Spatial-temporal evolution and coupling coordination of land use functions across China by fusing multiple-source heterogeneous data

Recognizing the coupling coordination of land use functions (LUFs) at the national scale is strategically important for effective land use management. This study developed a theoretical analytical framework and established an evaluation system for LUFs was using multiple-source heterogeneous data. Additionally, the spatial-temporal evolution and coupling coordination of LUFs across China from 2001 to 2020 were analyzed using time-series variation methods and coupling coordination degree (CCD) model. The findings revealed the production function (PF) consistently increased over the past 20 years, while the living function (LF) and ecological function (EF) showed a slight decline followed by a recovery. Cities in central and western China have expanded into high-quality farmland, yet economic development remains insufficient, and PF is declining. In remote southern rural areas, PF has fallen due to farmland abandonment, while the PF gap between plains and mountainous areas continuously widens. Population decline led to a reduction in demand for education and medical services, resulting in a decline in LF. Additionally, the CCD of LUFs in China significantly increased, with 79.4 % of areas showing positive trends, mainly exponential and linear growth. Negative trends primarily exhibited a logarithmic weakening pattern. Improvements in LUFs coupling coordination were delayed, while deterioration occurred earlier at interprovincial borders. PF was the leading factor driving changes in LUFs coupling coordination. This study not only provides data processing methods for identifying LUFs but also offers new insights into the dynamics of LUFs coupling coordination.