The advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of poverty eradication (SDG 1) and sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11) are facing the serious challenge of the complexity of urban poverty spaces in the Global South. Through a series of studies, this team integrated bibliometric (1 394 publications from 1939—2023), satellite remote sensing, and field survey validation data, mapped a 120-m-resolution map of urban poverty spaces covering 1 075 cities in 108 countries/regions in the Global South, and conducted a systematic analysis of the cold and hot spot regions of the research. The results show that: 1) urban poverty in the Global South was significant and spatially heterogeneous, with 423×106 urban residents (44.76% of the total urban population) living in environmentally poverty spaces covering an area of about 46 927 km2 (39.43% of the total urban built-up area), with South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America being the three most severely affected regions. 2) Existing research on urban poverty in the Global South was unevenly distributed geographically. Only 67 cities have been identified as hot pot cities having populations exceeding one million (average population size of 5.602×106), and they are highly concentrated in low-and middle-income countries/regions. There are a total of 1 008 cold spot cities (accounting for 93.77%), which have smaller population size (average population size of 0.564×106) but bear 60.15% of the total poverty population, widely distributed across regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. 3) Urban poverty mapping and attention studies complement each other, uncovering regional differences in urban poverty and revealing the urgency and priority of poverty alleviation in different regions, thereby reducing costs and increasing efficiency in poverty alleviation in low-income countries/regions and small and medium-sized cities. By sharing poverty data, optimizing international aid, and promoting China’s poverty alleviation experience, it is possible to effectively advance the anti-poverty and sustainable development process in the Global South.
This article investigates the inherent tensions between technology and institutional frameworks in smart city development across the Global South, advocating for a departure from Western-centric paradigms to construct a theoretically robust, locally adaptive, and critically reflective analytical framework. The study identifies two defining characteristics of Southern smart city practices: “technological catch-up”, driven by the imperative to bridge digital divides, enhance urban competitiveness, and respond to rapid demographic change, and “post-colonial critique”, which exposes how historical legacies of colonialism continue to shape contemporary technological adoption and governance structures in subtle yet enduring ways. Theoretical innovation is framed around integrating concepts such as spatial justice—addressing unequal distribution of digital resources across urban spaces—and digital sovereignty—safeguarding Southern nations’ control over data, technological autonomy, and regulatory authority—to redefine the dialectical relationship between technology and society. The research highlights the symbiotic interplay between informal economies (e.g., self-organized community networks, grassroots digital initiatives) and digital technologies, which challenges technological determinism and reveals a resilient development logic rooted in local adaptability and everyday practices. These insights deconstruct the linear narrative of technological progress, proving that Southern countries can balance efficiency with equity while pursuing differentiated urban modernities. By prioritizing context-specific innovations and inclusive governance, the Global South is reshaping the global knowledge production landscape, shifting from a passive “technology testing ground” to an active contributor of alternative urban theories and normative agendas. The study concludes by emphasizing the transformative potential of such frameworks to democratize technology, redirect smart cities toward social equity, and empower Southern nations to reclaim agency in global technological discourse. Through China’s practice of scale-sensitive smart cities and tripartite governance models, the research exemplifies how Southern-led innovations can challenge neoliberal techno-utopianism, alter dominant policy imaginaries, and foster pluralistic urban futures that reflect diverse socio-spatial aspirations.
Based on a bibliometrics analysis on existing literatures and a comparison of urbanization models among Europe, North America, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, this study constructs a “driving mechanisms-process-consequences” framework for analyzing urbanization. The framework adopts a time-series perspective and integrates three driving mechanisms: the primary driver of resource allocation, the fundamental endogenous and exogenous drivers, and “push-pull” interactive dynamics. Furthermore, it assesses urbanization across 5 aspects that evolve through different stages: economic development coordination, population migration, social integration, urbanization scale, and spatial representation. The post-1949 urbanization in China can be divided into three distinct historical stages. First, during the planned economy period from 1949 to 1977, cities primarily served industrialization needs. This resulted in a coexistence of incomplete urbanization and “counter-urbanization”. A distinct urban structure emerged, characterized by the intermingling of work-unit compounds and traditional residential areas, with factories and industrial zones located in the suburbs. Second, from 1978 to 2011, an era influenced by neoliberal policies, the combination of governmental macro-regulation and market forces generated a “new dualistic structure” within cities. This was defined by the socioeconomic divide between migrant workers and local hukou holders, as well as the spatial divide between the cheap, convenient housing of villages-in-the-city and high-end residential gated communities. Third, since 2012, China’s new-type urbanization has been defined by a reinforced governmental guiding role focusing on high-quality development. Strategies such as smart city initiatives, equitable public service provision, and ecological conservation have been emphasized. The people-centered approach to high-quality urbanization has provided critical guidance for charting a more mature course of urban development in China. As a result, a multipolar spatial pattern led by metropolitan areas and supported by the coordinated development of small and medium-sized cities and towns has come into being. In a word, the Chinese urbanization since 1949 has been a state-led process, though market forces have progressively intensified. It has shifted from a predominantly “push-driven” centralized one to a “pull-oriented” decentralized one. This transition has engendered a “neo-dualistic urbanization” paradigm, characterized by the simultaneous coexistence of pseudo urbanization alongside synchronous urbanization, of spatial concentration and decentralization, and of significant development gains with entrenched socio-spatial challenges. These features are fundamentally shaped by the evolving interaction between “push-pull” forces and “endogenous versus exogenous” dynamics. This study provides a valuable Chinese exemplar for understanding and theorizing urbanization in the Global South.
As the hinterland of the Daliangshan Mountains, Xichang area is a crucial ecological security barrier in upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Quality of its ecological environment has a significant impact on the ecological, industrial, and agricultural activities within the Yangtze River basin. In recent years, regional eco-geological research has increasingly focused on the earth’s critical zone. However, process of weathering and pedogenesis, which plays multiple roles within the critical zone’s series of processes, remains understudied in this region. This study discusses and analyzes the characteristics and influencing factors of weathering and pedogenesis in the earth’s critical zone of the Xichang area, based on geochemical data from 151 systematically collected rock-soil profiles. The results indicate that: 1) The indicator elements of weathering and pedogenesis—SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, FeO, CaO, MgO, K2O, Na2O, MnO, TiO2, and P2O5—exhibit both leaching and enrichment relative to the average composition of the Upper Continental Crust (UCC). This is primarily attributed to differences in element mobility and the process of secondary enrichment during weathering and pedogenesis. 2) Multiple chemical weathering indices collectively indicate that the study area is in a moderate stage of chemical weathering, characterized by high soil maturity. 3) The process and characteristics of weathering and pedogenesis are influenced by a combination of factors. Future research on this topic must prioritize addressing the dual impacts of climate change and human activities. Based on a large volume of sample data from diverse end-members, this study investigates the characteristics of weathering and soil formation and their influencing factors in the study area. The findings not only provide a valuable supplement to the understanding of weathering and soil formation characteristics and geochemical element migration mechanisms in the Xichang mountainous area, but also offer fundamental data and a scientific basis for ecological environment construction, regional economic development, ecological protection, scientific and rational utilization of land resources, and response to climate change in the region.
The widely distributed Quaternary laterite in Xuancheng, Anhui Province, has good continuous depositional characteristics, and is a key information carrier for the study of palaeoclimate evolution and palaeoenvironmental changes in the southern region of China. The newly discovered DCRC in Xuancheng is 10.7 m thick, with remarkable development of red and yellow bands, and can be divided into 15 layers from bottom to top. Combining electron spin resonance (ESR) dating and elemental geochemical data, we investigated the weathering characteristics of the DCRC laterite profile and their palaeoclimatic significance. The results show that: 1) With depth, the Al2O3 content, Fe2O3 content, and CIA value decrease, whereas the SiO2 content, BA value, Na/K ratio, and Mg/Ca ratio increase. Based on these trends, the profile is divided into three intervals: Interval I (10.7-6.8 m), Interval II (6.8-3.0 m), and Interval III (3.0-0.3 m). 2) Chronologically, Interval I [(844—603) ka B. P.] underwent strong weathering, Interval II [(603—468) ka B. P.] experienced the most intense weathering, and Interval III [ (468—356) ka B. P.] shows a gradual weakening of weathering intensity. 3) Climate element analysis indicates that precipitation played a more dominant role than temperature in controlling the weathering intensity of the DCRC profile. Consequently, regional precipitation is reconstructed in three stages: a wet period in (844—603) ka B. P., a peak humid and warm period in (603—468) ka B. P., and a transition to a drier climate in (468—356) ka B. P.. 4) The weathering indices correlate negatively with global palaeoclimate records (e.g., continental ice cores, deep-sea cores, and terrestrial loess). Specifically, the relative wet periods in the DCRC profile broadly correspond to global glacial periods and loess accumulation, whereas the dry periods synchronize with global interglacials and palaeosol development. This study investigates the weathering characteristics of the DCRC in Xuancheng and the regional paleoclimate information it contains, providing foundational data for paleoclimate research in southern China. While preliminary findings suggest a potential negative correlation between paleoclimate changes in the study area and global paleoclimate records, further research is needed to elucidate the specific causes and underlying mechanisms of this relationship.
Based on the reliable chronological sequences established using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry AMS14C dating techniques of sediment core YZH-1 collected from Yangzong Lake, a tectonic freshwater lake in Yunnan Province, the grain size end-members (EM) and their environmental significance were analysed. Then the climatic and hydrological evolution and human activities of this region were reconstructed since 13300 cal. a B.P.. The results showed that clayey silt dominated the central lake sediments since the Last Deglaciation. Non-parametric end-member modeling decomposed the grain size into three components: the character of EM1 (5.0 μm) is similar to regional red soil’s, reflecting the intensity of basin erosion. EM2 (15.1 μm) is the most abundant fraction, representing deep lake sedimentation. EM3 is the coarsest component, suggesting shallow lake sediment. The hydroclimatic evolution of the Yangzong Lake catchment since 13300 cal. a B.P. can be divided into 5 stages. Climate of Period 1 (13300 —10000 cal. a B.P.) was relatively cold and humid with the high-water level in Yangzong Lake. Strong catchment erosion coincided with vegetation degradation in the basin, facilitating the transport of iron-rich red soils into the lake. Erosion intensified further, accompanied by a slight decline in lake level in the Period 2 (10000—8200 cal. a B.P.). During Period 3 (8200—3400 cal. a B.P.) and Period 4 (3400—650 cal. a B.P.), the lake experienced gradual contraction, with erosion intensity initially decreasing before a minor rebound. From Period 1 to Period 4, the lake exhibited an overall trend of shrinkage and dropped lake level, consistent with reduction in humidity of this region, as the result of decreased precipitation and increased evaporation. The overall intensity of human activities and catchment erosion was relatively weak, decreasing initially and then increasing, with a turning point at 5500 cal. a B.P., coinciding with a shift in climate from warm-humid to warm-dry conditions. Since
Groundwater pollution poses a serious threat to both the ecological environment and human health. Defining groundwater quality thresholds has become a fundamental prerequisite for effective groundwater protection. The Changbai Mountain area, as a crucial ecological barrier and water conservation zone in China, relies heavily on groundwater to sustain regional ecological security and meet domestic water demands. Therefore, scientifically establishing groundwater quality thresholds is of great significance for this region. Based on observed groundwater quality data, this study integrates probability plots, the 2-σ iterative method, and distribution function analysis to determine the natural background values of groundwater. Subsequently, the NBL-REF (Natural Background Level-Reference Value) bridging method is employed to define threshold values for 20 groundwater quality indicators in the Changbai Mountain region. Results show that although groundwater in the area is subject to some anthropogenic disturbance, the natural background values of most indicators remain below their respective reference values, indicating that the overall water quality is still relatively good. However, the background values of NO3-N and Al exceed the reference values, while those of DO, NH3-N, and Fe are close to the upper limits, suggesting the need for enhanced management and control. The calculated thresholds not only reflect the baseline status of groundwater quality in the region but also provide a basis for regulatory management. The findings offer scientific support for groundwater resource protection in the Changbai Mountain area and demonstrate potential applicability to other mountainous and plain regions.
By extracting NDVI and surface Albedo, the NDVI-Albedo feature space was constructed to monitor desertification from 1995 to 2020 in Shiyang river basin, and 11 driving factors were selected to explore the impact mechanisms of various driving factors by using geographic detector to provide ideas and methods for desertification controlling, comprehensive planning and management decision. The results showed that: 1) The desertification land in Shiyang river basin mainly consisted of sever desertification land and the total desertification area decreased since 1995. The proportion of non-desertified land area increased from 6.2% to 12.6%. 2) The transfer of desertification land in the study area showed that the proportion of desertification land type changed area was 34.5%, and the developed and the reversed area proportion was 7.4% and 27.1% from 1995 to 2010. From 2010 to 2020 the proportion of desertification land type changed area was 27.3%, and the developed and the reversed area proportion was 9.8% and 17.5%. 3) The center of gravity migration showed that severe and light desertification land centers moved most obviously: the severe desertification land center migrated toward the northeast by 15.7km, and the light desertification land center migrated toward the southeast by 14.7km. 4) The major influencing factor of desertification was land-use type, followed by potential evapotranspiration and precipitation, and their explanatory power were above 0.5. The explanatory power of synergistic effect between two factors was significantly higher for desertification degree.
Exploring regional differences and mitigation pathways of Land Use Carbon Emission Efficiency (LCEE) is of great significance for formulating locally-adapted land management policies and achieving China’s “dual carbon” targets. In this study, a Super-SBM model with undesirable outputs is employed to comprehensively measure the LCEE of 108 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt over an extended time period, with a systematic analysis of its spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and key driving factors. The results reveal that overall LCEE in the Yangtze River Economic Belt has exhibited a fluctuating upward trajectory, characterized by significant regional disparities and a clear polarization trend. Notably, the downstream regions have consistently outperformed the middle and upper reaches in terms of efficiency, although the gap between regions has shown signs of narrowing over time. Regression analysis indicates that economic development, green technology innovation, and a higher degree of openness significantly promote improvements in LCEE, whereas urbanization rate and industrial structure exert a restraining effect. Further, the study uncovers pronounced spatial dependence and dynamic transfer characteristics of LCEE, underlining importance of fully considering regional heterogeneity in policy formulation. The findings suggest that enhancing cross-regional technological collaboration and optimizing resource allocation are essential for narrowing regional gaps and achieving differentiated, effective carbon reduction strategies, thereby providing a robust theoretical foundation for more targeted and diversified emission reduction policies in the future.
In the spatial context of “flows”, clarifying the impact of urban network connections on carbon intensity is an important guideline for a synergistic regional response to the low-carbon transition. Based on the investment data of listed enterprises, this study portrays the network linkages between cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2005 to 2020, and analyzes the characteristics of the network linkages of cities in the region and their impacts on carbon emission intensity. The results show that: 1) The urban network within the Yellow River Basin displays a rising trend, characterized by multi-center loose radial connections. Notably, middle and lower region network density increases alongside socio-economic progression. 2) Carbon emission intensity in the Yellow River Basin exhibit a notable decrease, demonstrating an east-west gradient of low-high-low and significant spatial clustering. High-high clusters primarily situated around the enriching mineral resource Ji-shaped bend region of the Yellow River, while low-low clusters are concentrated around the downstream economic hub. 3) Urban network connections have a significant inhibitory effect on carbon emission intensity. And under the spatial organization mode of central place, the betweenness centrality has a significant negative spatial spillover effect on the intensity of urban carbon emissions. 4) Under different spatial organization modes, urban network connections can reduce carbon emission intensity through the regulation effect of borrowed technology and borrowed function. 5) The influence of urban network connections on carbon emission intensity is spatially heterogeneous. The cities in the middle and lower reaches mainly show the continuous borrowing scale effect or the agglomeration shadow to the borrowing scale under the action of urban network connection, while the cities in the upper reaches mainly show the continuous agglomeration shadow effect. This study reveals the effect of urban network externalities on carbon emission intensity, which has important theoretical and practical significance for pointing out the mode of different regions’ collaborative response to low-carbon transition.
As a typical population shrinking area in China, northeast region is confronted with severe issues regarding carbon emission efficiency. A thorough exploration of the effects of population shrinkage on carbon emission efficiency not only provides theoretical references for the green transformation of northeast China but also offers scientific support for the advancement of China’s ‘dual carbon’ goals and sustainable development. This article analyses the influencing mechanism of population shrinkage on carbon emission efficiency through the panel Tobit model and the mediator effect model. The results show that: 1) From 2012 to 2021, the carbon emission efficiency in population shrinking areas is relatively low, with a fluctuating downward trend, and there are obvious differences in the spatial distribution characteristics of carbon emission efficiency in different types of areas. 2) There is a significant negative correlation between population shrinkage and carbon emission efficiency in different population shrinking areas. Among them, the impact of population shrinkage on mild population shrinking areas is greater than that on severe population shrinking areas. 3) In population shrinking areas, population shrinkage reduces carbon emission efficiency mainly through the decline in green technological innovation level and the improvement in industrial development level. Among them, the impact pathways in areas with mild population shrinkage are the same as those in population shrinking areas, while areas with severe population shrinkage reduce carbon emission efficiency by the improvement in industrial development level and the proportion of coal consumption.
The concept of “intersectionality”, which originated in Black feminist legal studies in the late 1980s, aims to reveal how multiple identities—such as gender, race, and class—intertwine within power relations to jointly shape unique experiences of social inequality. Since its introduction into Human Geography, the discipline’s core contribution has been its “spatialization” of the concept. By examining abstract power relations within concrete geographical contexts (such as place, scale, and the body), geography provides intersectionality with a unique analytical capacity, preventing it from becoming merely an abstract identity politics or a generalized critical tool. This article aims to systematically review this international frontier and to provide depth and expansion for the localized transformation and comparative reference of Human Geography in China. The article first outlines the conceptual evolution and methodology of intersectionality. Second, it explores the spatiality of intersectional thought and demonstrates how the theory is concretized through spatial analysis by comparing its applications in childhood, migration, and feminist geographies. Finally, it traces the concept’s path of transformation from academic critique to social practice. The significance of this article lies in clarifying why intersectionality is a necessary perspective for deeply understanding contemporary spatial inequality. The research indicates that by continuously enriching its spatialized theories and methods, the intersectional perspective helps geography better fulfill its contemporary mission: not only to profoundly explain spatial inequality in the world but also to actively participate in the social practice of changing it.
In the era of mass tourism, tourism has become an important driving force for economic growth. As the quality of national cultural tourism demand improves, the rural cultural tourism industry is in urgent need of transformation and upgrading. From the perspective of “production-circulation-consumption”, the study explores the theoretical logic of digital technology enabling the high-quality development of cultural tourism in rural areas, and concludes that digital technology has a positive driving effect on the high-quality development of rural cultural tourism, especially in the reorganization of the allocation of cultural tourism resources, innovation of cultural tourism products, upgrading of the circulation system, and enhancement of the ability of consumer services, which has a significant role in promoting the development of cultural tourism. It has a significant role in promoting the development of rural culture and tourism. However, at present, the digital divide in rural areas is highlighted, the power of resource transformation is insufficient, the governance system of digital space is missing, and the internal power of value transformation is insufficient, which restricts digital technology from empowering the high-quality development of digital cultural tourism in rural areas. To this end, we should establish a standardized system, strengthen the supervision of the new production organization system, improve the modern circulation system, and optimize the “three new” relationship of consumption in the digital context. In this way, we can promote the high-quality development of rural cultural tourism empowered by digital technology.
Based on the green technology transaction data from 2010 to 2020, this study describes the distribution pattern and spatial correlation characteristics of 282 cities in China at different geographical scales systematically. Besides, the impact of green technology transfer on the change degree of carbon total factor productivity has been investigated under different scales and multi-dimensional proximity as well. The results indicate that: 1) The green technology transfer among region inside mainly occurs in pivot cities along the eastern coast and the capital cities in the central and western regions. However, the radiation effect of the pivot cities in the eastern region is stronger, while the driving effect of the capital cities in the central and western regions is relatively weak; 2) The green technology transfer network presents the feature of “core-edge”, with dense network connections in the eastern region and sparse network connections in the central and western regions. The “strong and strong” nodes such as “Shanghai-Shenzhen” and “Beijing-Tianjin” and the “strong and weak” nodes such as “Shanghai-Yancheng (Jiangsu)” and “Suzhou-Xuancheng (Anhui)” have frequent connections. It leads to the quadrilateral pattern of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta and Chengdu-Chongqing region. 3) The transfer of green technology, the upgrading of industrial structure and the improvement of marketization are conducive to the positive change of carbon total factor productivity; 4) The reduction of spatial scale and the proximity of multi-dimensional space such as geographical distance, administrative area and resource endowment have a positive promoting effect on the improvement of carbon total factor productivity.
Based on agricultural green patent cooperation data spanning from 2000 to 2023 across 333 prefecture-level administrative regions in China, this study employs social network analysis, GIS spatial analysis, and panel regression models to uncover the spatio-temporal evolution patterns and environmental effect mechanisms of the agricultural green innovation network. The findings indicate that: 1) The agricultural green innovation network has undergone 3 phases of development: “initiation, expansion, and optimization”, gradually evolving into a balanced structure characterized by “traditional core cities leading with multi-regional centers coordinating”; 2) The core-periphery structure has shifted from a “regional single-core” to a “multi-core radiation” model, with cities in central and western regions progressively integrating into the core area. The network density and connectivity have seen significant enhancements, albeit the overall network remains in its nascent stage; 3) The strength of the agricultural green innovation network exhibits a notable positive influence on green total factor productivity. Green technology innovation efficiency and agricultural industrial structure optimization serve as partial mediators. The agricultural green innovation network enhances environmental benefits through technology diffusion and industrial synergy pathways. This research offers a theoretical framework for the “technology-space-environment” synergy in facilitating the green transformation of regional agriculture, thereby aiding the synchronized achievement of Rural Revitalization and the “dual carbon” targets.
High-speed rail (HSR) infrastructure development has fundamentally reshaped urban economics and spatial organization of economic activities. The opening of new HSR lines not only enhances transportation convenience and locational advantages of cities along the route but also generates significant network effects at the regional level, thereby influencing the economic activity structure and land valuation patterns of HSR cities at different scales. While much of the existing literature has focused on the direct or local effects of HSR on individual cities, there has been relatively limited exploration of the broader network effects generated by HSR networks. This paper focuses on analyzing both the local and network effects of newly constructed HSR lines on cities, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding HSR’s multidimensional impacts. An empirical study examines the impact of the Zhongyuan Urban Agglomeration’s HSR network development on residential land prices at different scales. By combining the PSM-DID model with multilevel data analysis, the empirical findings reveal a dual mechanism through which new HSR lines influence land value. First, we identify a local effect, where cities directly connected by new HSR lines experience an average increase of 11.2% in residential land prices. This increase can be attributed to the improved accessibility, the enhanced locational appeal, and stronger development expectation among investors and local stakeholders. Second, we uncover a network effect: city, as a part of the broader HSR network, but not is necessarily on the newly opened line, also experiences a positive impact, with residential land prices increasing by approximately 2% on average. This finding highlights the importance of network connectivity and suggests that HSR infrastructure generates externalities to transcend the immediately affected localities. Furthermore, the magnitude of these network effects varies significantly across cities of different administrative levels. Prefecture-level cities benefit more substantially from the network effect compared to county-level cities. This heterogeneity shows the uneven spatial distribution of HSR-related benefits. Urban hierarchy determines how effectively cities can leverage their network position. This study demonstrates that the existence of both local effect and network effect of HSR and reveal the multidimensional and spatially heterogeneous nature of HSR effects. These results provide critical insights for regional planning and infrastructure investment. Policymakers should consider network-wide impacts in designing strategies to promote balanced urban development through transportation infrastructure expansion.
This article assesses the logistics standardization efficiency of 284 cities in China from 2006 to 2022, focusing on the regional differences and their sources and dynamic distribution evolution characteristics. It also uses the spatial simultaneous equation model to explore the spatial spillover effect between the logistics standardization efficiency of cities and the upgrading of the logistics industrial structure. The study finds: 1) The overall logistics standardization efficiency of cities across the country and the three major regions (east, central, and west) has been increasing year by year, but the absolute gap between regions has been continuously expanding; 2) The overall regional difference has been expanding at an average annual growth rate of 5.48%, and the main source of the overall difference is the regional differences and over-density. The differences within the central and western regions are higher than those in the eastern region, and the differences between the eastern and central, and the eastern and western regions are greater than those between the central and western regions. 3) There is a positive interactive effect between the logistics standardization efficiency of Chinese cities and the upgrading of the industrial structure. In the mutual promotion relationship, the upgrading of the industrial structure of cities is in a relatively advantageous position, and both have significant spatial spillover effects and spatial interaction effects in geographical space.
Taking Qixingguan District of Bijie City as a case study, this article examines the spatial distribution and influencing factors of basic education facilities in Karst mountainous areas by applying the nearest neighbor index, Thiessen polygons, Kernel Density Estimation, and Geographically Weighted Regression. The findings reveal that: 1) Basic education facilities in Qixingguan District show marked spatial heterogeneity, generally decreasing from urban to rural zones, with higher density in the southwest and lower density in the northeast. Such an unbalanced spatial pattern is closely related to the regional differences in economic development level and population agglomeration degree. Except for primary schools, junior high schools, and comprehensive secondary schools, which are more evenly distributed, other facility types exhibit clustered spatial patterns and vary notably in service coverage across educational levels. 2) Kernel density analysis highlights a “one core, two belts, multiple points” spatial structure, with density values radiating outward from the urban center in a multi-arc pattern toward the eastern and northern parts of the district. The multi-arc radiation path not only takes the central urban area as the core but also connects several key towns, forming preliminary educational resource connection channels between urban and suburban areas. 3) Distribution of teaching resources follows a pattern of “small clustered centers with broad peripheral dispersion.” Hotspots are scattered in starlike and cross-shaped formations in central urban areas and town centers, while cold spots are mainly found in remote high-altitude mountainous regions. Most cold spot areas are restricted by harsh natural conditions, resulting in relatively low accessibility of educational resources for local residents. 4) Spatial arrangement of these facilities is shaped by both natural and socioeconomic factors, among which distance to urban centers, road accessibility, slope, and proximity to rivers exert the most significant influence. For instance, areas with gentle slopes and good road accessibility tend to have a higher concentration of basic education facilities, while areas far from rivers and urban centers have fewer facilities. This study offers insights for optimizing the spatial allocation of educational facilities in Karst mountain regions, with implications for promoting educational equity and balanced development.
Accurate understanding of the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of urban noise is crucial for the prevention and control of noise and the reduction of adverse health consequences related to noise exposure. Most of the previous studies focused on the spatial distribution of noise and neglected their temporal variation. Based on the urban environmental noise monitoring data from 2011 to 2019, this paper simulated and analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution of environmental noise in 8 districts of Guangzhou by random forest method. The results showed that there is no obvious annual and quarterly variation of day and night noise in Guangzhou, but obvious diurnal fluctuation characteristics with the residents’ activities. The simulated values of day and night noise were 52.92-63.20 dB and 37.21-55.33 dB, respectively. It’s obvious heterogeneity of the noise spatial distribution. During daytime, the high-noise were mainly concentrated in areas with dense road networks, along both sides of expressways and urban main roads, as well as the overpasses and crossroads. At night, the areas with high noise levels were mainly distributed in the old urban districts, as well as the areas surrounded by some expressways and the intersections of major urban roads. Overall, the noise level in the central urban area was high, especially around major urban traffic arteries, followed by the areas around industrial parks and commercial centers. The main sources of daytime noise were road traffic, dense population and their activities, while the main sources of nighttime noise were road traffic, human activities and activities related to industrial production and medical services. The simulation and analysis framework of environmental noise distribution can provide theoretical support for the assessment of environmental noise exposure risk and health impact of residents, as well as for the formulation of targeted urban noise prevention and control measures.
