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Spatiotemporal Dynamics of the Human Critical Area (HCA) in the “Three Water Lines” Region of Northwest China and the Impact of Socioeconomic Factors between 2000 and 2020

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  • Zhiting Chen

    (Northwest Land and Resource Research Center, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Global Regional and Urban Research Institute Natural Resources and National Land Use Research Institute, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Institute of Transportation Geography and Spatial Planning, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Northwest Key Laboratory of Urbanization and Land Environment Spatial Simulation, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China)

  • Qing Ren

    (Northwest Land and Resource Research Center, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Global Regional and Urban Research Institute Natural Resources and National Land Use Research Institute, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Institute of Transportation Geography and Spatial Planning, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Northwest Key Laboratory of Urbanization and Land Environment Spatial Simulation, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China)

  • Tian Zhang

    (Northwest Land and Resource Research Center, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Global Regional and Urban Research Institute Natural Resources and National Land Use Research Institute, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Institute of Transportation Geography and Spatial Planning, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Northwest Key Laboratory of Urbanization and Land Environment Spatial Simulation, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China)

  • Zhewen Kang

    (Northwest Land and Resource Research Center, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Global Regional and Urban Research Institute Natural Resources and National Land Use Research Institute, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Institute of Transportation Geography and Spatial Planning, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Northwest Key Laboratory of Urbanization and Land Environment Spatial Simulation, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China)

  • Xiaoyan Huang

    (Northwest Land and Resource Research Center, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Global Regional and Urban Research Institute Natural Resources and National Land Use Research Institute, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Institute of Transportation Geography and Spatial Planning, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Northwest Key Laboratory of Urbanization and Land Environment Spatial Simulation, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China)

  • Peng Li

    (State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China)

  • Xiaohu Dang

    (College of Geology and Environment, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China)

  • Xiaoshu Cao

    (Northwest Land and Resource Research Center, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Global Regional and Urban Research Institute Natural Resources and National Land Use Research Institute, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Institute of Transportation Geography and Spatial Planning, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Northwest Key Laboratory of Urbanization and Land Environment Spatial Simulation, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China)

  • Mingjiang Deng

    (State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
    Cold and Arid Regions Water Resources and Ecological Water Engineering Research Center, Urumqi 830000, China)

Abstract

The Human Critical Area (HCA) is an area that characterizes the surface landscape created by human beings in the Anthropocene. Based on the signatures left by major human activities over the Earth′s surface, this research demarcates an arid inland region of Northwest China, the “Three Water Lines”, into four HCA types: Agricultural Area, Built-up Area, Ecological Area, and Bare Area. This paper explores the HCA′s distribution and changes in the “Three Water Lines” region between 2000 and 2020 with land use/cover data, as well as the impact of socioeconomic factors on the HCA dynamics with statistics sourcing from authoritative yearbooks. To achieve this, the Land Use Transition Matrix is used to investigate the changes in area and distribution, while binary linear regression and stepwise multiple linear regression are applied to examine the single and joint effects of the socioeconomic factors. The main findings are as follows: (i) The four HCA types are distinguished quantitatively and by their distribution patterns. Ecological Area and Bare Area cover most (more than 90% in total) of the territory with extensive and continuous distribution. Agricultural Area is mainly found on the eastern and western parts of the region, with flat terrain, abundant water resources, and moderate temperatures. Built-up Area is the most concentrated but has an unbalanced distribution and the lowest quantity. (ii) Despite some discernible spatial and quantity changes at regional and county levels between 2000 and 2020, the general characteristics in HCA’s structure and distribution pattern have mainly remained consistent. (iii) Transitions between HCA types occur constantly, and the primary source type of the transitions differs from one another. Ecological Area and Bare Area form the sources of the most evident transitions. (iv) Agricultural Area and Built-up Area are more prone influence from some socioeconomic dynamics. By contrast, there is no evidence that socioeconomic factors directly affect Bare Area. As the first empirical study of the newly conceived concept, Human Critical Area, this paper sheds light on the renovation of geographic traditions of studying the evolution of the human-environment system through the lens of human activities-driven landscape changes.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhiting Chen & Qing Ren & Tian Zhang & Zhewen Kang & Xiaoyan Huang & Peng Li & Xiaohu Dang & Xiaoshu Cao & Mingjiang Deng, 2022. "Spatiotemporal Dynamics of the Human Critical Area (HCA) in the “Three Water Lines” Region of Northwest China and the Impact of Socioeconomic Factors between 2000 and 2020," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:9:p:5728-:d:811585
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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