. In my study mortality is higher among 1-to-5-year age group with co morbid condition are SAM and septicemia.

Оцінка перорального надходження нітратів з питною водою для різних верств населення Житомирської області

Objective: We assessed the degree of risk to the health of the rural population of different ages with constant peroral intake of nitrates with drinking water. Materials and methods: The study was conducted within the rural residential areas of Zhytomyr region and it is a part of the research "Ecological and social assessment of the state of rural residential areas in the context of sustainable development." Drinking water samples were taken from public and private sources of decentralized water supply: wells, bore-wells and natural sources. A total 549 water samples were taken. In the study, we used general scientific methods: analytical, field, laboratory and statistical ones. Results: Among the studied areas, the largest excess of the average content of nitrates was recorded in drinking water of rural settlements of Berdychiv district. The risk assessment showed that the children aged 0-10 years were the most sensitive population to nitrates, and the women were more vulnerable to nitrates than the men among the adult population. The significant correlations between an excess of nitrate content in drinking water and cancer among adults and children in Berdychiv district have been proven. Conclusions: It has been proven that with a constant oral intake of nitrates with drinking water, harmful effects on the health of the rural population are observed, which, according to their sensitivity to their action, were distributed as follows: children 0-10 years old> adult women> adult men> adolescents.Taking into account the results obtained, it is necessary to monitor constantly the quality of drinking water sources of decentralized water supply in rural areas and to inform the rural population about water quality and the impact of its impurities on human health.

The impact of COVID-19 on primary health care and antibiotic prescribing in rural China: qualitative study

BackgroundIn China, the primary health care (PHC) system has been designated responsible for control and prevention of COVID-19, but not treatment. Suspected COVID-19 cases presenting to PHC facilities must be transferred to specialist fever clinics. This study aims to understand the impact of COVID-19 on PHC delivery and on antibiotic prescribing at a community level in rural areas of central China.MethodsQualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 PHC practitioners and seven patients recruited from two township health centres and nine village clinics in two rural residential areas of Anhui province. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.ResultsPHC practitioners reported a major shift in their work away from seeing and treating patients (due to government-mandated referral to specialist Covid clinics) to focus on the key public health roles of tracing, screening and educating in rural areas. The additional work, risk, and financial pressure that PHC practitioners faced, placed considerable strain on them, particularly those working in village clinics. Face to face PHC provision was reduced and there was no substitution with consultations by phone or app, which practitioners attributed to the fact that most of their patients were elderly and not willing or able to switch. Practitioners saw COVID-19 as outside of their area of expertise and very different to the non-COVID-19 respiratory tract infections that they frequently treated pre-pandemic. They reported that antibiotic prescribing was reduced overall because far fewer patients were attending rural PHC facilities, but otherwise their antibiotic prescribing practices remained unchanged.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic had considerable impact on PHC in rural China. Practitioners took on substantial additional workload as part of epidemic control and fewer patients were seen in PHC. The reduction in patients seen and treated in PHC led to a reduction in antibiotic prescribing, although clinical practice remains unchanged. Since COVID-19 epidemic control work has been designated as a long-term task in China, rural PHC clinics now face the challenge of how to balance their principal clinical and increased public health roles and, in the case of the village clinics, remain financially viable.

Comparative study on the surveillance of Aedes albopictus by Breteau index and Mosq-ovitrap index in different habitats

Objective To compare Mosq-ovitrap index (MOI) and Breteau index (BI) of Aedes albopictus in two types of surveillance area through field experiments, and provide the basis for application and evaluation of two surveillance methods. Methods From April to December of 2020, Keqiao district with local transmission of dengue fever and Xinchang county without dengue fever transmission were selected as two surveillance areas in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. The density of Aedes albopictus larvae was monitored by BI and MOI at 10 day interval in a month, respectively. Results A total of 10 718 households were investigated, and 745 positive water containers were found, with a BI of 6.95. The BI in Keqiao district (6.98) was similar to that in Xinchang county (6.92). The peak value of BI was 11.28 in urban residential area in July, while 12.67 in rural residential area in May. A total of 11 837 mosq-ovitraps were placed around the BI investigated households, and the MOI was 1.62, while 189 mosq-ovitraps were found to be positive. The MOI was 2.37 in Keqiao district, higher than that in Xinchang county (MOI: 0.75). The MOI in urban residential area was 1.80, higher than that in rural residential area (MOI: 1.44). Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a statistical correlation between BI and MOI Shaoxing (r=0.676, P=0.046), also in Xinchang county (r= 0.794, P=0.011) and urban residential areas (r=0.691, P=0.039). Conclusion Mosq-ovitrap and Breteau index were effective indicators in the monitoring of Aedes albopictus, but with different sensitivity in rural and urban residential areas.

Correlation between Breteau index and mosquito oviposition index in surveillance for Aedes albopictus larvae density

Objective To observe the trend of continuous density of Aedes albopictus larvae by using Breteau Index (BI) and the Mosquito Oviposition Index (MOI), and compare the grey correlation, spearman correlation and risk grade consistency of the two density indexes in different habitats. Methods The densities of Aedes albopictus in Wuxing district (place A) and in Nanxun district (place B) in Huzhou were monitored every ten days by using BI and MOI from April to December in 2020. The correlation between BI and MOI were analyzed by grey correlation and spearman correlation. The two density indexes were classified according to the risk assessment criteria of Aedes vector surveillance guidelines. And the consistency of risk grade of two methods was compared by Kappa test. Results The density of Aedes albopictus indicated by BI and MOI increased first and then decreased from April to December. When the density was very low or very high (BI 20), the BI was higher than MOI. When the density index was between 5 and 20, the BI and MOI fluctuated. The BI was higher than the MOI from April to July. However, the MOI was higher than the BI from August to October. The grey correlation degree of the BI and the MOI were 0.601 and 0.682 in urban and rural residential areas respectively in place A and 0.696 and 0.671 in urban and rural residential areas respectively in place B, and the spearman correlation coefficients of the BI and the MOI were 0.461 and 1.000 in urban and rural residential areas in place A and 0.531 and 0.444 respectively in place B, the differences were all significant (P Conclusion The density of Aedes albopictus larvae increased and decreased seasonally. There was a certain correlation between BI and MOI in the surveillance for the seasonal density of Aaedes Aalbopictus larvae, but the consistency of risk level was not good. The sensitivity of BI is better than that of MOI when the density of Aedes is very low or high.

Rural Areas Redefinition

Rural development is the development of agriculture and non-agricultural employment in rural areas, increasing and differentiating incomes, taking measures to increase the education and entrepreneurship level of women and young people. The state, on the other hand, makes arrangements for rural development programs, projects and activities to achieve this and takes measures to ensure coordination between public institutions. In order to better manage rural areas and not to cause confusion in practice by the services brought by the institutions, the distinction of rural areas and the powers in these areas should be well defined. For this purpose; it is important to make the definition of rural areas effective in a way that does not cause problems in practice. The Law No. 6360 dated 12.11.2012 on the Establishment of the Metropolitan Municipality and Twenty-Seven Districts in Fourteen Provinces and the Amendment of Certain Laws and Statutory Decrees has been prepared by foreseeing that it will bring significant changes in rural area administrations. While the confusion about delivering services to rural areas in metropolitan municipalities continued after the local elections on 30.03.2014; tax, fee, drinking, wastewater use and obligations on some issues were put into effect after 5 years. On 16.10.2020, the regulation introduced by the Law No. 7254 on the Amendment of the Law on Public Finance Management and Control and Certain Laws could not fully clarify the issues such as rural neighborhood and rural residential area. And Then, In the Official Gazette dated 15.04.2021 and numbered 31455, it was thought that the Regulation on Rural Neighborhood and Rural Residential Area would solve the problems in practice. In this study, the issues of confusing rural area definitions, service delivery to rural areas and rural area regulations have been examined and suggestions have been put forward.

How to Address “Population Decline and Land Expansion (PDLE)" of rural residential areas in the process of Urbanization:A comparative regional analysis of human-land interaction in Shandong Province

“Population decline and land expansion (PDLE)", as the general phenomenon in rural residential areas, which is viewed as an unfavorable issue in human-land interaction system. This paper identified and categorized human-land interaction within rural residential areas from 2010 to 2020 by applying an integrated framework into the process of assessing its effects on intensive land using pattern and human living environment quality. The conclusions illustrate that the study area—Shandong Province presents the phenomenon of “PDLE”. Meanwhile, there are also some other changing types of human-land interaction at the county level, such as “Population Decline and Land Degradation (PDLD)", “Population Increase and Land Degradation (PILD)", “Population Increase and Land Expansion (PILE)". We found the types of incremental land, including housing land, industrial land, and public management and service land, are conductive to protecting people's livelihoods and promoting development through research on the structural changes in rural residential areas. Conversely, the governments' institutional constraints and location conditions are the dominant force for the formation and spatial differentiation of reducing land. Furthermore, rural residential areas with the “PDLD”, the “PILD” and the “PILE” could improve the intensive land use pattern. Meanwhile, “PILE” and “PDLE” in rural residential areas have a great role in improving the living environment of those areas. Actually, human-land interactions such as “PDLD” and “PILD” have led to a decrease in the quality of production and living in rural residential areas, and “PDLE” will threaten the intensive land use pattern and eco-friendly environment. According to these results, this paper also provided critical research on the Chinese rural development policies and land use management. To some extent, the human-land elements allocation should be taken into consideration in the aspect of land use scale in rural residential areas. At the same time, the decreasing plan approaches to some residential areas which fulfilled land degradation, as well as the increasing supply mechanism of other residential areas which fulfilled land expansion should also be feasible strategies for Chinese policy-makers and planners to realize rural sustainable developments.

Achieving rural revitalization in China: A suitable framework to understand the coordination of material and social space quality of rural residential areas in the plain

AbstractThe spatial system of rural residential areas is a key carrier to support the high‐quality development of rural residential areas. The effective identification of the space quality and its coordinated characteristics of rural residential areas are helpful to provide scientific basis for rural revitalization. From the perspective of space, the high‐quality development of rural residential area may be seen as a state of spatial coordination aiming at rural revitalization under the high‐level development of material space and social space. Taking Ningjin County of Shandong Province as the research area, this paper discusses the quality characteristics of rural residential areas in plains areas through representative case studies. For this purpose, the quality of material space and social space of these areas, and their coordinated development patterns, are obtained using the entropy weight TOPSIS, the mutual exclusivity matrix, and the coordinate quadrant method. Finally, the paper provides an identification of barriers by the obstacle degree diagnosis model and then proposes some quality improvement strategies for rural revitalization. The results show that: (a) The quality of material space and social space of rural residential areas in Ningjin County are medium and high. (b) The coordinated development patterns of material‐social space of rural residential areas in Ningjin County are characterized by medium‐quality‐led, low‐quality second‐class, high‐quality less. (c) The obstacle factors of high‐quality development of rural residential areas in Ningjin County are mainly reflected in the four dimensions of living space, production space, cultural space, and communication space. (d) Rural revitalization in Ningjin County can be achieved through the coordinated optimization of high‐quality development patterns, the focused improvement of medium‐quality development patterns, and the comprehensive consolidation of low‐quality development.

Evolution characteristics and driving factors of negative decoupled rural residential land and resident population in the Yellow River Basin

The Yellow River Basin (YRB) is an important ecological barrier in China, which is the fifth largest river all over the world. Protecting YRB is crucial to China’s rejuvenation and sustainable development of future generations. Coordinated development of human-land system is conducive to promoting ecological protection and high-quality development of YRB. Tapio decoupling model was used to study the relationship between rural residential land area and resident population. Our results showed that the rural resident population decreased by 2.57% annually, while rural residential land areas expanded at a rate of 0.57% from 2010 to 2016. In addition, the upper reaches had higher growth rate of residential land area than that in the middle and lower reaches. The strong negative decoupling relationship between rural residential land area and rural resident population was widely found in YRB. Kaya identity decomposition results indicated that rural residential land intensive utilization and urbanization of resident population was positively related to the expansion of rural residential land area, while the urban and rural population structure was responsible for rural residential land area shrinkage in YRB. Unfavorable rural development situation had extended from 2010 to 2016. These results suggested that the rural human-land relationship was uncoordinated in terms of the loss of rural resident population and expansion of rural residential land area in YRB. It is urgent to establish sustainable rural development strategies for improving the human-land relationship, narrowing the rural-urban disparity, innovating rural residential land area policies, and revitalizing the rural area.

Thinness, overweight and obesity among 6- to 17-year-old Malaysians: secular trends and sociodemographic determinants from 2006 to 2015.

To examine secular trends and sociodemographic determinants of thinness, overweight and obesity among Malaysian children and adolescents from 2006 to 2015. We used cross-sectional data from the National Health and Morbidity Surveys 2006, 2011 and 2015. Individuals were classified into pre- (6-9 years), early (10-13 years) and mid- (14-17 years) adolescence. BMI status was determined according to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and WHO criteria, using measured height and weight. We analysed trends using log-binomial regression, by sex-age groups, stratified by sociodemographic factors (ethnicity, residential area, household size and household income), and accounting for the complex survey design. Associations between sociodemographic factors and prevalence of thinness and overweight (obesity included) in 2015 were assessed using log-Poisson regression. Nationwide population-based surveys, Malaysia. Eligible 6-17-year-olds from urban and rural residential areas (n 28094). The prevalence of thinness decreased from 2006 to 2015 (IOTF: boys from 22 % to 18 %, girls from 23 % to 19 %; WHO: boys from 9 % to 7 %, girls from 8 % to 6 %), while the prevalence of overweight increased (IOTF: boys from 20 % to 26 %, girls from 19 % to 24 %; WHO: boys from 25 % to 31 %, girls from 22 % to 27 %). These changes were statistically significant in most sex-age groups. Thinness and overweight co-existed in all sociodemographic subgroups, with variation in the prevalence estimates, but similar secular changes in most subgroups. Malaysia is facing a double burden of malnutrition at population level with a secular increase in overweight and obesity and a gradual decrease in thinness among 6-17-year-olds from varying sociodemographic backgrounds.

Scale Transition and Structure–Function Synergy Differentiation of Rural Residential Land: A Dimensionality Reduction Transmission Process from Macro to Micro Scale

In order to enhance the scientific understanding of the transition law of rural residential areas and enrich the theory and method system of land use transition research, this article takes Shandong Province as an example and constructs a comprehensive research framework of rural residential land scale, structure, and function from the perspective of the combination of the macro and micro scales based on differences between the rural residential areas in the region and the village scale forms. Using model quantitative analysis and horizontal comparative analysis methods, this paper explores the process characteristics of rural residential land use scale transition and the corresponding stage differentiation law of spatial structure and system function. Research has shown that the stage characteristics of the scale transition of rural residential land use in Shandong Province in the past 10 years are significant. The five transition stages—from the primary stage, low stage, intermediate stage, advanced stage, to the stable stage—show obvious spatial agglomeration and spatial autocorrelation, which are mainly driven by the positive and negative interactions of economic development, the policy environment, natural conditions, and population. With the gradual upgrading of the land use scale transition in rural residential areas, the spatial pattern of rural residential areas has been continuously optimized, the land use structure has tended to be balanced and complicated, and the living-production-ecological function as a whole has been strengthened. The essence of this type of differentiation is the differential performance of rural residential areas adapting their own conditions to the external environment. The transition of the rural residential area from the macro to the micro scale is also the process of realizing rural reconstruction and rural revitalization. In the future, under the framework of the “element–structure–function” system of rural residential areas, the rural transition and development should be continuously promoted through the support, organization, guidance, and promotion mechanisms of internal and external factors.

Determining hydrogeological and anthropogenic controls on N pollution in groundwater beneath piedmont alluvial fans using multi-isotope data

Piedmont alluvial fans have, for a long time, supported clean groundwater for human development worldwide. Rapid urbanization in China has over-exploited groundwater and resulted in severe groundwater nitrate pollution in piedmont alluvial fans, which has led to both human health concerns and clean water shortages, especially in rural residential areas where drinking water is mainly derived from shallow groundwater. However, sources of nitrate in groundwater and their pathways are still unclear. In this study, we hypothesized that untreated manure and domestic sewage are the primary nitrate sources in a residential area, and that an unconfined aquifer would be more vulnerable to nitrate pollution than a confined aquifer due to nitrate infiltration via the vadose zone. To verify this hypothesis, groundwater nitrate pollution in a well-characterized piedmont alluvial fan was studied through hydrochemical composition and multi-isotope (δ15NNO3, δ34SSO4, δ18OSO4, δ13CDIC) data over four seasons. Seasonal variations for both NO3− concentrations and δ15NNO3 values in unconfined groundwater (UGW) and confined groundwater (CGW) were observed. Mixing of nitrate sourced from manure/sewage, precipitation, soil nitrogen, and synthetic fertilizer controlled the groundwater nitrate level, and manure/sewage contributed 52.4%, 32.4%, and 33.7% nitrate to UGW, CGW, and surface water (SFW), respectively, based on Stable Isotope Mixing Models in R (SIMMR) analysis. Denitrification had a minor effect on groundwater nitrate levels in a residential area, and nitrate pollution in CGW was partly due to nitrate migration through geological faults and fracture zones in a piedmont alluvial fan. Nitrate pollution sources and pathways in residential areas were confirmed through multiple isotopes (δ15NNO3, δ13CDIC, δ34SSO4, and δ18OSO4). Collectively, these results highlight the roles of the hydrogeological setting and anthropogenic activities in groundwater N pollution beneath piedmont alluvial fans.

Optimization of cultivated land pattern for achieving cultivated land system security: A case study in Heilongjiang Province, China

The change of cultivated land pattern (CLP) has a significant impact on cultivated land system security (CLSS), and is the foundation of ensuring adequate provision of cultivated land, and the premise of achieving sustainable development of the society. While there is a lack of research on the CLP optimization with the goal of achieving CLSS, particularly lacking research that taking the main grain production areas at the provincial scale as a study area. Hence, taking Heilongjiang Province in China as the study area, this paper uses the regional interpolation of ArcGIS spatial analysis and Auto-Logistics method to diagnose the common driving factors of CLSS and CLP change, and further sets up different development scenarios with the goal of CLSS to carry out the study of CLP optimization through the introduction of Future Land Use Simulation (FLUS) model. The results showed that: Firstly, the dynamic changes of paddy field, dryland and cultivated land were the most intense in the eastern Sanjiang Plain, the second in the western Songnen Plain, the weakest in the north-south axis, and the changes of paddy field and dryland were more intense in the later period (2010–2015) than in the earlier period (1995–2010); Secondly, regional interpolation in ArcGIS and Auto-Logistics method can effectively and reasonably spatialize, and diagnose the key factors (terrain and geomorphology including elevation and slope, socio-economic (distance to residential area, agricultural three wastes index) and farmland productivity potential) which affect the change of CLSS and CLP; Thirdly, the Kappa test coefficient of CLP optimization based on FLUS model is 0.898, with good simulation accuracy, meaning the combination of Auto-logistic and FLUS can achieve high-precision simulation of CLP. The simulation results that under the integrated control scenarios of food security, ecological protection and economic development, the regional food security, ecological protection and economic development are considered comprehensively, and the contradictions among the three are coordinated, which is more reasonable and conducive to the improvement of CLSS. Fourthly, the policies on controlling the growth rate of paddy fields, rationally reducing rural residential areas and decreasing agricultural three wastes should be strengthened to implement the optimal CLP and improve CLSS. The results bestow convincing insights on decision-making for the implementation of the optimal distribution of cultivated land resources and the compilation of the national land space plan, and also provide an important reference for the study area to improve CLSS by optimizing CLP.

Characteristics of Heavy Metal Pollution and Ecological Risk Evaluation of Indoor Dust from Urban and Rural Areas in Taiyuan City During the Heating Season

The presence of heavy metals in indoor dust is a world-wide concern owing to its negative impact on humans. In this study, we collected indoor dust samples from urban and rural residential areas during the heating season in Taiyuan City. We then identified the concentrations of 11 heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Pb, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, V, As, and Hg) using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Based on the concentrations, we categorized the pollution levels of indoor dust using the geo-accumulation index and the pollution load index. We further identified the sources of heavy metals using the enrichment factor and principal component analysis. Finally, we evaluated the potential ecological risks of heavy metals via the potential ecological index. The results illustrated that ① with the exception of Co, Mn, and V, the mean concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, As, Zn, and Hg in indoor dust were higher than the soil background values of Shanxi Province. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) in the concentrations of Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Hg between the urban and rural areas. ② Overall, the pollution degree of heavy metals in indoor dust was identified as moderate in the urban area of Taiyuan City, but slight in the rural area. The indoor dust sample in the urban area was not contaminated by Co, Mn, and V. However, it was slightly polluted by As, Ni, and Hg. In addition, it was close to moderately polluted by Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn. In the rural area, the pollution degrees of all the metals, except for Hg and V, in indoor dust were lower than those in the urban area. ③ The As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Hg in indoor dust for both urban and rural areas might have mainly originated from anthropogenic sources. The pollution sources were mainly transportation and industry in the urban area and coal combustion and indoor smoking in the rural area. The Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, and V in indoor dust in Taiyuan City might have mainly originated from natural sources. ④ The ecological risk of heavy metal pollution in indoor dust for both the urban and rural areas of Taiyuan City was relatively high, with integrated ecological risk indexes of 359.43 and 471.02 in the urban and rural areas, respectively. In addition, Cd and Hg were the largest contributors.