Spatial identification and trade-off analysis of land use functions improve spatial zoning management in rapid urbanized areas, China

The quantitative identification and trade-off/synergy analysis of land use functions (LUFs) form the foundation of territory spatial planning and management. However, the application of trade-offs/synergies in LUF changes to territory spatial zoning remains understudied. In this study, with Hangzhou city in eastern China as a case study area, a series of geospatial models and multisource data were used to quantify LUFs at grid scale over a long time series. The normalized revealed comparative advantage index model was utilized to identify the dominant functions of territory space. Then, Pearson correlation analysis was employed to reveal the spatial and temporal patterns of LUF trade-offs/synergies. Finally, based on quantitative LUFs and their trade-offs/synergies, this study proposed a new spatial functional zoning scheme and targeted management measures to improve territory spatial zoning management. The results showed that during 2000 and 2018, production and ecological functions improved in the western mountainous areas and declined in the eastern plains, while living function significantly improved obviously in the eastern plains of Hangzhou City. The distributions of agricultural, urban and ecological dominant functional areas exhibited obvious regional differences. Among the three LUFs, the trade-off relationship dominated their interactive relationships, trade-off areas for production and living, and for living and ecological function changes mainly occurred in peri-urban areas, while trade-off areas for production and ecological function changes were distributed in the eastern outer suburbs and western valley of Hangzhou City. Based on the dominant functions and trade-offs/synergies of LUF changes, ten types of grid-scale territory spatial functional zones and five types of town-scale major functional zones were divided to optimize and control territory spatial patterns. In general, the proposed zoning scheme contributes to addressing LUF conflicts and building a territory spatial pattern with coordination development of agriculture, urban and ecology.