Search Results (247)

Urban perception research has long focused on global metropolises, but has overlooked many cities with complex functions and spatial structures, resulting in insufficient universality of existing theories when facing diverse urban contexts. This study constructed an analytical framework that integrates street scene images and interpretable machine learning. Taking Zhengzhou City as the research object, it extracted street visual elements based on deep learning technology and systematically analyzed the formation mechanism of multi-dimensional urban perception by combining the LightGBM model and SHAP method. The main findings of the research are as follows: (1) The urban perception of Zhengzhou City shows a significant east–west difference with Zhongzhou Avenue as the boundary. Positive perceptions such as safety and vitality are concentrated in the central business district and historical districts, while negative perceptions are more common in the urban fringe areas with chaotic built environments and single functions. (2) The visibility of greenery, the openness of the sky and the continuity of the building interface are identified as key visual elements affecting perception, and their directions and intensifies of action show significant differences due to different perception dimensions. (3) The influence of visual elements on perception has a complex mechanism of action. For instance, the promoting effect of greenery visibility on beauty perception tends to level off after reaching a certain threshold. The research results of this study can provide quantitative basis and strategic reference for the improvement in urban space quality and humanized street design. Full article

Urban surface subsidence is primarily induced by intensive above-ground and underground construction activities and excessive groundwater extraction. Integrating InSAR techniques for safety monitoring of urban subway infrastructure is therefore of great significance for urban safety and sustainable development. However, single-track high-spatial-resolution SAR imagery is insufficient to achieve full coverage over large urban areas, and direct mosaicking of inter-track InSAR results may introduce systematic biases, thereby compromising the continuity and consistency of deformation fields at the regional scale. To address this issue, this study proposes an inter-track InSAR correction and mosaicking approach based on the mean vertical deformation difference within overlapping areas, aiming to mitigate the overall offset between deformation results derived from different tracks and to construct a spatially continuous urban surface deformation field. Based on the fused deformation results, subsidence characteristics along subway lines and in key urban infrastructures were further analyzed. The main urban area and the eastern and western new districts of Zhengzhou, a national central city in China, were selected as the study area. A total of 16 Radarsat-2 SAR scenes acquired from two tracks during 2022–2024, with a spatial resolution of 3 m, were processed using the SBAS-InSAR technique to retrieve surface deformation. The results indicate that the mean deformation rate difference in the overlapping areas between the two SAR tracks is approximately −5.54 mm/a. After applying the difference-constrained correction, the coefficient of determination (R²) between the mosaicked InSAR results and leveling observations increased to 0.739, while the MAE and RMSE decreased to 4.706 and 5.538 mm, respectively, demonstrating good stability in achieving inter-track consistency and continuous regional deformation representation. Analysis of the corrected InSAR results reveals that, during 2022–2024, areas exhibiting uplift and subsidence trends accounted for 37.6% and 62.4% of the study area, respectively, while the proportions of cumulative subsidence and uplift areas were 66.45% and 33.55%. In the main urban area, surface deformation rates are generally stable and predominantly within ±5 mm/a, whereas subsidence rates in the eastern new district are significantly higher than those in the main urban area and the western new district. Along subway lines, deformation rates are mainly within ±5 mm/a, with relatively larger deformation observed only in localized sections of the eastern segment of Line 1. Further analysis of typical zones along the subway corridors shows that densely built areas in the western part of the main urban area remain relatively stable, while building-concentrated areas in the eastern region exhibit a persistent relative subsidence trend. Overall, the results demonstrate that the proposed inter-track InSAR mosaicking method based on the mean deformation difference in overlapping areas can effectively support subsidence monitoring and spatial pattern identification along urban subway lines and key regions under relative calibration conditions, providing reliable remote sensing information for refined urban management and infrastructure risk assessment. Full article

As a pivotal driver of high-quality development, new quality productivity (NQP) forms an indispensable synergistic relationship with land use efficiency (LUE) for achieving regional sustainability. Based on panel data from 29 prefecture-level cities in the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration (CPUA) from 2010 to 2023, this study integrates the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method, super-efficiency Slack-Based Measure (SBM) model, Malmquist index, and fixed-effects models to systematically explore the spatiotemporal evolution of NQP and its underlying impact mechanism on LUE. Key findings reveal: (1) The comprehensive NQP index of the CPUA increased from 0.280 to 0.828, exhibiting a “stepwise rise” trend, with a spatial pattern characterized by a “core–secondary–periphery” three-tier gradient distribution. Zhengzhou, as the core growth pole, played an innovative leading role, while peripheral cities (e.g., Handan, Hebi) remained constrained by resource-dependent economic structures, with NQP indices consistently below 0.2. (2) The average LUE in the study area increased from 0.917 to 1.031. Cities within Henan Province generally performed better than those in Hebei, Shanxi, and Anhui provinces. Total factor productivity grew at an average annual rate of 16.4%, with technological progress serving as the primary driver. (3) NQP exerts a significantly positive impact on LUE, yet with notable heterogeneity: large-scale cities enhanced intensive land use substantially through technological agglomeration and industrial upgrading; cities with scarce arable land and high economic development levels effectively leveraged NQP to boost LUE; in contrast, small cities, regions rich in arable land, and areas with low economic development have not established effective synergistic mechanisms, hindered by limited technological absorption capacity, path dependence, and factor bottlenecks. This study provides empirical support and actionable insights for optimizing land resource allocation and advancing coordinated development between NQP and LUE in similar urban agglomerations. Full article

Balancing tourism industry (TI) growth and ecological protection is critical for sustainable development in the Yellow River Basin (YRB), China’s vital ecological security barrier and economic belt. However, existing research lacks a spatial perspective on the coordinated development between TI and inclusive green growth (IGG), with limited understanding of cross-regional spillover mechanisms. Based on panel data from 75 cities in the YRB (2011–2023), this study constructs a comprehensive evaluation system encompassing the scale, structure, and potential dimensions of the TI and the economic, social, livelihood, and environmental dimensions of IGG. The study employs the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model, exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA), and the Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) to examine spatiotemporal evolution and spillover effects. The results reveal an upward yet fluctuating coordination trend with pronounced spatial heterogeneity, characterized by a “downstream–midstream–upstream” gradient pattern, dual-core radiation centered on the Jinan–Qingdao and Xi’an–Zhengzhou agglomerations, and persistent High–High clusters in the Shandong Peninsula contrasted with Low–Low clusters in the upstream Qinghai–Gansu–Ningxia region. Critically, new-quality productive forces exert significant positive direct and spillover effects, while industrial structure and government intervention have inhibitory spatial effects on adjacent cities. Regional heterogeneity analysis confirms factor-endowment-driven differentiation across upstream, midstream, and downstream areas. These findings advance spatial spillover theory in river basin contexts and provide evidence-based pathways for balancing economic growth with ecological protection in ecologically sensitive regions worldwide, directly supporting multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

Systematically assessing the supply–demand disparities of urban–rural ecosystem services (ES) is a key pathway to optimizing resource allocation, promoting urban–rural integration and advancing regional sustainable development. Taking Zhengzhou City as a case study, this research evaluates and compares urban–rural differences across four dimensions: potential supply, actual supply, real human needs (RHN), and effective supply. Furthermore, focusing on actual supply, the study integrates a geographical detector and Bayesian belief network to identify key driving factors, delineate optimal optimization zones, and propose differentiated management strategies. The results show that: (1) Urban RHN accounts for 69.70% of the total in Zhengzhou, with a spatial pattern of “higher in the east and core, lower in the west and periphery”, and the internal heterogeneity is significantly greater than that of rural areas. (2) Potential supply is “higher in rural areas and in the west”, whereas actual supply is concentrated in central urban districts, reflecting a net service flow from rural to urban areas. (3) High-level effective supply areas cover 37.28% of urban regions, about 18 percentage points higher than rural regions. Rural deficits are primarily caused by low conversion efficiency of supply rather than insufficient potential. (4) Optimal urban optimization zones are mainly distributed in peripheral urban streets, while rural zones are concentrated in eastern townships. Through multidimensional supply–demand comparison and spatial optimization, this study provides a scientific basis for the coordinated enhancement of urban–rural ES, differentiated governance and regional sustainable development. Full article

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbiotic associations with most vascular plants and play an important role in immobilizing heavy metals in soil. Urban green space ecosystems are increasingly affected by heavy metal pollution; however, how different types of green spaces influence AMF diversity, stability, and coexistence mechanisms under heavy metal stress remains unclear. Here, heavy metal-contaminated soil samples were collected from Zhengzhou, China—a large city in the warm temperate monsoon zone of the North China Plain—to conduct high-throughput sequencing and analyze AMF community assembly. (1) AMF community composition varied significantly among green space types, with higher diversity in park green spaces (Shannon = 21.24 ± 2.24) than in street green spaces (Shannon = 11.36 ± 1.17). (2) Heavy metals were the primary factors driving AMF community assembly. Stochastic processes, mainly dispersal limitation, dominated AMF assembly across sites, with a stronger influence in street green spaces. (3) Specialist taxa (mainly Glomus and Claroideoglomus) exhibited higher network connectivity and stability in park green spaces, whereas generalist taxa maintained network resilience in street green spaces. This study elucidates the ecological processes shaping AMF communities in urban ecosystems and provides a scientific basis for AMF-based approaches to heavy metal remediation and sustainable management of urban green spaces. Full article

In the process of global urbanization, the shortage of land resources and traffic congestion are prominent. China’s urban rail transit has developed rapidly in recent years. At present, the public transport-oriented Transit-Oriented Development model with “transportation + business + residence” as the core is the core of the sustainable development of high urban rate. The underground space of Transit-Oriented Development faces extreme operational pressure and environmental comfort challenges in special periods such as the Spring Festival (personnel activities during weekends and important holidays in China) due to its strong closure, large population flow, high functional density, and the superposition of large passenger flow, commercial operation and rail transit activities. Due to the adult flow and complex physical field, the traditional single physical field research method has been unable to solve the problem of human comfort evaluation in complex environment. Based on the concept of sustainable development of underground space, this study takes a Transit-Oriented Development underground space in Zhengzhou City, central China as the research object. It explores the change law of multi-physical field environment of underground space under the superposition of ‘population density doubling and underground space shop operation’. The comprehensive comfort evaluation model suitable for this scene is established by Analytic Hierarchy Process–entropy weight method. It provides a theoretical basis for the design of Transit-Oriented Development underground space and the reduction in operating energy consumption. Full article

A significant transition is taking place in China’s urban development, which is moving away from rapid expansion and towards improved quality and efficiency. The distribution of primary education resources is thus experiencing a substantial change: transitioning from a traditional emphasis on merely providing school placements to becoming a systematic effort intricately linked with the functional attributes of adjacent urban environments. Nonetheless, current research has not comprehensively examined the relational dynamics between primary schools and adjacent facilities, nor the discrepancies in these dynamics across various cities. This study analyzes nine major Chinese cities as case studies to investigate the compatibility between elementary schools and adjacent infrastructure. It develops a compatibility model through data gathering, feature selection, and model validation. Significant findings indicate the following: (1) The models trained using several machine learning methods to assess the suitability of primary schools in nine cities for their surrounding facilities all obtained accuracy rates surpassing 72%, with Random Forest displaying the most consistent performance across several cities. (2) Developed cities prioritize spatial coordination among schools, with the SHAP feature representing 20.37% of its significance; conversely, less developed cities exhibit a stronger inclination towards coordinated placement with educational and training facilities, where the SHAP feature constitutes 20.52% of its significance. (3) The compatibility of primary schools with surrounding facilities suggests that Guangzhou, Zhengzhou, and Chongqing possess considerable prospective need for education, whereas the existing distribution in Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin is rather well-structured. This study provides a novel, data-driven framework for optimizing educational resource allocation, offering critical insights for achieving sustainable urban development and quality education in China’s cities as they evolve. Full article

This study examines the evolution of the Yellow River Basin’s urban corporate network from 2003 to 2023, aiming to understand how intercity connectivity and decision-making authority have developed. Using headquarters–subsidiary linkages of listed firms, we measure connectivity and control of cities within the urban system and employ spatial error models to identify their main determinants. The results show that the network has become denser and more geographically inclusive, especially in the middle and lower reaches. However, a clear hierarchy remains, and upstream integration stays limited. Community structures are anchored by capitals, and multi-core patterns strengthen over time. Coastal hubs in Shandong handle the most significant volumes of ties, while interior capitals such as Zhengzhou, Lanzhou, Xi’an, and Taiyuan concentrate authority—a contrast that has intensified since 2013. Connectivity and control often diverge, and disparities in both have increased. Administrative rank remains the strongest predictor of a city’s position, although its influence has decreased as factors such as openness, development, producer services, and innovation have gained importance. Transportation accessibility and human capital consistently support both connectivity and control, while government intervention initially restricts network roles but becomes less influential over time. These findings suggest that intercity corporate linkages have expanded, yet decision-making authority has not dispersed and remains concentrated in a small set of capitals. Governance that coordinates across provinces is necessary to ensure that increasing linkages translate into shared economic opportunities while protecting the basin’s fragile ecological environment. Full article

The Yellow River Basin faces severe challenges in water security and ecological protection: at the basin scale, complex hydrological processes and fragile ecosystems undermine the water security pattern; at the local scale, waterlogging risks have intensified in Zhengzhou—a core city in the lower reaches—impacting the city itself and also exerting negative effects on the basin’s water security. To address this, mapping the scientific layout of green infrastructure (GI) is urgent. However, existing studies on GI layout at the basin-urban scale have certain limitations: neglect of underlying surface spatial heterogeneity, insufficient integration of natural, hydrological and social factors’ synergies, and lack of research on large-scale basins and cities, especially ecologically sensitive areas with complex hydrological processes. To fill these gaps, this study proposes an integrated framework (SCS–GIS–MCDM) combining the SCS hydrological model, GIS spatial analysis, and multi-criteria decision making (MCDM). The SCS hydrological model is refined via localized parameter calibration for better accuracy; indicator weights are determined through the MCDM framework; and green infrastructure (GI) suitability maps are generated by integrating ArcGIS spatial analysis with fuzzy logic. Results show that (1) 6.8% of Zhengzhou is highly suitable for GI, mainly in riparian areas and the Yellow River alluvial plain; (2) sensitivity analysis confirms flooded areas and runoff corridors as key drivers; (3) spatial validation against government-issued ecological control zone plans demonstrates the model’s value in balancing flood safety and socio-economy. This framework provides a replicable application model for GI construction in cities along the Yellow River Basin, thereby supporting urban planners in making evidence-based decisions for sustainable blue–green space planning. Full article

Addressing the imbalance between supply and demand for urban parks necessitates an assessment of their service accessibility and spatial equity. This study integrates multi-source geographic data, uses multiple data sources to generate a population distribution with high spatial resolution, and constructs park service areas with multiple time thresholds based on travel preference surveys. The network analysis method is used to evaluate the supply–demand ratio and spatial equity by using location entropy, Lorenz curves, and the Gini coefficient to identify the optimal location. The results reveal a significant difference in the supply–demand ratio of parks. Within the 5 min time threshold, only 14.68% of the pixels in the park supply area meet the needs of residents, while the proportions for the 15 min and 30 min time service area expands to 71.74% and 86.34%, respectively. The distribution of parks exhibits apparent spatial inequity. Equity is highest for the 15 min service area (Gini coefficient = 0.25), followed by the 30 min area (Gini coefficient = 0.27) and 5 min areas (Gini coefficient = 0.37). Among the 80 streets in the study area, the per capita green space location entropy of 11 streets is zero. A targeted site selection analysis for areas with park supply deficiencies led to the proposed addition of 11 new parks. After this optimization, the proportion of regions achieving supply–demand balance or better reached 80.38%, significantly alleviating the supply–demand conflict. This study reveals the characteristics of park supply–demand imbalance and spatial equity under different travel modes and time thresholds, providing a scientific basis for the precise planning and equity enhancement of parks in high-density cities. Full article

To address the flood risks driven by climate change and urbanization, this study proposes the DRIRA model (Driving Force, Resistance, Influence, Recoverability, Adaptability). Distinct from BRIC (Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities) and PEOPLES (Population, Environmental/Ecosystem, Organized Governmental Services, Physical Infrastructure, Lifestyle, Economic Development, Social–Cultural Capital), the model emphasizes dynamic interactions across the entire disaster lifecycle, introduces the “Influence” dimension, and integrates SNA (Social Network Analysis) with a modified gravity model to reveal cascading effects and resilience linkages among cities. Based on an empirical study of 30 cities in the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration, and using a combination of entropy weighting, a modified spatial gravity model, and social network analysis, the study finds that: (1) Urban flood resilience increased by 35.5% from 2012 to 2021, but spatial polarization intensified, with Zhengzhou emerging as the dominant core and peripheral cities falling behind; (2) Economic development, infrastructure investment, and intersectoral governance coordination are the primary factors driving resilience differentiation; (3) Intercity resilience connectivity has strengthened, yet administrative fragmentation continues to undermine collaborative effectiveness. In response, three strategic pathways are proposed: coordinated development of sponge and resilient infrastructure, activation of flood insurance market mechanisms, and intelligent cross-regional dispatch of emergency resources. These strategies offer a scientifically grounded framework for balancing physical flood defenses with institutional resilience in high-risk urban regions. Full article

The prepared food market has undergone significant growth in response to the contemporary fast-paced lifestyle. This growth has resulted in recurring safety concerns, which have diminished consumer confidence and hindered the industry’s expansion. Analyzing the factors affecting the perceived safety risk of prepared food is essential in this context. This study utilizes consumers of prepared food in Zhengzhou, a newly designated first-tier city in China, as survey participants. This study constructs a research model based on 585 valid questionnaires to systematically investigate the key factors influencing consumers’ perceived risk regarding the safety of prepared food. The findings indicated that perceived risk was adversely affected by the nutritional balance, technical safety, and governance trust. The nutritional balance influences perceived risk indirectly through its impact on technical safety. Governance trust plays a moderating role between technical safety and perceived risk. The higher the governance trust, the stronger the impact of technical safety on reducing perceived risk. This study serves as a valuable resource for governmental oversight and the expansion of prepared food enterprises. Businesses can enhance technical safety, optimize product composition, and cultivate customer trust. To promote sustainable growth in the prepared food industry, the government can improve industry standards and strengthen oversight. Full article

Urban park green space (UPGS) is a key component of urban green infrastructure, yet it faces multiple contradictions, such as insufficient quantity and uneven distribution. Taking Zhengzhou City as a case study, this research explored the impacts of temporal thresholds and the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) on UPGS accessibility and equity. An improved multi-modal Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (G2SFCA) method was employed to measure UPGS accessibility, while the Gini coefficient and Lorenz curve were used to analyze its equity. The results show that (1) UPGS presents a dual-core agglomeration feature, with accessibility blind spots surrounding the edge of the study area and relatively low equity in the western and southern regions; (2) changes in temporal thresholds and spatial scales have a significant impact on UPGS accessibility (p < 0.001), whereas their impact on equity is minor; and (3) UPGS distribution suffers from spatial imbalance, with a huge disparity in resource allocation. This study overcomes the limitations of traditional evaluation methods that rely on a single mode or ignore scale effects and provides a more scientific analytical framework for accurately identifying the spatial heterogeneity of UPGS accessibility and the imbalance between supply and demand. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study characterized the endogenous peptide profile of human milk from a Chinese multicenter cohort (n = 200 mothers) using the Orbitrap Fusion Lumos LC-MS/MS. Methods: Samples were collected across different lactation stages (2 and 6 months postpartum) and seven geographic regions (Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Jinhua, Lanzhou, Weihai, and Zhengzhou). Results: In total, 6960 peptides derived from 621 proteins were identified. Peptides from the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (PIGR) were more abundant in the 2nd month than the 6th month, providing a high antimicrobial activity and immune functions for the infants. Moreover, region-specific variations were observed, with milk from Lanzhou exhibiting significantly higher levels of β-casein (CASB) and butyrophilin subfamily 1 member A1 (BTN1A1) peptides compared to other cities. Conclusions: Furthermore, maternal dietary intake of oils and total fat correlated positively with the intensity of specific antimicrobial peptides, including CASB_199–216, CASB_200–226, and CASB_201–226. Infant growth parameters were inversely correlated with several antimicrobial peptides, although CASB_200–225 demonstrated positive associations. These findings offer novel insights into the dynamics of endogenous peptides in human milk and may guide breastfeeding recommendations and infant formula design. Full article