The Evolution of Suburban Small-Town Communities Based on Multiple Niche Models: A Case Study of Pingshan County in China

Based on niche theory, this study pioneered the application of the niche state-role model, suitability model, subgroup model, and overlap model in evaluating small-town communities, integrating both their endowment attributes and relational attributes. Taking Pingshan County, Hebei Province, China, as a case study, it revealed the evolution patterns of suburban small-town communities from 2000 to 2020. The results indicated significant changes in the comprehensive niche indices and rankings of small-town communities, though top-ranking towns remained relatively stable. Niche indices varied from dimensions, primarily manifesting a binary opposition between natural and humanistic factors. The overall suitability of small-town communities showed little change, but internal disparities gradually narrowed. The niche subgroups of small-town communities displayed a gradient distribution pattern: ecological functions significantly strengthened in the west of the county; population and economy functions continuously intensified in southeastern towns; while central-region towns maintained intermediate levels. Regarding niche overlap based on population and economy flows, the overall competitive intensity of small-town communities weakened, but competition among central region towns intensified. Regarding niche overlap based on ecology flows, the overall competitive intensity strengthened, with particularly notable changes in the central and eastern regions. Moreover, the spatial evolution of county-level small towns exhibited scale-dependent differences: while the macro-scale pattern remained relatively stable, the micro-scale pattern underwent significant changes, with the driving force gradually shifting from local endowments to factor flows.