Facing the dual challenges of intensified nonlinear risks and the increasing complexity of human-land systems of territorial space governance in the new era, this study integrated interdisciplinary perspectives—including territorial function theory in human geography, factor flow allocation analysis in resource science, and ecosystem service flow studies in ecology—to construct a theoretical framework for comprehensive territorial space governance coordinating high-quality development and high-level security. With spatiotemporal optimization of territorial functions and coordination of comprehensive benefits as its core, the framework established an adaptive governance orientation that combined strengthened evolutionary resilience with improved synergistic efficiency, and emphasized cultivating new quality productive forces to promote the transformation of territorial space utilization patterns toward innovation-driven development, scenario integration, and systemic resilience. On this basis, scientific issues were elucidated, including mechanisms for realizing ecological value, optimized allocation of resource factors, spatial resilience governance, pathways for green and low-carbon transition, and a full-lifecycle intelligent governance system. Based on relevant empirical studies in the current special issue of Resources Science titled “Theoretical and Methodological Innovations in Comprehensive Territorial Space Governance for the New Era”, this study validated the framework across three scales—micro-level responses of actors, meso-level regional supply-demand matching, and macro-level spatial morphological evolution—and demonstrated its explanatory power and guiding value in addressing practical issues such as ecological restoration, food system transition, urban renewal, and energy structure optimization. This study aims to provide a theoretical basis and practical reference for constructing a secure, resilient, efficient, and green territorial space pattern for Chinese modernization.

[Objective] The identification of ecological conservation priority areas is a critical step in the decision-making and implementation of territorial spatial governance. However, current understanding of ecosystem multifunctionality and complex coupling relationships remains limited, hindering comprehensive and effective ecological conservation. Based on the functional-element coupling relationship, this study identifies ecological conservation priority areas under multi-objective synergy, providing support for ecological governance policies in territorial spatial planning. [Methods] Taking Sanmenxia City as a case study, this study employed various quantitative models and spatial analysis methods, including the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs model, water balance equation, and Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, to evaluate the importance of four ecosystem functions (EFs)—biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, water conservation, and soil conservation—and three landscape elements (LEs)—mountains, water bodies, and vegetation. Additionally, the spatial coupling relationships between EFs and LEs were revealed, thereby identifying ecological conservation priority areas. [Results] (1) The overlapping area of high-importance areas for the four EFs was only 36.9 km². However, this overlap increased approximately 14-fold and 45-fold when considering only two or three EFs, respectively. The combined area of high-importance areas for the three LEs totaled 4619.8 km², with an overlapping area of 1242.8 km², accounting for 36.8% of the integrated high-importance LE area. (2) The integrated high-importance areas for EFs and LEs accounted for 29.6% and 34% of the total area of Sanmenxia City, respectively. Moreover, over 75% of these areas exhibited strong spatial synergy. (3) High-priority areas for ecological conservation covered 41.0% of the city's total area, whereas existing protected areas accounted for less than half of these priority areas. Furthermore, in terms of representativeness, synergy, and implementation challenges, major challenges were identified and action recommendations for ecological conservation in Sanmenxia were proposed. [Conclusion] The framework for identifying ecological conservation priority areas proposed in this study not only integrates the dual perspectives of EFs and LEs, but also balances accuracy and applicability through the integrated application of multiple quantitative methods, thereby contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Life on Land).

[Objective] Promoting the realization of ecological product value through ecological restoration of territorial space is an important proposition for creatively implementing the “Two Mountains” concept and serves as a supporting governance instrument for improving the quality and efficiency of ecological civilization construction. [Methods] Based on 83 typical cases published by the Ministry of Natural Resources, this study comprehensively employed procedural grounded theory coding and crisp-set qualitative comparative analysis to deconstruct the practical mechanisms through which ecological restoration of territorial space promoted the realization of ecological product value, and further investigated the value realization pathways from a configurational perspective. [Results] (1) Ecological restoration of territorial space restored the supply of ecological products, constructed a multidimensional guarantee system, stimulated the demand for ecological products, matched both supply and demand ends, and generated the composite value of ecological products. (2) The mechanism chain consisted of multiple sub-components, including the restoration of production-living-ecological spaces, the operational demands for ecological industries, the trading demands for property rights indicators, the compensation demands for governance costs, the construction of a multi-dimensional guarantee system, and the manifestation of the composite value of ecological products. (3) The configuration pathways included three types: production space restoration-led, living space restoration-enhanced, and ecological space restoration-integrated, encompassing six specific pathways: industrial ecologicalization, industrial renewal, industrial value-added, ecological industrialization, ecological assetization, and ecological compensation. [Conclusion] Ecological restoration of territorial space has developed into a core governance tool for promoting the realization of ecological product value. It is necessary to prioritize and comprehensively consider both the implementation of restoration and the subsequent realization of ecological product value. This ensures that the supply of restored ecological products aligns with societal needs and promotes the formation of a full-process policy chain covering initial overall planning, mid-term remediation and restoration, and final operation and improvement.

[Objective] The exploitation of mineral resources severely damages the sustainability of social-ecological systems, and implementing ecological restoration is crucial for resource-exhausted areas to break the “resource curse”. [Methods] Based on the social-ecological system analysis framework incorporating multi-subject co-governance and focal action scenarios, a case study method was adopted to reveal the logic and mechanisms through which ecological restoration of territorial space reconstructed the social-ecological system in resource-exhausted areas. [Results] The results showed that: (1) The social-ecological system in resource-exhausted areas faced multiple challenges, including the contraction of people's well-being, destruction of land resources, collapse of industrial structure, and ecosystem degradation. (2) By introducing the participation of multiple subjects, ecological restoration of territorial space reshaped the relationships between humans, land, industry, and ecosystem in resource-exhausted areas, promoting the formation of positive interaction within the social-ecological system. (3) Future efforts should focus on identifying system feedback relationships, evaluating restoration effectiveness, and monitoring evolution of the social-ecological system. These should be supplemented by mandatory national rules, market participation guidance, and socially responsive interactions. The reform should be implemented in two key directions—coordinated management of mining areas and land, and the realization of ecological product value—to promote efficient governance and high-quality development of the social-ecological system in resource-exhausted areas. [Conclusion] Ecological restoration of territorial space facilitates the transformation and upgrading of resource-exhausted areas, enabling them to escape the vicious cycle of degradation by reconstructing the feedback relationships within the social-ecological system. In the future, the social-ecological system analysis framework should be implemented throughout the entire process of ecological restoration of territorial space to promote harmonious coexistence between humans and nature in resource-exhausted areas.

[Objective] Scientifically evaluating and understanding differences in eco-environmental conditions is fundamental for formulating targeted ecological protection and environmental governance policies. Based on geographic big data, conducting an evaluation of eco-environmental satisfaction from a supply-demand perspective can enrich the technical methods for eco-environmental evaluation and provide scientific support for decision-makers. [Methods] Based on big data on public perceptions of eco-environmental satisfaction, this study analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of eco-environmental satisfaction at the county scale in the Yangtze River Delta region from 2018 to 2020, a satisfaction analysis framework from the supply-demand perspective was established to examine the influence of factors from two dimensions, namely eco-environmental supply conditions and socioeconomic development levels, on satisfaction. [Results] (1) Public eco-environmental satisfaction in the Yangtze River Delta exhibited a spatial pattern of gradual increase from the central to the peripheral regions. From 2018 to 2020, the average annual satisfaction score increased slowly from 80.372 to 81.927, and the improvement in eco-environmental satisfaction was more pronounced in the central region than in the peripheral region. (2) Superior eco-environmental quality generally led to higher levels of satisfaction. Indicators such as the proportion of ecological space and the eco-environmental quality index showed a significant positive correlation with satisfaction. (3) Socioeconomic development enhanced public environmental awareness. Factors such as per capita disposable income and education level exhibited a significant negative correlation with satisfaction. [Conclusion] This study verifies the effectiveness of the supply-demand analysis framework and big data methods in analyzing public environmental perception. Additionally, it points out that improving the eco-environment in territorial space should not only focus on enhancing objective quality indicators but also place greater emphasis on the influence of public subjective perception on eco-environmental satisfaction.

[Objective] The distinctive “land-based development” model has played a crucial role in China's “growth miracle”. Exploring whether this model can continue to support the development of new quality productive forces in the future holds significant theoretical and practical importance. [Methods] Based on panel data from 282 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2010 to 2021, this study employed a two-way fixed-effects model, a threshold effect model, and a spatial Durbin model to systematically explore the impact of the “land-based development” model on new quality productive forces and its underlying mechanisms from the perspective of factor allocation. [Results] (1) Overall, the “land-based development” model had an inhibitory effect on new quality productive forces, but its effects across different dimensions were differentiated. “Land-based investment” still had a short-term positive effect, while “land-based fiscal revenue” and “land-based financing” constituted the primary sources of negative effects. (2) Mechanism analysis revealed a “structural contradiction” in this model. While it promoted industrial agglomeration by ensuring land supply, it crowded out market innovation investment at the capital level, excluded high-quality talent at the labor level, and suppressed the innovation ecosystem at the technology and data levels. (3) The marginal effects of the “land-based development” model exhibited a nonlinear increasing trend, particularly pronounced in cities with higher development levels and lower degrees of land marketization. (4) The impact of the “land-based development” model demonstrated spatial spillover effects, primarily spreading its negative effects at the regional level through inter-city “imitative competition” strategies. [Conclusion] The negative effects of the “land-based development” model on new quality productive forces outweigh its positive effects. Its core drawback lies in its systematic distortion of the allocation of innovative factors. It is imperative to further optimize the land factor allocation mechanism, targetedly break the path dependence of this model, and construct a synergistic reform system to empower the development of new quality productive forces.

The development of non-traditional cropland constitutes a crucial strategic initiative formulated by China based on its fundamental national conditions in the new era. This study employs inductive analysis and literature review methods to summarize the definition, development pathways, and potential risk response measures of non-traditional cropland, thereby providing theoretical support for the scientific formulation of development strategies. The results of this study show that non-traditional cropland refers to land or space that is difficult to develop and utilize through conventional farming practices. However, through technological innovation and resource integration, these constraints can be overcome, enabling their use for agricultural production. From the perspective of the greater food approach and using an integrated and expansive approach, this study summarizes the classified development pathways of non-traditional cropland, including enhancing the productive potential of degraded land, promoting diversified operation of other agricultural land, exploring the agricultural value of idle land, and conducting refined development of coastal tidal flats. Among these, secondary land degradation and environmental pollution are identified as potential negative effects in the development of non-traditional cropland, a process that is also constrained by high operational costs and resource management standards. The development of non-traditional cropland essentially integrates the “storing grain in technology” and “storing grain in land” strategies, accelerating the cultivation of new quality productive forces in agriculture. It is necessary to accurately define functional positioning and implement differentiated strategies by region and category based on the types of modern agriculture supported by non-traditional cropland.

[Objective] Optimizing agricultural production patterns and improving the supply-demand system of agricultural products are essential measures for practicing the greater food approach and advancing high-quality agricultural development. [Methods] Taking the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region as the study area, this study adopted a hierarchical analytical framework of “supply-demand pattern analysis—agricultural type zoning—layout of high-quality agricultural bases”. The spatiotemporal patterns of supply and demand of seven major categories of agricultural products (grains, vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs, dairy, and aquatic products) from 2015 to 2022 were analyzed. Multivariate clustering analysis was employed to delineate agricultural type zones. Subsequently, an integrated layout plan for high-quality agricultural bases was proposed. [Results] (1) From 2015 to 2022, the supply-demand patterns of agricultural products in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region exhibited the characteristic of “overall surplus with localized shortages”. Grains, vegetables, and dairy were in a state of high surplus. Meat and eggs evolved from a state of high surplus to surplus. Fruits and aquatic products shifted from a state of surplus to basic balance. The self-sufficiency capacity of agricultural products in Beijing and Tianjin was generally insufficient. (2) The agricultural types in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region could be divided into 2 first-level zones and 9 second-level zones, with differences in agricultural development potential, constraints, and dominant advantageous agricultural products among different zones. (3) The layout plan for high-quality agricultural bases consisted of production bases for seven categories of high-quality agricultural products: grains, vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs, dairy, and aquatic products. These bases were primarily distributed in the piedmont plains of the Taihang Mountains and Yanshan Mountains, as well as in the border areas of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. Additionally, targeted key tasks for the construction of different types of bases were proposed. [Conclusion] The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region faces the dual risks of supply-demand imbalance and spatial mismatch of agricultural products. Coordinating the production space of multiple agricultural products and integrating the layout of high-quality agricultural bases are crucial approaches to ensuring regional food security. The findings provide guidance and insights for the coordinated layout of modern urban agriculture in other urban agglomeration regions in China.

[Objective] The new rural collective economy is the core carrier for rural revitalization and common prosperity, but it faces challenges including low allocation efficiency of public production factors and resource misallocation. This study aims to construct a process model for the development of new rural collective economy driven by public production factors, thereby providing theoretical support and practical guidance for overcoming practical challenges. [Methods] Based on the theory of shared value creation, this study used the “Common Prosperity Greenhouse” practice in Shanqinggang Village, Pinghu City, as a case study. By combining grounded theory and case study methods, this study extracted core categories, constructed and validated a theoretical model. [Results] (1) Public production factors drove the development of the new rural collective economy through a four-stage dynamic evolution logic of “value identification-value co-creation-value distribution-value circulation”. (2) Public production factors exhibited differences in function and pathway role in the development of the new rural collective economy. Traditional public production factors served as the cornerstone of development, primarily functioning in the value identification stage. Non-traditional factors were catalysts for innovation, leading efficiency improvement, equitable distribution, and sustainable feedback in the stages of value co-creation, distribution, and circulation. (3) Traditional and non-traditional public production factors exhibited a two-way shaping relationship characterized by “resource foundation-reverse push for improvement”, and their coordinated allocation was the core pathway to unlocking development. (4) The development of the new rural collective economy by public production factors was a dynamic process. Through mechanisms such as reinvestment of profits, ecological closure, and technology spillover, it continuously drove the transformation of collective economy from phased growth to sustainable development. [Conclusion] The development of the new rural collective economy is essentially a continuous process that relies on the synergy of multiple subjects to promote the dynamic and coordinated allocation of traditional and non-traditional public production factors along the pathway of “identification-co-creation-distribution-circulation”. The functional complementarity and synergistic efficiency of traditional and non-traditional public production factors are the core driving forces for achieving the “three-dimensional value integration” of economic efficiency, governance modernization, and ecological sustainability.

[Objective] Severe conflicts between efficiency and equity are observed in the utilization of territorial space resources in underdeveloped regions. Optimizing the allocation of territorial space resources not only serves as the foundation for regional sustainable development but also provides a scientific reference for promoting the efficient utilization of territorial space. [Methods] Taking the Tiandeng County, Ningming County, and Tian'e County in Guangxi as the research areas, and constructs a four-dimensional analysis framework covering the different regional characteristics. The CRITIC-entropy weight method and the Boston matrix coupling coordination model were used to quantitatively measure the coupling coordination mechanisms between efficiency and equity in territorial space resource allocation in these three counties from 2015 to 2023. [Results] (1) The coupling coordination degrees of the three counties showed significant gradient differences. Tiandeng County had a coupling coordination degree of 0.38, falling within the “low efficiency-low equity” mildly imbalanced range, indicating inefficient land use and insufficient public service supply under the traditional agricultural model. Ningming County reached 0.59, located in the “high efficiency-low equity” transitional coordination interval, revealing that efficiency improved during industrialization while ecological equity lagged behind. Tian'e County achieved 0.64, within the “low efficiency-high equity” primary coordination interval, highlighting significant ecological conservation effectiveness but weak economic transformation capacity. (2) The conflict between efficiency and equity manifested differently in the“production-living-ecological” spaces. In the production space, it was characterized by the contradiction between land intensification degree and industrial adaptability. In the living space, it was reflected in the unequal public services. In the ecological space, it focused on the imbalance between conservation costs and benefit distribution. [Conclusion] The “efficiency-equity” dual-objective measurement model can effectively reflect inter-county and dimensional differences. The feasibility of multidimensional coordination is verified through differentiated strategies, providing theoretical support for territorial spatial planning in underdeveloped regions.

[Objective] Achieving synergy between stable economic growth and urban green transition constitutes the practical foundation for sustainable development. From the perspective of territorial spatial structure, revealing the impact of economic growth target management of a proactive government on urban green development can provide scientific reference for policymakers in formulating green development policies. [Methods] This study analyzed the mechanisms of economic growth targets, territorial spatial structure, and urban green total factor productivity. Using the SBM-Malmquist-Luenberger model, it measured urban green total factor productivity based on panel data from cities in the Yangtze River Delta from 2005 to 2022. A fixed effects model was employed to identify the impact of economic growth targets on urban green total factor productivity and its underlying transmission mechanism. [Results] (1) Economic growth targets exerted a significant negative impact on urban green total factor productivity. Specifically, a 1-percentage-point increase in economic growth targets led to a 0.00751 decrease in urban green total factor productivity. (2) The mediating effect analysis showed that economic growth targets drove the polycentric evolution of territorial spatial structure, which served as an important mechanism for inhibiting improvements in urban green total factor productivity. However, a monocentric spatial structure had a more significant positive impact on urban green total factor productivity in large cities. (3) The moderating effect tests revealed that marketization had a significant positive impact on the relationship between economic growth targets and urban green total factor productivity. In addition, economic growth targets and provincial spatial structure exhibited a substitution relationship in affecting urban green total factor productivity. [Conclusion] Optimizing the territorial spatial strategy in local government economic management to improve the efficiency of spatial resource allocation is an important pathway for promoting urban sustainable development while ensuring stable economic growth.

[Objective] Domestic waste management remains a critical weakness in enhancing the livability of territorial space in ecologically fragile areas. Investigating the causes of multiscale disequilibrium in domestic waste management effectiveness and corresponding optimization schemes under uncertain geographic contexts is of great significance for alleviating resource and environmental pressures and for consolidating the ecological security pattern of territorial space in ecologically fragile areas. [Methods] Taking the Huangshui Valley on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau as a case study, and based on a multi-source heterogeneous dataset of 980 village and town settlements, this study conducted a multi-scale analysis of the disequilibrium in domestic waste management effectiveness in the Huangshui Valley in 2020. Spatial autoregressive and geographically weighted regression models were used to measure the influencing factors of the disequilibrium and their spatial heterogeneity. An integer programming model was constructed to explore the optimized spatial layout of domestic waste management modes. [Results] (1) The effectiveness of domestic waste management in plateau ecologically fragile areas was generally low, with prominent disequilibrium. The management effectiveness of herder settlements was only 53.8% and 42.9% of that of rural and urban settlements, respectively. (2) High altitude, steep terrain, and low transportation accessibility were the decisive factors for the low effectiveness of domestic waste management in plateau ecologically fragile areas. Insufficient increasing returns to scale of the resident population and village-level economy were important internal causes of the disequilibrium in management effectiveness. The number and education level of grassroots management personnel were positive factors for improving the management effectiveness in remote settlements. (3) The optimized spatial layout of domestic waste management modes that fully considered the geographical location and pollution generation characteristics of settlements helped save total collection and transportation costs by 17.9%. [Conclusion] The disequilibrium pattern of domestic waste management effectiveness in plateau ecologically fragile areas is jointly driven by terrain and location constraints, disparities in population and economic scales, and grassroots governance capacity. Promoting a spatially configured, diversified domestic waste management mode based on local conditions helps reduce governance costs and enhance the accessibility of domestic waste management services.

[Objective] This study aims to identify the spatial patterns of human activity pressure on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau during the peak tourism season, reveal the spatial characteristics of ecological risks resulting from the overlay of this pressure and ecological vulnerability, and propose spatially guided strategies for ecological risk prevention and control, thereby providing a scientific reference for promoting the sustainable development of ecological tourism on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. [Methods] Taking the central and southern Xizang as the study area, this study extracted Tencent location request data during the peak tourism season to construct a human activity intensity index. Ecological vulnerability was assessed by integrating three factors: soil erosion, land desertification, and habitat sensitivity. A “pressure-vulnerability-risk” discrimination matrix was constructed. Additionally, different levels of ecological risk zones were identified through spatial overlay analysis, and three types of regulation zones were delineated. [Results] (1) Human activity pressure intensity in the central and southern Xizang showed significantly uneven spatial distribution, exhibiting a “point-line-plane” spatial pattern characterized by “areal agglomerations, linear extensions, and point-like scattering”. 86.38% of the grids with location requests were situated within ecological space. (2) The ecological vulnerability assessment results indicated that 45.42% of the central and southern Xizang was at high or relatively high ecological vulnerability levels. It was identified that 11.03% of the grids with location requests were at high ecological risk level, mainly distributed in the Mount Everest-Xixiabangma region, Yamdrok Lake, Namtso Lake, the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, and along the G318 Sichuan-Xizang Highway. (3) The territorial space disturbed by human activities was partitioned into three types: ecological conservation zones (high risk), buffer supervision zones (medium risk), and guided development zones (low risk). Differentiated spatial access mechanisms and management strategies were proposed accordingly. [Conclusion] Location-based big data provides a new perspective and methodological support for monitoring ecological disturbances on the plateau. In view of the strong spatial heterogeneity and complex disturbance forms of ecological risks on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, a spatially refined identification and zoning regulation system should be implemented to achieve coordinated development between ecological resilience enhancement and high-quality utilization of tourism resources.

The world has entered a new phase of turbulence and transformation. Promoting the high-quality development of mining space and ensuring the secure and stable supply of mineral resources are of great importance for safeguarding national security and responding to complex international situations. The theory of complex human-land territorial system can serve as the overall strategic goal for promoting harmonious human-land relationship for high-quality development in mining areas. It supports the understanding and seeking solutions for the overall optimization, comprehensive balance, and effective regulation of the human-land relationship system in mining areas from aspects such as spatial structure, temporal process, organizational sequence change, holistic effects, and synergistic complementarity. This study is based on the new opportunities and challenges faced by China's mineral resources industry in the new phase of economic development. Through literature review, inductive analysis, and logical reasoning, it analyzes the endogenous logic of human-land relationship theory and the high-quality development of mining space, and examines the mineral-land-human coupling characteristics and conflicts in China's mining space. Under the framework of human-land system theory, the strategic transformation from traditional mining land use to modern mining spatial governance is reviewed and analyzed, focusing on aspects such as governance nature, governance units and scales, governance value orientation, governance actors, governance paradigms, and governance instruments. Furthermore, the innovative pathways and mechanism reforms for high-quality development of the mining industry in the new phase are explored from the perspectives of innovative support from mining spatial planning, guidance from technological innovation, guarantee from institutional innovation, and driving force from model innovation. This study aims to extend the human-land system theory and enrich the theories and methods for the modernization of national territorial spatial governance capability.

[Objective] Under the holistic perspective of the “community of life”, integrating carbon neutrality goals into the territorial spatial planning of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is of significant importance for advancing the region's green, low-carbon transformation and high-quality development. [Methods] A total of 199 county-level units in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region were selected as the research subjects. The carbon budget, carbon ecological carrying coefficient, and carbon intensity of land use in these counties for the years 2011, 2016, and 2021 were calculated and analyzed. GIS-based spatial analysis was employed to identify their spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics. On this basis, GIS was used to spatially overlay and cross-classify carbon function types and major functional zones, constructing a low-carbon-oriented territorial spatial zoning system. Subsequently, zonal low-carbon development strategies were proposed. [Results] (1) From 2011 to 2021, total carbon emissions in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region showed an overall increase. Carbon absorption exhibited a stable spatial pattern characterized by “higher values in the Yanshan-Bashang area and lower values in the plains and coastal areas”. Net carbon emissions showed spatial differentiation characteristics, with higher values in the central-eastern corridor and lower values in the Taihang-Yanshan mountain regions. (2) The carbon intensity at the county level showed an overall decline with inter-county convergence. Specifically, Beijing's carbon intensity was significantly lower than the regional average and its distribution was relatively concentrated. Tianjin was at an intermediate level, and Hebei was generally higher but showed varying degrees of decline. Spatially, carbon intensity increased stepwise from “core urban areas-suburban belts-outer corridors”. A marked contrast emerged between high-value zones along the “coastal development axis” and low-value zones within the mountainous “ecological barrier”. (3) Based on the four carbon function types, they were overlaid with major functional zoning to reconstruct six primary zones: low-carbon intensive development zone, agricultural production support zone, ecological function maintenance zone, carbon intensity control zone, carbon sink function zone, and high-carbon governance and optimization zone. Furthermore, within the agricultural and ecological categories, seven secondary subtypes were refined according to their carbon emission characteristics. [Conclusion] Constructing a county-level carbon function identification method and aligning it with major functional zoning form a hierarchical low-carbon zoning system. This can provide a spatial basis for differentiated county-level regulation and subsequent dynamic assessment.

[Objective] Food systems are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Clarifying the carbon emission effects and mitigation potential of cross-regional food transportation is crucial for developing sustainable food systems. [Methods] This study developed a telecoupling-based analytical framework for the food system in Xizang. Using statistical data on food production, household food consumption survey data, and transport network data in Xizang, this study employed a doubly constrained spatial interaction model (DCSIM) and carbon emission factors to quantify the scales, routes, and associated carbon emission spillover effects of cross-regional food transportation between Xizang and food-surplus provinces in inland China in 2022. Furthermore, an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was applied to predict and evaluate the potential for carbon reduction by 2035 resulting from changes in food productivity in Xizang and improved transportation conditions. [Results] (1) The food supply-demand structure in Xizang was characterized by high self-sufficiency in advantageous agricultural and pastoral products, with staple grains, edible oils, and certain livestock products depending on external supply. In 2022, about 647300 t of food were transported into Xizang, and routes longer than 3000 km accounted for 43.49% of total transportation volume. (2) In 2022, total carbon emission spillovers from cross-regional food transportation were 102800 t CO₂. The carbon emission intensity per unit of food transportation was 7.85 times the national average, and spillovers showed significant spatial imbalance. (3) Scenario analysis indicated that by 2035, increasing food localization alone would achieve only 7.06% reduction in carbon emissions, whereas structural optimization of transportation modes was expected to achieve nearly 60% reduction. The combined carbon emission reduction potential of both strategies could reach 62.86%. [Conclusion] This study proposes a methodology for tracing, quantifying, and managing the carbon footprint of food system telecoupling from specific consumption endpoints. Through a case study of Xizang, it reveals that for regions inherently constrained by limited food productivity, the most effective leverage for reducing the carbon footprint of food telecoupling lies in the green transformation of transportation. This conclusion provides valuable insights for food security strategies and cross-regional coordinated governance of resources and environment across Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and other ecologically fragile regions.

[Objective] In the context of population shrinkage, investigating the impact of urbanization on carbon budget in key ecological function zones is of great theoretical value and practical significance for regulating and promoting regional carbon budget balance. [Methods] A theoretical framework for the impact of urbanization on regional carbon budget was constructed from the perspectives of scale effects, agglomeration effects, and ecological disturbance effects. Based on the machine learning model, the impact of urbanization on the carbon budget and its mechanism in the key ecological function zones of southern Anhui Province were analyzed. [Results] (1) From 2010 to 2022, the carbon emissions in the key ecological function zones of southern Anhui Province showed a significant upward trend, increasing from 5.5967 million tons to 7.5138 million tons. The carbon sink increased slowly from 102.4 thousand tons to 113.5 thousand tons. The proportion of carbon emissions offset by carbon sinks showed an overall downward trend, indicating an intensified risk of regional carbon budget imbalance. (2) At the county scale, the carbon budget showed a spatial distribution pattern of being high in the north and south and low in the center. Ningguo City, She County, and Qingyang County were areas with relatively severe carbon budget imbalance, while Shitai County, Yi County, and Jingde County had a relatively low degree of imbalance. (3) Urbanization had a nonlinear relationship with the carbon budget. When the urbanization rate exceeded 49.5%, it exacerbated regional carbon imbalance. The impact of urbanization on the regional carbon budget exhibited scale effects, agglomeration effects, and ecological disturbance effects. Specifically, the scale expansion of construction land increased carbon emissions, while the expansion of cultivated land, forest, and grassland significantly enhanced carbon sink. The agglomeration of construction land exhibited stage-specific characteristics in emission reduction, while the agglomeration of cultivated land, forest, and grassland significantly enhanced carbon sink. The ecological disturbance effects suppressed carbon budget imbalance at low levels but exacerbated it at high levels. [Conclusion] Overall, urbanization in the key ecological function zones of southern Anhui Province plays a dominant role in increasing carbon emissions, thereby exacerbating the regional carbon budget imbalance.

[Objective] This study constructs a unified-scale evaluation framework for territorial spatial morphology, and reveals the “agglomeration-fragmentation” evolution characteristics and influencing factors of urban, agricultural, and ecological spaces in China from 2010 to 2020, thereby providing quantitative evidence for optimizing territorial spatial morphology in the new era. [Methods] Based on national land use datasets for 2010 and 2020, the HEALPix-Quadtree (HPQT) algorithm was employed to measure the system fragmentation of urban, agricultural, and ecological spaces at the county level. K-means was used to identify patterns of fragmentation change, and logistic regression was applied to analyze the relationships of different evolution patterns with natural and socio-economic characteristics. [Results] (1) From 2010 to 2020, territorial spatial fragmentation in China showed highly structured regional differentiation, characterized by urban fragmentation in the east and agglomeration in the west, intensified fragmentation in core agricultural areas, and overall stabilization of ecological space. This pattern was highly coupled with the spatial layout of major function-oriented zones (MFOZ). (2) Six typical evolution patterns of territorial spatial morphology were summarized, and significant differences across patterns were observed in urbanized areas, major agricultural product-producing areas, and key ecological function zones, highlighting structural issues such as urban spillover and diffusion, agricultural shrinkage and fragmentation, and localized ecological encroachment. (3) After controlling for natural topography, locational gradients, and socio-economic conditions, regional development orientation variables had significant and directionally specific effects on different spatial morphology evolution patterns, indicating that spatial morphology evolution was not a simple mapping of natural conditions but the result of sustained institutional guidance under given constraints. [Conclusion] The evolution of territorial spatial morphology in China demonstrates significant regional differences and type differentiation. Based on the existing pattern of spatial functional differentiation, strengthening fine-grained morphological governance—by promoting clustered agglomeration of urban space, contiguous agricultural land consolidation, and continuous and integrated ecological space—will support the transition from scale-oriented control to structure- and morphology-oriented governance.

[Objective] Rural governance is the cornerstone of national governance and a critical issue for Chinese-style modernization. Currently, rural transformation generally faces challenges such as multiple actors and mixed spatial functions. Traditional governance models, which tend to prioritize institutions over space, macro-level strategies over localized plots, and individual actions over collective dynamics, often result in a disconnection between governance effectiveness and spatial transformation. Therefore, it is imperative to construct rural governance communities from the perspective of “spatial-social” synergy to advance the modernization of the rural governance system and capacity. [Methods] This study took the She Village in Nanjing as the research subject. By integrating location-based big data and actor-network theory (ANT), three rural function indices—residential, employment, and consumption—were constructed to quantify the intensity, distribution, and complexity of plot functions. Based on this, rural areas were divided into core and non-core zones, and the differentiated spatial interaction mechanisms of multiple actors were then analyzed. [Results] (1) The three functions in She Village showed significant spatial differentiation. The core zones, characterized by high-value and complex functions, formed a high-density actor network through multi-actor co-governance. In contrast, the non-core zones had low functional intensity and weak complexity, leading to relatively loose connections among actors. (2) Through interest empowerment and mobilization, a closed loop of “definition of spatial issues-social network construction-spatial institutional response” was formed, achieving conflict transformation and the consolidation of the rural governance community network. [Conclusion] From the perspective of “spatial-social” synergy, functional spatial differentiation reflects the logic of actor interactions, while actors continuously reshape the spatial-functional pattern through processes of translation. The key to constructing a rural governance community lies in breaking the disconnection between the two, promoting the synergy among social actors through targeted spatial measures, and ultimately establishing a modern governance system that combines governance effectiveness and social resilience.