A Study On The Spatial Differentiation And Formation Mechanism Of Urban And Rural Settlement In Jiangsu Province

As the core of man-land relationship, urban and rural settlements’space is the platform for mankind to produce and live in the county. The spatial changes of urban and rural settlements can reflect the development of urban and rural society. The study on the spatial differentiation of urban and rural settlements is an important content of the land-use and land-cover change (LUCC) and human geography.In recent years, the rapid development of the urbanization process has a profound influence on the forms and functions of urban and rural settlements’space in the county. The spatial differentiation of urban and rural settlements in the county is the result of comprehensive effect of urbanization and other elements. By exploring the spatial characteristics of urban and rural settlements in the county, we build the framework on how to analyze the spatial differentiation of urban and rural settlements from surface to inner and from simple to complex. Next we explore the characteristics and formation mechanism of spatial differentiation of urban and rural settlements. The purpose is to make up for the deficiency of the existing research on urban geography and rural geography and provide the theoretical and technical support for urban and rural integration.Based on summary of theory on the urban and rural settlements’space, taking Jiangsu Province as an example, we analyze the spatial difference of urban and rural settlements and its formation mechanism. Taking ’pattern-differentiation-mechanism-optimization’ as the main line, we carry out the empirical analysis on county scale, and reveal the spatial differentiation of urban and rural settlements in Jiangsu province and its formation mechanism from theory to practice and from macro to middle range. Finally, we put forward the path on how to optimize urban and rural settlements’space.This thesis consists of eight chapters. The first chapter is an introduction. It discusses the background and the significance of the research on the spatial differentiation of urban and rural settlements and its formation mechanism. Then, it defines the research object. Finally, we summarize the research content and framework. The second chapter is the research progress of urban and rural settlements’space at home and abroad. We review the research progress of urban space and rural space from two perspectives of the historical stage and the content. Lastly, we carry on the summarization to the related research and propose the corresponding academic forecast. The third chapter introduces theories on urban and rural settlements’space. The paper constructs the theoretical basis from three aspects of the urban-rural space structure, urban-rural spatial organization and urban-rural spatial relationship. The fourth chapter is the research area and the technical route. We mainly introduce the general situation of study area, data sources and specific research methods, and lastly put forward the research technique route. The fifth chapter is the distribution pattern of urban and rural settlements’space in the county. We analyze the distribution characteristics of urban and rural settlements’space from three aspects of spatial agglomeration, the density and the form. Urban and rural settlements will be divided into four spatial distribution types. The sixth chapter is the spatial difference of urban and rural settlements. We study on the scale and form to explore the differentiation rules of urban and rural settlements’ space. Based on the spatial distribution, scale and form, urban and rural settlements will be divided into five types. The seventh chapter is the formation mechanism of urban and rural settlements’ spatial differentiation. Based on the analysis of influence factors, we determine the driving force factor and reveal the formation mechanism of urban and rural settlements’spatial differentiation. The eighth chapter is the optimal regulation of urban and rural settlements’ spatial differentiation. Considering the current situation of urban and rural settlements’ spatial pattern and based on the principle of spatial optimization, we establish spatial optimization target and put forward some corresponding strategies and suggestions. The ninth chapter is the conclusion and prospect. We summarize the research conclusion and put forward the innovation points of the thesis and the existing problems, lastly prospect the further research direction.According to the research mentioned above, it comes to the conclusion that:(1) The spatial distribution of urban and rural settlements in the county shows a certain regularity on spatial agglomeration, spatial density distribution and spatial distribution pattern. Spatial distribution of urban settlements show the pattern that the degree of agglomeration rises from the south to the north. The density showed the five high value centers in the southeast and low value distributing in the north. There are equilibrium distribution in Southern Jiangsu and centralization distribution in Northern Jiangsu. Spatial Association haves the gradient feature decreasing from south to North. The spatial distribution of rural settlements presents the pattern that the degree of agglomeration rises from the east to the west. The density showed two high value centers in the east and low value distributing in the west. The spatial distribution of urban and rural settlements presents that the degree of agglomeration rises from southeast to northwest. The density showed high values in the East and low value in the northwest. The spatial distribution pattern showed the characteristics of equilibrium distribution along Taihu area and centralization distribution in coastal area. The spatial correlation of urban and rural settlement showed gradient feature from Southeast to northwest. Based on the spatial distribution pattern, urban and rural settlements will be divided into four types:the high density of balanced development type with Zhangjiagang, Kunshan and Changshu as the representative; the medium density multi core distribution pattern with Rugao, Taixing and Yangzhong as the representative; the first town medium density development type with Haimen, Jiangyan, Xinyi, Jianhu as the representative; the first town centripetal development type with Shuyang as the representative.(2) The spatial differentiation of urban and rural settlements shows certain regularity in the two aspects of the scale and form. The size distribution of urban settlements showed high values in the south and low value in the north. Scale structure presents the variation characteristics of internal rating scale gradient in three areas. Settlement form show gradient feature from South to North and from southeast to northwest. The size distribution of rural settlements showed high values in the north and low value in the south and middle area. Scale structure presents gradually weakening trend from east to west. Settlement form show gradient feature from East to West and from northeast to Southwest. The size distribution of urban and rural settlements showed high value in the north and the south and low value in the middle. Scale structure presents rating scale gradient features enhancing from north to South and from west to East. Settlement form show gradient feature from East to West and from northwest to southeast.(3) Based on spatial distribution, scale and form, urban and rural settlements will be divided into five types:high density mass of urban and rural integration development type, medium density and scale high level of balanced development type, the high density and small scale the first town of balanced development type, low density the first town non balanced development type, low density of small scale low level of urban and rural balanced development type.(4) The spatial differentiation of urban and rural settlements is influenced by many factors including natural conditions, economic and social development, the industrialization and the urbanization, traffic development support and government planning regulation. Integrated factors have an influence on the spatial differentiation of urban and rural settlements. External conditions have different effect in different stages. (5)The spatial pattern of urban and rural settlements has the problems such as the scale structure imbalance, the spatial distribution imbalance and the transportation network structure imbalance. Based on the systematic principle, agglomeration and spatial diffusion principle, urban and rural integration principle, we set goals on the optimization of urban and rural settlements’ space. Starting from the urban and rural overall planning, we should reconstruct urban and rural settlements system. Following the urban and rural overall construction and sharing, we should construct the traffic network system. We also should realize the coordinated development of urban and rural elements. Lastly, we put forward the space optimization path, including reasonably and orderly promoting population transferring to cities and towns, strengthening the construction of infrastructure, strengthening urban and rural settlements’space classification guidance and promoting institutional innovation for urban and rural development.