Search Results (401)

Traditional villages in ecologically fragile and multi-ethnic frontier regions are increasingly threatened by rapid urbanization and socio-economic transformation. Northwestern Yunnan, located in the longitudinal valleys of the Hengduan Mountains, represents a key cultural landscape of plateau agropastoral civilization and ethnic interaction, yet its spatial organization and clustering mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. This study develops a four-dimensional analytical framework integrating four dimensions—spatial morphology (village distribution patterns and density), geomorphological conditions (elevation, slope, and terrain features), cultural attributes (ethnic composition and historical-cultural corridors), and architectural typologies (dominant residential structure types) to examine 246 officially recognized traditional villages. Using GIS-based spatial statistics, kernel density estimation (KDE), spatial autocorrelation, and a hierarchical overlay model, the study identifies the spatial structure (distribution patterns and density gradients), environmental adaptability (relationships with elevation, slope, and hydrological conditions), and multidimensional clustering characteristics (integrated clustering intensity across four analytical dimensions) of settlements. The results reveal a highly uneven and a statistically significant clustered spatial pattern (R = 0.606, Moran’s I = 0.251, p < 0.05) characterized by a “two corridors–six clusters–multiple nodes” structure. Settlement distribution demonstrates strong coupling with mid-elevation plateau basins, river valley systems, and trade-cultural corridors shaped by the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Multidimensional integration further classifies villages into three typologies—comprehensive, specialized, and general clusters—reflecting different levels of coordination among spatial, environmental, cultural, and architectural dimensions. These findings reveal the spatial regularities and multidimensional clustering characteristics of officially recognized traditional villages in Northwestern Yunnan, and suggest that environmental setting, historical corridors, and cultural-architectural features jointly shape the current recognized heritage landscape. The proposed framework provides a context-sensitive basis for differentiated heritage conservation and rural management in mountainous multi-ethnic regions. Full article

China’s rapidly aging population poses a significant challenge to the equitable allocation of primary healthcare resources. Conventional accessibility assessments often rely solely on economic indicators, overlooking the ecological constraints that shape human settlement and service provision. To address this problem, this study proposes a socio-ecological framework integrating remote sensing data with spatial accessibility modeling. This study employs the Vegetation Nighttime Condition Index (VNCI)—a fusion of VIIRS nighttime lights and MODIS NDVI—as a proxy for human activity intensity under ecological constraints. The spatial accessibility of primary healthcare for the elderly (aged 65+) is evaluated across 31 provinces in mainland China using the Enhanced Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (2SFCA) method. Furthermore, a coupling coordination model and the Relative Development Index (RDI) are applied to examine the relative alignment between healthcare accessibility and the socio-ecological development context represented by VNCI. Empirical results reveal a distinct East–West gradient. Eastern coastal regions exhibit high accessibility; however, the coupling analysis identifies that healthcare accessibility lags behind high socio-ecological development intensity (low RDI). Conversely, western and rural regions generally suffer from a “low-level trap,” characterized by both low accessibility and weak socio-ecological coordination. The findings demonstrate that satellite-derived indices like VNCI effectively capture fine-scale human-environment interactions, offering a basis for spatially differentiated healthcare planning. Full article

The digital economy is reshaping urban development and may contribute to more inclusive and sustainable cities. Using the 2016 and 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS), this study constructs a city-level digital economy index covering digital industrialization, industrial digitization, and digital infrastructure, and examines its effects on migrants’ settlement intentions. The results show that the digital economy significantly promotes migrants’ settlement intentions, with digital industrialization as the primary driver. The positive effect is more robust for long-term settlement intention, whereas its association with hukou transfer intention is less stable. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the effect is stronger among women and highly educated migrants, but weaker among migrants with rural hukou. It is also more pronounced in cities with lower ecological quality and varies across regions and city sizes. Mechanism analysis suggests that the digital economy promotes settlement intentions mainly through social integration and income enhancement, thereby supporting more stable and sustainable urban living by facilitating migrants’ long-term integration into host cities. Digital industrialization plays a stronger role in the social integration channel, whereas industrial digitization is more strongly linked to income enhancement. These findings suggest that digital development can contribute to inclusive and sustainable urbanization in the digital era by improving employment quality, narrowing the digital divide, strengthening migrants’ social integration, and promoting more differentiated urban governance. Full article

Driven by the goal of carbon neutrality, low-carbon development in township spaces is essential for sustainable urban–rural growth. This paper employs a carbon accounting methodology, taking Fuqiushan Town in the Dongting Lake Ecological Economic Zone as a case study to develop a detailed carbon measurement inventory at the township scale. Using spatial analysis techniques, it synthesizes multi-source data—including land use, agricultural inputs, and population—to estimate emissions from key sources such as crop cultivation, livestock and poultry breeding, industrial production, and residential activities. The study also evaluates the carbon sequestration capacity of sinks such as woodlands and water bodies, enabling the spatial visualization of both carbon emissions and carbon sinks. Key findings include: (1) Fuqiushan Town exhibits a carbon emission profile characterized by “industrial activities as the primary source, supplemented by agriculture, with additional contributions from residential and transportation sectors,” while forested areas and water bodies serve as core carbon sink zones. (2) An innovative multidimensional indicator system for low-carbon development efficiency was established, consisting of the Low-Carbon Development Efficiency Index in Production, the Daily Life Carbon Responsibility Efficiency Index, and the Ecological Carbon Sink Efficiency Index, which together form a Comprehensive Efficiency Index for Low-Carbon Development. (3) Analysis reveals significant spatial coupling relationships and efficiency differentiation patterns among carbon emissions, industrial structure, energy dependence, and ecological background. Based on dominant carbon emission types, low-carbon efficiency thresholds, and spatial factor interactions, the 17 villages and one forest farm in the township are classified into five zones: “Industrial High-Carbon Transition Zone,” “Agricultural Pollution Reduction and Carbon Emission Reduction Synergy Zone,” “Ecological Low-Carbon Conservation Zone,” “Human Settlements Balanced Development Zone,” and “Ecological Core Zone.” Tailored low-carbon spatial planning strategies for material resources are proposed for each zone. These results offer quantitative support and spatially targeted insights for low-carbon spatial planning in ecologically sensitive townships, contributing to the achievement of objectives such as “carbon reduction and sink increase” and “rural revitalization.” Full article

Mobility of the migrant population plays a crucial role in shaping urban spaces, neighbourhood change and socio-economic development. While extensive research has been conducted on the spatio-temporal dynamics of migration in large metropolitan areas, there remains a notable lack of understanding of the impact of migration on medium-sized cities, on their internal spatial distribution and socio-spatial differentiation. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the urban settlement patterns of migrants in two medium-sized Danish cities: Aalborg and Odense. The research explores the intra-urban spatial distribution of various migrant groups, considering their origins and residential preferences. Additionally, it analyses the social and structural pull-factor proxies that influence these patterns, including urban housing market dynamics and access to amenities and services. Through an exploratory spatial analysis and data visualisation approach, this study reveals detailed insights into the determinants of migrant settlement. The findings indicate a significant intra-urban concentration of certain migrant groups, especially in the city centres, which often correspond to areas with a higher concentration of essential amenities. By focusing on mid-sized cities and adopting a case-based, comparative methodology through an extensive data visualisation approach, this research enhances urban science knowledge by illuminating underexplored urban contexts and providing a fresh view on the interplay between migration, urban development and spatial planning in medium-sized cities. Full article

Forest fires are becoming increasingly prevalent and destructive in many regions of the world, posing significant threats to biodiversity, ecosystems, human settlements, climate, and the economy. The United States of America (USA), Australia, Canada, Greece and Portugal are five regions that have experienced enormous forest fires. One way to reduce the size and rage of forest fires is by decreasing the amount of flammable material in forests. This can be achieved using autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) specialized in vegetation cutting and equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to identify and differentiate between vegetation that should be preserved and material that should be removed as potential fire fuel. In this paper, an innovative study of forest vegetation detection, classification and 3D localization using ground vehicles’ RGB and depth images is presented to support autonomous forest cleaning operations to prevent fires. The presented work, which is a continuation of a previous research, presents a method for 3D objects localization in the real-world using Deep Learning Object Detection (DLOD) combined with an RGB-D camera. It presents and compares results of eight recent high-performance DLOD architectures, YOLOv5, YOLOv7, YOLOv8, YOLO-NAS, YOLOv9, YOLOv10, YOLO11 and YOLOv12, to detect and classify forest vegetation in five classes: “Grass”, “Live vegetation”, “Cut vegetation”, “Dead vegetation”, and “Tree-trunk”. For the training of the DLOD models, our custom dataset acquired in dense forests in Portugal is used. A methodology that combines the best DLOD trained for vegetation detection and classification and an RGB-D camera for the 3D localization of the classified detected objects in the real-world. The presented methods are employed in an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) to localize forest vegetation that needs to be thinned for fire prevention purposes. A key challenge for autonomous forest vegetation cleaning is the reliable discrimination of objects that need to be identified to reach the goal of fire prevention using autonomous unmanned ground vehicles in dense forests. With the obtained results, forest vegetation is precisely detected, classified and localized using the DL models and the localization method presented. Also, the fastest DLOD architecture to train is YOLOv5, and the fastest to infer are YOLOv7 and YOLOv12. The innovation presented is the detection, classification, and 3D localization of the vegetation using DLOD architectures, in real-time, with a localization error of the real-world object in width, height and depth under 21.4, 20.7 and 11%, respectively, using only a depth camera and a processing unit. The 3D localized objects are defined as parallelepiped geometrical shapes. The methodology for vegetation detection, classification and localization presented in this paper is highly suitable for future autonomous forest vegetation cleansing, specialized using unmanned ground vehicles. Full article

In ecologically fragile and geomorphologically complex mountainous regions, ensuring a smooth transition from poverty alleviation to multidimensional sustainable rural development remains a key issue in regional governance. Focusing on the Qinba Mountains, a typical former contiguous poverty-stricken region in China covering 18 prefecture-level cities in six provinces, this study uses 2009–2023 prefecture-level panel data to examine the spatiotemporal evolution and driving mechanisms of coordinated rural revitalization. An integrated framework of “multi-dimensional evaluation–spatiotemporal tracking–attribution diagnosis” is developed by combining the improved AHP–entropy-weight TOPSIS method, the Coupling Coordination Degree (CCD) model, spatial Markov chains, spatial autocorrelation, and the Geodetector. The results show pronounced subsystem asynchrony. Livelihood and Well-being Security (U5) improves steadily, while Level of Industrial Development (U1), Civic Virtues and Cultural Vibrancy (U3), and Rural Governance (U4) also rise but with clear spatial differentiation; by contrast, Quality of Human Settlements (U2) fluctuates in stages under ecological fragility. Overall, the coupling coordination level advances from the Verge of Imbalance to Intermediate Coordination, yet the regional pattern remains uneven, with eastern basin cities leading and western deep mountainous cities lagging. State transitions display both policy responsiveness and path dependence: the probability of retaining the original state ranges from 50.0% to 90.5%; low-level neighborhoods reduce the upward transition probability to 25%, whereas medium-to-high-level neighborhoods raise the upward transition probability of low-level cities from 36.36% to 53.33%. Spatial dependence is also evident, with Global Moran’s I increasing, with fluctuations, from 0.331 in 2009 to 0.536 in 2023; high-value clusters extend along the Guanzhong Plain–Han River Valley corridor, while low-value clusters remain relatively locked in mountainous border areas. Driving mechanisms show clear stage-wise succession. At the single-factor level, the explanatory power of Road Network Density (F6) declines from 0.639 to 0.287, whereas Terrain Relief Amplitude (F1) becomes the dominant background constraint in the later stage (q = 0.772). Multi-factor interactions are generally enhanced. In particular, the traditional infrastructure-led pathway weakens markedly, with F1 ∩ F6 = 0.055 in 2023, while the interaction between terrain and consumer market vitality becomes dominant, with F1 ∩ F7 = 0.987 in 2023. On this basis, three major pathways are identified: government fiscal intervention and transportation accessibility improvement, capital agglomeration and market demand stimulation, and human–earth system adaptation and ecological value realization. These findings provide quantitative evidence for breaking spatial lock-in and improving cross-regional resource allocation in ecologically constrained mountainous regions. Full article

This study presents a comparative analysis of residential segregation among the three largest foreign-born populations residing in Spain: Moroccans, Romanians, and Colombians. Using data from Spain’s Population and Housing Census (INE), the research analyzed the segregation index across 34 urban areas in medium-sized cities. Three urban areas in Catalonia were selected for the intraurban case studies, and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated for 60 sociodemographic variables. The objectives were to identify indicators that helped diagnose potential segregation contexts and to explore residential patterns by country of origin. The study was grounded in a central premise: the foreign-born population cannot be treated as a homogeneous group, as aggregation conceals group-specific inequalities and differentiated spatial configurations. The findings showed that segregation occurred. Moroccans exhibited the highest levels of segregation, which was associated with socioeconomic vulnerability and also a marked residential preference for central urban areas. Colombians displayed lower levels of segregation and greater territorial dispersion, pointing to broader residential access. Romanians presented intermediate and heterogeneous patterns, which combined localized concentrations with peripheral settlement. The results highlighted how intraurban differentiation emerged from interactions between different migrant profiles, housing opportunity structures, and urban morphology, providing an empirical basis on which to design targeted urban policies. Full article

Iron Age settlements in the Salento peninsula (Southern Italy, 8th–6th century BC) underwent fundamental transformations in social organization, marked by the emergence of local elites through trade development and intense contacts with the Greek world. This study examines organic residue assemblages from 99 ceramic sherds from one key Iron Age site to clarify the role of locally produced ceramics—both coarse ware containers and Japigian matt-painted vessels—in commensal and beverage production practices. Chromatographic analyses identified a wide variety of animal and plant by-products, including fats, oils, waxes, and resin compounds. Integrated phytolith and starch analysis revealed evidence consistent with fermentation processes, particularly through the identification of fungal remains and damaged starch granules suggesting brewing activities in a subset of vessels. Matt-painted pottery forms—characterized by conical rims, funnel-shaped necks, bowls, and jugs—show distinctive use-alteration patterns and residue profiles associated with fermented beverage consumption and preparation in approximately 26% of the analyzed assemblage. Integrating organic residue analysis, experimental archaeology, and microfossil investigation suggests the central role of locally produced pottery in Iron Age commensal activities and status display, though alternative interpretations for some biomarker profiles cannot be excluded. This multiproxy approach demonstrates functional differentiation and consumption practices, refining interpretations of vessel use and providing new insights into food economies and social life during the Iron Age in southern Italy. Full article

The global mental health issue is becoming increasingly prominent. The fair supply of psychological therapeutic landscape spaces in urban high-density residential areas is a core path to ensuring the physical and mental health of residents and maintaining social health equity. This study takes the theory of spatial justice as the core framework, selects 20 typical high-density residential areas in Shijiazhuang City as empirical samples, and collects basic data through structured questionnaire surveys and on-site observations to explore the justice dilemma, evaluation system, and group demand differentiation characteristics of psychological therapeutic landscape spaces in high-density residential areas. The research results show that there are three core injustice problems in the psychological therapeutic landscape spaces of high-density residential areas: insufficient spatial inclusiveness, lack of ecological space justice, and incomplete facilities and management systems. Residents’ evaluations of the spatial justice of therapeutic landscapes can be divided into four dimensions: practical, ecological, social, and management. Among them, the ecological dimension is the core dimension that residents pay the most attention to. Individual characteristics such as gender, age, identity category, community activity duration, and governance participation willingness have a significant impact on residents’ evaluations of spatial justice. This study constructs an evaluation system for the spatial justice of therapeutic landscape spaces suitable for high-density residential areas, providing theoretical support and practical guidance for the planning, design, and optimization and renewal of fair and inclusive psychological therapeutic landscapes in high-density residential areas in northern China. At the same time, it provides a scientific basis for the construction of healthy cities and the practical application of spatial justice in the field of human settlements. Full article

The current global population aging trend has intensified, especially in rural areas. As vital spatial carriers supporting multiple activities of older adults, rural human settlements have become key settings for addressing the challenges of aging. However, current efforts to improve rural human settlements primarily focus on enhancing the overall appearance of villages. This approach fails to adequately address the specific needs of older adults. Chongqing is a typical mountainous city, facing deep aging and significant regional disparities. It is also confronted with realities such as spatial fragmentation, scattered facilities, and low service accessibility. So Chongqing urgently requires systematic assessment and targeted interventions. To transcend the traditional one-size-fits-all governance in rural human settlements, the concept of “rural human settlements for aging” is introduced in this article, to establish an age-sensitive governance logic. Based on 2023 cross-sectional data, this article evaluates the level of the rural human settlements in Chongqing by establishing an index system, and employs global spatial correlation and local spatial correlation to analyze the spatial correlation patterns. The geographic detector model and the obstacle degree model are used to delve into the key obstacle factors influencing and hindering rural human settlements. The results indicate that despite exhibiting a pronounced spatial clustering pattern, spatial disparities remain quite evident. The spatial differentiation presents a pattern of “high in the west and low in the east, led by a single core area.” Elderly service facilities constitute the main external obstacle. The relationship between social security and family support within welfare systems represents the primary internal obstacle. Transportation conditions serve as the key interactive obstacle. Based on an analysis of the primary obstacles in each region, the promotion strategy is categorized into three types: facility enhancement type, characteristic amplification type and comprehensive upgrading type. This article aims to advance the transformation of rural human settlements from “universal design” to “age-friendly design.” It provides a reference framework for rural human settlements development in the context of an aging population. Full article

In highway widening projects, the wet–dry cycling effect of weakly expansive soil fill under seasonal groundwater fluctuations exacerbates differential settlement. This study establishes a three-dimensional numerical model for a widened road with weakly expansive soil, based on a redeveloped numerical method and actual engineering projects. Through multi-scenario numerical simulations, the influence patterns and weighting factors of widening methods, road height, and water level on differential settlement were clarified. Three safety levels for differential settlement were defined using 6 cm and 12 cm as thresholds. A prediction model based on support vector machines was established to determine the combined threshold limits of key parameters under different differential settlement boundaries. The control effectiveness of sand replacement, water-blocking layers, and wicking geotextiles was comparatively evaluated: sand replacement reduces differential settlement by approximately 70% on average and is applicable to all scenarios; water-blocking layers reduce settlement by about 50% and are more suitable for bilateral widening or unilateral widening of low embankments; wicking geotextiles are unsuitable for controlling differential settlement in high-water-level areas. Selection principles for control methods under different conditions were proposed based on engineering requirements, and field tests validated the effectiveness of the proposed solutions. Full article

To investigate the mechanical performance and failure modes of Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe (PCCP) bell-and-spigot joints under conditions such as differential settlement, this study conducted a full-scale rotation test on a DN1400 PCCP joint and established a three-dimensional non-linear finite element model using ABAQUS. The experimental results indicate that when the relative rotation angle reaches approximately 1.92°, the primary failure mode is the slipping of the rubber gasket from the spigot groove, leading to sealing failure. Meanwhile, the strains in the concrete, mortar coating, and prestressing wires at the joint increase significantly with the rotation angle. The finite element simulation results align well with the experimental data, with an average error of 1.88%. Based on the validated model, a parametric analysis was performed on PCCP joints with diameters ranging from 1400 mm to 4000 mm. The study determined the ultimate relative rotation angle for different diameters based on the concrete visible crack criterion and revealed a significant size effect, characterized by a decrease in the ultimate rotation angle with increasing pipe diameter. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the design, construction, and safety assessment of PCCP pipelines. Full article

Against the backdrop of a gradual shift in the focus of cultural heritage (CH) conservation and utilization toward the integrated system formed by CH and its surrounding environment as well as regional systems, research on the coordinated protection of nature and culture to promote regional high-quality development has become a new trend. However, systematic summaries of the spatial–temporal distribution of CH in cross-regional typical geomorphic units at the river basin scale and their correlation with the natural environment remain insufficient. This study takes 387 Cultural Relics Protection Units in the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River (the Three Gorges region) as the research objects, utilizing GIS spatial analysis technology to examine the impact of the natural environment on CH across different periods and types. The theory of time-depth is introduced to reveal the layering mechanisms and underlying cultural logics. Coupled with the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model, this study constructs a cultural corridor network and proposes spatial planning strategies. The findings are as follows: (1) The absolute core area for the distribution of CH across all periods remains the gentle slope zone near the river, characterized by elevations below 500 m, slopes within 25°, and distances from water systems within 1 km. However, the adaptive scope exhibits a diachronic evolution from core accumulation to peripheral expansion. (2) Different types of CH exhibited distinct natural adaptation strategies and vertical accumulation. Settlement Sites in the Before Qin Dynasty Period formed the foundational layer of survival rationality, while Ordinary Tombs in the Qin–Yuan Dynasty Period reinforced sedentism. Ancient Architecture in the Ming–Qing Dynasty Period underwent a transformation from “adapting to nature” to “reconstructing nature” as a product of environmental construction. Modern and Contemporary Significant Historical Sites and Representative Buildings in the After Qing Dynasty Period are characterized by a ruptured insertion on steep slopes, inscribing revolutionary memory onto space. The main stream of the Yangtze River serves as the core area of continuous deposition, while the extremely steep slopes form a distinctive stratigraphic accumulation of precipitous terrain. (3) Based on these distribution patterns, the study further proposes a spatial framework for CH called “One Corridor, Three Wings.” This framework uses the main stream of the Yangtze River as the spatial–temporal axis, linking the four core overlapping nodes of Fengjie, Wushan, Badong, and Xiling, supplemented by three secondary cultural clusters of the red heritage sites in southern Badong, the ancient town along the Daning River in Wushan, and the fortress sites in the Xiling–Yiling area. This research not only reveals the evolutionary path of CH in the Three Gorges region, but also provides a scientific basis for the systematic conservation and differentiated utilization of regional CH. Furthermore, it serves as a planning foundation and strategic reference for planning the Yangtze River National Cultural Park, as well as for the integrated preservation and utilization of river basin CH and linear CH with the aim of coordinated natural and cultural conservation. Full article

Thaw settlement (TS) in warm and ice-rich permafrost presents a challenge to highway subgrade stability in the Qinghai–Tibet Engineering Corridor (QTEC). To conduct a regional risk assessment, this study develops a framework coupling multi-source data fusion with Random Forest (RF) machine learning. By connecting site-specific thermo-mechanical simulations with corridor-scale remote sensing predictors, a 30 m resolution thaw settlement zoning map for 13 m wide separated subgrades was generated. The results indicate the following: (1) Thaw settlement exhibits significant spatial variability, with Level III settlement (20–30 cm) being the dominant category, accounting for 40.85% of the total area; Level IV and V settlements are mainly distributed in warm and ice-rich permafrost regions such as the Chumar River, Wuli, and Tuotuo River areas. (2) Mean annual ground temperature (MAGT) and ice content type (ICT) are key factors influencing the spatial settlement pattern, with differentiated dominant mechanisms: 50% of the zones are dominated by ICT, corresponding to higher settlement (26.76–43.31 cm); 35.71% are influenced by both MAGT and ICT; and 14.29% are dominated by MAGT, with lower settlement (16.23–24.19 cm). This suggests a distinct spatial pattern where “high-temperature zones are largely controlled by ice content, while low-temperature zones are controlled by temperature.” (3) Among multi-source remote sensing factors, land surface temperature (LST) and the thawing index (TI) show significant correlations with thaw settlement, confirming their applicability for hazard identification in high-altitude regions. This study provides a scientific reference and decision support for engineering maintenance and route selection on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Full article