Wuhan Metropolitan Area Research Articles

Construction and Optimization of Ecological Security Patterns Based on Ecosystem Services in the Wuhan Metropolitan Area

Rapid urbanization has affected ecosystem stability, and the construction of ecological security patterns (ESPs) can rationally allocate resources and achieve ecological protection. Priority evaluation of critical areas can maximize the benefits of ecological protection, which is crucial for sustainable urban development. However, most prior studies have focused on assessing individual elements of the ESP, rarely considering both the protection priority of ecological sources and corridors. We constructed ESPs for the Wuhan Metropolitan Area (WMA) from 2000 to 2020 and evaluated the priority of ecological sources and corridors for protection. The findings indicated that high-level ecological sources exhibited higher overall landscape connectivity and ecosystem service values with lower patch fragmentation. The average area proportions of primary, secondary, and tertiary ecological sources in 2000, 2010, and 2020 were 41.11%, 23.03%, and 29.86%, respectively. High-level ecological corridors had shorter lengths and offered higher comprehensive ecosystem service values. The total length of secondary corridors exceeded that of primary corridors by 1951.19 km, 650.39 km, and 2238.18 km in 2000, 2010, and 2020, respectively. Primary corridors, which connected fragmented and isolated sources, should have their ecological land percentage increased to enhance connectivity. Secondary corridors connected two independent and distant sources, providing the basis for ecological protection in the intervening area, whose surrounding habitats should be protected. This study identifies the ecological protection priority and offers a theoretical basis and practical reference for balancing urban development with ecological protection.

Research on the Impact and Strategies of Rail Transit Network Integration in the Context of Metropolitan Area Development: A Case Study of the Wuhan Metropolitan Area

The metropolitan area is one of the key focal points in the construction and development of China’s new urbanization. Urban integration is an emerging trend in metropolitan areas. This paper explores the traffic demand characteristics and economic aspects of rail transit within metropolitan regions and argues that the construction of an integrated urban rail transit network is an effective approach to support their development. Rail transit in metropolitan areas offers both technical and economic advantages, improving the efficiency of time and space resource utilization, fostering economic cooperation, and ultimately contributing to an integrated development model. However, the integration of rail transit networks faces several challenges, including road network planning, technical standards, and operational organization. Using the Wuhan metropolitan area as a case study, this paper analyzes the challenges of rail transit network integration and proposes strategic solutions for development.

Urban growth simulation guided by ecosystem service trade-offs in Wuhan metropolitan area: Methods and implications for spatial planning

The effective integration of ecosystem services (ESs) and urban growth simulation is crucial for spatial planning decisions that support sustainable and high-quality development. Interactions (i.e., trade-offs, synergies, and irrelevance) generally exist among ESs, however, few studies have been done on the methodology for simulating urban growth that optimizes the synergistic effect of ESs. In this study, the Wuhan metropolitan area was taken as the research area. Four key ESs in 2000, 2010, and 2020: water yield (WY), carbon storage (CS), habitat quality (HQ), and soil retention (SR) were evaluated by using the InVEST model. Then the ordered weighted averaging (OWA) method was applied to optimally allocate ESs trade-offs and identify ecological priority protection areas (EPPAs). Finally, the PLUS model was used to simulate urban growth scenarios under different levels of ESs protection constraints and propose spatial planning strategies. The results revealed the following. (1) From 2000 to 2020, the three ESs (i.e., WY, CS, and HQ) exhibited the spatial distribution pattern with high in the east and low in the west, and higher in the woodland than in built-up areas, except SR, which remained at a weak level throughout the region. (2) During the 20 years, SR and the other three ESs, HQ and CS showed a synergistic relationship; WY exhibited a very weak trade-off with HQ; and WY and CS changed from a very weak trade-off to a weak synergy. (3) Seven ecosystem service patterns (ESPs) were generated, and ESP 5 was compared as the ideal option. The weights of SR, WY, CS, and HQ in this pattern were 0.063, 0.187, 0.313, and 0.437, respectively. (4) By 2030, the built-up areas will exhibit edge expansion and interconnection development trends, with the high-constraint ecological protection scenario as the most compact mode, and the spatial structure of “two districts, one axis, four cities as one” is consistent with the development tendency. Our findings can help to enrich the method of urban growth management oriented by ecological protection, and provide a scientific basis for ecological environment restoration and land use spatial planning practices.

Multi-scale matching and simulating flows of ecosystem service supply and demand in the Wuhan metropolitan area, China

Metropolitan areas face the challenge of balancing increasing social needs against limited natural resources. The multi-scale evaluation of ecosystem services (ES) supply, demand and flows is crucial but under explored. Four prominent ES, food provision (FP), carbon sequestration (CS), soil conservation (SC), and outdoor recreation (OR) in Wuhan metropolitan area (WMA) were selected as cases. ES supply and demand were assessed by InVEST model, geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis, and statistical methods. A linear programming model was employed to reveal the characteristics of ES flows. Results showed the following: (1) the total ES supply capacity can meet the demand of the study area. At different scales, the supply patterns were fundamentally consistent, except for FP, which was significantly higher in Wuhan's suburban areas. In contrast, the other three ES exhibited high supply in the northeast and south WMA, encompassing the Dabie and Mufu Mountains. The high demand for all ES radiated from the city center, except for SC. (2) A significant scale effect of ES mismatch was found, and ecological deficit patches decreased with increasing research scale. The Mismatch was evident on finer scales but lessened at coarser ones. (3) ES flows, consisting of FP, CS, and OR, formed a flow pattern from the suburbs to the city center. Coarse-scale management integrating ecological flows may better maintain ES balance than fine-scale measures. These findings provide insights for multi-scale management strategies that not only contribute to localized ecological restoration, but also optimize strategies for ecological corridors and compensation mechanisms.

Analysis of the spatio-temporal variability and convergence of green development efficiency of city clusters in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in China

The advantageous geographical location of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (YRMR) plays an important role in promoting high-quality development in China and accelerating the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt(YREB). In the new stage of development, green development efficiency (GDE) is an important metric for assessing the balance between economic development and ecological civilization. Therefore, taking three city clusters in China's YRMR as the study area, this research employs the Super-SBM model to assess their GDE in 2010–2020 in order to analyze the problem of GDE at the city scale. On this basis, spatio-temporal analyses, dynamic evolution, and convergence analyses have been carried out using the Thiel index, GML index model, and convergence model. The findings indicate that overall GDE has not yet reached an effective level and generally exhibits a two-stage fluctuating upward trend. Spatially, the pattern of distribution is "high in the southwest, low in the northeast". The differences within the city clusters in the YRMR in terms of green development are gradually narrowing, with differences within the same regions contributing the most to overall differences. The GML index shows a trend of fluctuating growth, indicating that the overall GDE growth is in good condition. GDE has grown significantly as a result of technological advancements, with the Wuhan metropolitan area (cluster A) experiencing the fastest growth in this regard, followed by the Chang-Zhu-Tan and the Poyang Lake rim city clusters (clusters B and C). The YRMR and its three major city clusters exhibit both σ- and β-convergence patterns. The convergence of GDE is simultaneously affected by several factors, including economic development (RGDP), urbanization level (UR), industrial structure (IND), technological development (TEC), and the level of openness (LO). Regional heterogeneity also exists. The above study provides decision-making references and empirical evidence for promoting green development in China's city clusters in the YRMR and advancing the improvement of economic-environmental incongruence in this area.

Multifunctional evaluation and multiscenario regulation of non-grain farmlands from the grain security perspective: Evidence from the Wuhan Metropolitan Area, China

Non-grain production (NGP) represents a complex social phenomenon driven by a range of interests that involve agricultural development, livelihood security, and ecological preservation. It significantly alters the structure of agricultural production and vegetation cover, influencing regional grain supply and the multifunctional composition of agriculture. To achieve sustainable development goals related to grain supply and ecological stability, this study proposes a research framework for multifunctional evaluation and multiscenario regulation of non-grain farmlands (NGFs). First, NGFs in the Wuhan metropolitan area (WHM) were extracted based on land survey data to carry out multifunctional evaluation of NGFs, including production function, ecological functions and recreational function. Second, the SOM+K-means algorithm is used to identify and explore the multifunctional bundle characteristics of NGFs to determine the regulation priority order of NGFs. Finally, a multiscenario simulation of the rigid control scale and layout arrangement of NGFs from the grain security perspective is carried out. The research results show that (1) there are 1294.34 thousand ha of NGFs in the WHM, mainly of grain and non-grain rotation type (52.36 %). The production function is higher in the central and western Jianghan Plain areas than in the northeastern and southern hilly mountainous areas; the ecological functions are the opposite; the high-value areas of recreational function are mainly located around the built-up areas of the city. (2) Multifunctional bundles divide NGFs into seven categories and determine the order of regulation based on the principle of "production priority, functional diversity". (3) By setting different grain security scenarios, it is predicted that the rigid control scale of NGFs in the WHM in 2030 is 256.08–797.55 thousand ha. Divide and restore grain production in order of the priority zone for grain production, the reserve zone for grain production, the resilience zone for grain production, the ecological improvement zone and the agricultural improvement zone, so as to achieve a regulatory layout of strict control and adaptable regulation of NGFs. The research supports the regulation of NGFs in balancing grain security and ecological stability to promote sustainable agricultural production.

From Expansion to Shrinkage: An Assessment of the Carbon Effect from Spatial Reconfiguration of Rural Human Settlements in the Wuhan Metropolitan Area

Nowadays, the reorganization of rural land-use space exhibits a dynamic process of expansion and shrinkage. Taking the Wuhan Metropolitan Area as an example, this study used the InVEST model to quantitatively assess changes in rural built-up land between 1995 and 2020 and its impact on regional carbon storage. Combined with the PLUS model, further simulations were carried out to predict the heterogeneous mechanisms of shrinkage and expansion of rural habitable space under three scenarios in 2030. The results indicate that the area of rural built-up land in the Wuhan Metropolitan Area showed an overall increasing trend, with shrinkage mainly concentrated in the Wuhan-Ezhou border, Tianmen, and southern Xiantao, while expansion displayed a decentralized point distribution. The PLUS model predicts that, in the scenario of rural built-up land expansion, a significant amount of cropland is encroached upon. This study provides a new perspective for understanding the impact of rural habitat changes on the carbon cycle. Future land management and planning should pay more attention to maintaining ecosystem services and considering the environmental effects of changes in rural built-up land layout.

Exploring non-linear urban vibrancy dynamics in emerging new towns: A case study of the Wuhan metropolitan area

New towns have been extensively developed in many worldwide metropolises to overcome a series of urban crisis caused by over-intensive population and economic activity, such as environmental deterioration, traffic congestion and space shortage. The successful development of new towns has been regarded as a common, international urban challenge aimed at creating vital and lively urban life. Quantifying the complex relationship between new town vibrancy and the built environment provides a theoretical basis for formulating adequate planning regulations and policies to solve the development predicaments of new towns. Taking the Wuhan metropolitan area as the case study, this study employs the gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) machine learning method to delve into the intricate non-linear relationship between urban vibrancy and built environment indicators both in both peripheric new towns (NT) and central mother cities (MC), shedding light on the differences in the characteristics and complexities of vibrancy between NT and MC. The findings reveal stark disparities in vibrancy levels between NT and MC, emphasizing the critical need for tailored revitalization strategies. It is found that the indicators with the highest contribution to the impact of vibrancy in NT and MC are respectively the point of interest (POI) density and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) development intensity. Model comparison between NT and MC concludes that enhancing POI density to meet the basic needs of citizens is a prerequisite for fostering urban vibrancy. To successfully create similarly vital and lively urban life as that in the MC, NT should focus on the impacts of TOD development and policy factors such as government relocation on vibrancy. Finally, deriving from these findings, we propose some policy insights and practical strategies for urban practitioners and policymakers to enhance the vibrancy and sustainability of the new towns.

Integrating “quality-risk-demand” framework and circuit theory to identify spatial range and priority area of ecological security pattern in a rapidly urbanizing landscape

Regional ecological security pattern (ESP) can provide the basis for regional territorial spatial planning and urban ecological protection. Taking the Wuhan metropolitan area as the study area, a binary logistic regression model was used to quantify the evolutionary driving forces and transformation risk of ecological land. An identification framework of ecological source based on “quality-risk-demand” was constructed to identify ecological source by calculating the ecological land comprehensive value from three aspects of ecological land quality, degradation risk, and human demand. The ecological resistance surface was calculated according to land-use type and nighttime light data, further using circuit theory to identify the spatial range and its key areas of ecological corridors, and to identify the specific spatial range of ESP and their priority area. The results showed ecological sources were 382.4 km2, accounting for 17.3% of the metropolitan area. The area of ecological corridors in the terrestrial ecosystem (TEC) was 14.38 km2, with an average width of 77.8 m, including 4.99 km2 of pinch points and 3.71 km2 of barriers, indicating poor actual connectivity of the TEC. Ecological corridors in the aquatic ecosystem (AEC) were 107.67 km long, including 57.86 km of pinch points and 14.24 km of barriers, indicating poor substitutability of the AEC. Overall, the ESP of “three horizontals, three verticals, and four clusters” were identified, where sources, pinch points and barriers were the priority areas for protection and restoration in constructing it. Existing protection spaces were within the ecological source range, and the identification results of the ecological corridor were highly consistent with the actual situation, verifying the ecological significance of the identification framework. This study focuses on the needs of urban residents, combining the intrinsic quality and extrinsic risks of urban ecological land, proposes an integrated framework for identifying urban ecological sources, identifies the spatial range of ecological corridors and their key areas based on circuit theory, and attempts to provide a quantitative framework and case reference for ESP construction in other urban areas.

Integrating ecosystem integrity and ES supply–demand process to explore ecological connectivity in Wuhan metropolitan area, China

Protecting ecosystem integrity and maintaining ecosystem service (ES) supply–demand process through ecological connectivity (EC) is crucial for achieving sustainable development of metropolitan area. Currently, EC research focuses more on the combination of protecting the ES supply and maintaining ecosystem integrity, and less on effectively meeting human needs. To bridge this gap, we integrated the theory of ES supply–demand process, connectivity research methods to form a demand-oriented EC research framework, and conducted empirical research on the Wuhan metropolitan area (WHA). Firstly, we evaluated the supply–demand matches status of the key four ESs; And then, from the aspects of flow quantity, flow direction, flow boundary, and allocation principles, the spatial process of ESs flow were decomposed, and the ecological sources that meet demand while supporting the ESs supply–demand process were identified; Finally, based on the comprehensive resistance surface, connected corridors and important strategic points that are crucial for ecological protection were extracted, and an EC network was constructed. The results were the following:(1) the supply and demand of the key ESs in the study area showed a significant spatial mismatch, especially for water conservation (WC) and carbon sequestration (CS); (2)55 ecological sources, 84 ecological corridors and 25 strategic points were identified, and a stable structurally EC network was constructed; (3) The ecological sources were also crucial for ESs supply while meeting human demand and supporting the spatial process of ESs supply–demand. This research is beneficial for deepening the understanding of the supply–demand status of ESs, and providing a support for ecological lands protection planning.

Ecological risk assessment and influencing factors in the Wuhan Metropolitan Area based on supply and demand bundles of ecosystem services

In the context of rapid urbanization, metropolitan areas are facing the risk of supply-demand mismatches among ecosystem services. Investigating the patterns, relationships, and driving factors of multiple supply-demand risks is of great significance to support the efficient management of regional ecological risks. We quantified the single/comprehensive supply-demand risk rates of six ecosystem services in Wuhan Metropolitan Area at the township scale in 2000, 2010, and 2020. By applying the self-organizing feature map network and optimal parameter geo-detector, we identified supply-demand risks bundles of ecosystem services and influencing factors of comprehensive risks. The results showed significant spatial variations in the supply-demand risks of typical ecosystem services from 2000 to 2020. The supply-demand risk associated with grain production, water yield, carbon sequestration, and green space recreation increased, while soil conservation and water purification risks decreased. The comprehensive ecosystem services supply-demand risk increased from 0.41 to 0.45, indicating a 'core area increase and periphery decrease' trend. Throughout the study period, the area exhibited bundles of comprehensive extremely high-risk bundles (B1), comprehensive high-risk bundles (B2), water purification high-risk bundles (B3), and grain production-soil conservation risk bundles (B4). The transition of risk types from B3 to B2 and from B2 to B1 suggested an increase in the combination and intensity of supply-demand risk. Vegetation cover, nighttime light index, and population density were the main driving factors for spatial variations in comprehensive supply-demand risk. Ecologi-cal risk assessment based on ecosystem services supply-demand bundles could provide an effective and reliable way to regulate multiple regional risk issues.

The Spatial Pattern and Influencing Factors of Urban Knowledge-Intensive Business Services: A Case Study of Wuhan Metropolitan Area, China

The Spatial Pattern and Influencing Factors of Urban Knowledge-Intensive Business Services: A Case Study of Wuhan Metropolitan Area, China

Analysis of Regional Medical Supply and Demand Network Characteristics Based on “Patient Flow Phenomenon”: A Case Study of the Core Area of the Wuhan Metropolitan Area

Examining medical supply–demand imbalances, as revealed through patients’ cross-boundary treatment behaviors, is vital for reducing a metropolitan area’s medical supply–demand gap and furthering sustainable development goals. This study, leveraging medical supply–demand and commuting data, scrutinizes medical imbalances in the Wuhan metropolitan area core. It includes a ‘People-centered’ theory for elucidating patients’ treatment behaviors, proposes a method for constructing a regional medical supply–demand network, and explores the problem of supply–demand imbalance. The key findings include: (1) Wuhan’s central area, despite its abundance of quality medical resources, fails to adequately cover the entire metropolitan area, indicating a need for broader resource distribution. (2) The Ezhou–Huangshi–Huanggang junction shows a stark contrast to Wuhan with its limited medical services and extensive hinterland connections. Future initiatives should aim to integrate resources dispersed from Wuhan, reducing regional disparities. (3) The city’s periphery, influenced by resource distribution models and geographic distance, exhibits significant variance from central urban areas in medical supply–demand connectivity, particularly around Wuhan’s eastern administrative boundaries. Future urban planning is needed to reinforce this area’s role as a vital medical services conduit. (4) The distinguishing differences among the nine medical service communities in terms of resource recognition, service sharing, and patient mobility provide policy guidance for the allocation of medical resources.

The impact of comprehensive land consolidation on rural amenity in a micro perspective: Empirical study on 10 tourist villages in 6 districts and counties of Wuhan metropolitan area

The impact of comprehensive land consolidation on rural amenity in a micro perspective: Empirical study on 10 tourist villages in 6 districts and counties of Wuhan metropolitan area

Considering geographical spatiotemporal attributes for seamless air temperature data fusion with high accuracy

High-resolution, high spatiotemporal continuity, and high-precision temperature data (3H Ta) are essential for understanding local to global climate change and for studying urban heat conditions. Our prior research demonstrated the effectiveness of combining deep learning and point-to-surface scaling to generate 3H Ta. However, the accuracy of the 3H Ta data fusion methods is influenced by the geospatial attributes of temperature itself. In this study, we investigated the effects of geographical spatio-temporal factors on the three aspects of temperature fusion, i.e., data input, deep learning-based temperature fusion, and fused temperature error calibration. The results showed that temperature data had strong geospatial attributes, exhibiting spatiotemporal autocorrelation at the microscale and different clustering characteristics in different macro spatial regions. After incorporating geospatial autocorrelation factors into the temperature fusion model, the R2 was 0.995, the RMSE was 0.697 °C, and the MAE was 0.527 °C after 10-fold cross-validation. Compared with the model that does not consider spatio-temporal factors, RMSE and MAE are reduced by 68% and 73%, respectively. The use of geographical spatio-temporal difference analysis (GSTDA) error correction combining spatio-temporal factors compensated for temperature underestimation or overestimation at specific times or locations. After calibrating for fusion temperatures at the four validation sites, the RMSE and MAE decreased from 0.75 °C to 0.64 °C–0.69 °C and 0.58 °C, with RMAE and MAE decreasing by 9.37% and 10.15%, respectively. Finally, we generated 500 m daily 3H Ta data for Wuhan Metropolitan Area in 2019. The result were expended to Austin, Texas and Los Angeles, in USA. Our research results and comparative analysis confirm the necessity of considering geospatial and temporal factors in temperature fusion models, which helps generate 3H Ta.

Analysis and prediction of the spatiotemporal characteristics of land-use ecological risk and carbon storage in Wuhan metropolitan area

In the context of global warming, understanding the spatiotemporal dynamic of carbon storage, land-use related ecological risks, and how ecological risks are correlated with carbon storage, is vitally significant for enhancing regional carbon-sequestration capacity, promoting the rational exploitation of land and green and low-carbon development. Using land-use data, this study employed the InVEST and PLUS models to analyze and forecast spatiotemporal variation in land-use, land-use ecological risks, and terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage in the Wuhan metropolitan area under multiple-scenarios. Spearman’s correlation and spatial autocorrelation analyses were used to explore spatial correlations between carbon storage and land-use ecological risk. The following was found: (1) From 2000 to2020, the area of arable land, grassland, water body, and unused land reduced. In contrast, the area of forestland and built-up land increased. Similar land-use changes were observed in 2030 under the natural development scenario. The area of forestland, grassland, and water body increased, and the expansion of built-up land is effectively controlled under the ecological protection scenario. (2) Land-use ecological risks in the study area first declined and then increased over the research period, with an overall increase. (3) From 2000 to 2030, the carbon storage within the Wuhan metropolitan area declined. In the 2030 ecological protection scenario, the reduction in carbon storage is lower than under the natural development scenario. Through the lens of land-use categories, the entire carbon storage was, in descending order, arable land, forestland, built-up land, grassland, unused land, and water body. (4) Land-use ecological risk and carbon storage were negatively correlated and dominated by Low-High and High-Low aggregation zones. This study can serve as a reference for the future optimal layout of land-use and sustainable development of ecosystems in metropolitan areas.

Potential and realized access to healthcare services in Wuhan Metropolitan Area, China

Healthcare accessibility is a crucial livelihood issue directly related to people’s health. Given that existing studies have often focused on residents’ potential geographic access in a single city, this study examines the access to healthcare services in Wuhan Metropolitan Area in both potential and realized dimensions. We pay particular attention to the quantitative measurement of the actual fit between healthcare services being offered and utilized. Overall, we found satisfactory potential access to healthcare facilities within reach of residential spaces in Wuhan Metropolitan Area, yet it is uneven across the nine cities and different areas. By measuring realized access through the coupling coordination degree of healthcare provision and utilization, our findings showed that except for Wuhan, all the other cities suffer from various levels of incoordination and lack resilience to public health emergencies. Taken together, this requires the regional government to formulate a more coordinated and comprehensive plan for resource allocation and to promote resource sharing among cities. Targeted policies for certain cities are also needed, to improve residents’ healthcare accessibility.

Comparison of the driving mechanism between logistics land use and facilities: A case study from Wuhan metropolitan area

Investigating the spatial growth patterns and underlying mechanisms driving urban logistics space and activities with scientific quantitative methodologies holds substantial importance in advancing the sustainable development of urban logistics. From a perspective of spatiotemporal dynamics, this study has proposed a multinomial logit (MNL) cellular automata (CA) model to explore the spatial evolution of logistics land use and logistics facility locations in Wuhan metropolitan area from 2010 to 2018. The driving mechanism behind the spatial evolution of logistics in both land use and facilities has been compared in a bidirectional path. The results show that: 1) Both logistics land use and facilities exhibit a suburbanization trend characterized by a “center-periphery” non-equilibrium spread in space, and the evolution pattern of higher development in west and lower development in the east of the Yangtze River. The growth of small-sized facilities has basically formed a self-organizing spatial pattern in line with the structure of residents' demand. 2) The co-location indices (CLI) between logistics land use and facilities have shown a consistent decline from 2010 to 2018. This decline suggests an increasingly pronounced issue of spatial mismatch between logistics land use planning and actual facilities allocation, resulting in an unbalanced allocation of logistics resources and inefficient logistics activities. 3) Both logistics land use and large facilities concentrate in urban fringe areas due to its sensitivity to land price. The small-sized facilities tend to locate in residential area in central region. Finally, policy implications have been provided to guide practical planning and support the sustainable development of logistics.

Construction of ecological network based on habitat risks identifying by points of interest: A case study of Wuhan Metropolitan Area.

Ecological network construction plays a key role in ecological restoration, which can effectively mitigate negative effects of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity. Here, we proposed an improved analytical framework for ecological network identification. Specifically, ecological sources were identified using a three-dimension indicator system in terms of form, quality and functions of habitats. Ecological resistance surfaces were determined based on the incorporation of points of interest data that could characterize human activities into habitat risk assessment (HRA) model, while ecological corridors were extracted using circuit theory approach. With Wuhan Metropolitan Area as a case, we explored the key points and structures of ecological network. Moreover, we compared the construction method of ecological resistance surface based on points of interest and HRA model with traditional methods that determined by land use types and by traditional HRA model, to validate the proposed framework. The results showed that the ecological source area of Wuhan Metropolitan Area was 15200 km2, the length of ecological corridor was 1956.68 km, and that there were 87 ecological "pinch points" and 67 ecological barrier points. Compared with traditional methods, the material circulation, network complexity, and ecological connectivity of the ecological network identified by the improved framework were significantly improved, with network closure, dot-line ratio, and network connectivity being increased by 61.5%, 28.1% and 28.7% on average. The identified ecological "pinch points" and barrier points could provide precise decision-making support for ecological restoration and conservation.

Revealing intra-urban hierarchical spatial structure through representation learning by combining road network abstraction model and taxi trajectory data

ABSTRACT The unprecedented urbanization in China has dramatically changed the urban spatial structure of cities. With the proliferation of individual-level geospatial big data, previous studies have widely used the network abstraction model to reveal the underlying urban spatial structure. However, the construction of network abstraction models primarily focuses on the topology of the road network without considering individual travel flows along with the road networks. Individual travel flows reflect the urban dynamics, which can further help understand the underlying spatial structure. This study therefore aims to reveal the intra-urban hierarchical spatial structure by integrating the road network abstraction model and individual travel flows. To achieve this goal, we 1) quantify the spatial interaction relatedness of road segments based on the Word2Vec model using large volumes of taxi trip data, then 2) characterize the road abstraction network model according to the identified spatial interaction relatedness, and 3) implement a community detection algorithm to reveal sub-regions of a city. Our results reveal three levels of hierarchical spatial structures in the Wuhan metropolitan area. This study provides a data-driven approach to the investigation of urban spatial structure via identifying traffic interaction patterns on the road network, offering insights to urban planning practice and transportation management.