Temporal-Spatial Evolution of Agricultural-Ecological-Urban Space in Henan Province

Abstract

Clarifying the spatiotemporal evolution of land use within the “agriculture-ecology-urban” (“three-zones”) framework provides a scientific basis for territorial spatial planning and land-use transition. Taking Henan Province as the study area, this study utilizes land use/land cover change (LUCC) data from 2000 to 2020. Land-use dynamics, transition matrices, and landscape pattern indices are employed to quantify changes in land-use area and landscape configuration. The results indicate that the three-zones space exhibits a pattern characterized by “two increases and one decrease.” Specifically, agricultural space decreased by 3,660.05 km², ecological space increased by 44.34 km², and urban space expanded by 3,615.71 km². Among these, urban land showed a continuous growth trend, primarily driven by the conversion of agricultural land. The comprehensive land-use dynamic degree in Henan Province was 0.12% in 2000 and 0.11% in 2020, with urban space displaying the most pronounced increase in single dynamic degree. In terms of landscape patterns, agricultural space maintained a contiguous and dominant structure; ecological space exhibited dense patches with complex yet increasingly regular boundaries; and urban space showed a pattern of low connectivity and high complexity with outward sprawl. These findings reflect a profound restructuring of landscape patterns driven by rapid urbanization.