Against the backdrop of rapid urbanization and non-agricultural transition of the population in China, rural hollowing has emerged as a multifaceted issue characterized by intertwined spatial, social, economic, and cultural dimensions, requiring in-depth analysis from an interdisciplinary perspective. This study systematically reviews the development trajectory of rural hollowing research in China during the period 1999-2024. Bibliometric analysis reveals a shift from single-perspective studies in the early stage to multidisciplinary integration. Research themes have expanded from phenomenon identification to mechanism analysis and systemic governance, gradually forming a pattern of coordinated development among theory, technology, and practice. Building on this, the review focuses on four core themes: basic concepts and measurement methodologies; development characteristics, causes, and effects; context-specific remediation pathways and practical strategies; and performance evaluation and feedback mechanisms. The study indicates that, driven by policies such as the Rural Revitalization Strategy and Territorial Spatial Planning, relevant studies have demonstrated trends of interdisciplinary integration, macro- and micro-level synergy, and methodological innovation, providing theoretical support and practical pathways for rural governance in the new era. This study further refines the understanding of rural hollowing by establishing a complete chain from theoretical exploration to practical optimization and emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and policy adaptation. Six future research directions are proposed: dynamic construction and regional adaptation of theoretical frameworks; precise identification of farmers’ needs and responsive mechanisms; systemic integration and ecological coordination of holistic remediation; scenario-based empowerment and intelligent decision-making through digital technologies; regional experiments and collaborative governance through institutional innovation; and closed-loop optimization and iterative governance of performance evaluation. These directions aim to provide systematic and precise solutions for promoting high-quality rural development in China.

This study aims to introduce Integrated Assessment Methods, a systematic tool, into the blue economy to construct an integrated analytical framework that encompasses economic, environmental, and social dimensions. This framework will provide scientific evaluation and decision-making support for the sustainable development of the blue economy. This study systematically reviews the historical development of the blue economy concept through a literature review and, based on this, constructs its theoretical framework. Building upon this groundwork, a comparative research approach is employed to critically analyze existing assessment paradigms. This study innovatively demonstrates the theoretical necessity and paradigm uniqueness of Integrated Assessment Methods in blue economy research by examining three dimensions: methodological superiority, theoretical appropriateness, and practical effectiveness. This study finds that existing domestic research on the blue economy still has room for further refinement in terms of conceptual definition and theoretical construction, and the exploration of applying Integrated Assessment Methods in relevant fields remains in its preliminary stages. Finally, this study proposes the following conclusions: Integrated Assessment Methods should be urgently introduced into the field of blue economy to systematically address the inherent limitations of traditional assessment tools in tackling the complex coupling of economic-environmental-social systems, performing cross-scale dynamic analysis, and conducting ex-ante policy simulation. Future research should focus on establishing an integrated “economic-environmental-social” assessment framework for the blue economy, integrating multidisciplinary approaches to enable dynamic scenario simulation, thereby providing scientific decision-making support for the sustainable development of the blue economy.

[Objective] Nickel, owing to its excellent mechanical strength and ductility, has been included in the lists of critical mineral resources by many countries such as China, the United States, and Australia. The supply of its resources affects national economic development and the growth of strategic emerging industries. In the context of the increasingly complex and volatile international environment, it is necessary to analyze the structure of the nickel trade network to ensure supply security and maintain trade stability. [Methods] Based on social network analysis, this study used trade data on eight categories of nickel products among 162 countries from 2018 to 2022, obtained from the UN Comtrade database. Multi-dimensional indicators were applied to characterize the features of nickel trade patterns and to analyze the complexity of the trade network and the key factors driving its evolution. [Results] (1) Currently, the global nickel market exhibited insufficient overall stability, with large fluctuations in the international market caused by unexpected events and policy adjustments. (2) The nickel trade network was concentrated in a few key countries, and cooperative relationships among them became increasingly close. (3) Economic development level, population size, and technological level significantly promoted nickel imports and exports, while geographical distance exerted a suppressing effect. [Conclusion] Given the high volatility risk in the nickel product market, source countries with large export volumes, high market shares and low policy fluctuations should be prioritized for nickel product imports. Meanwhile, an emergency reserve and assessment system should be established to guarantee safe inventory levels. All stakeholders should expand cooperation on the basis of consolidated partnerships, optimize supply chains, construct green trade corridors and enhance trade resilience.

[Objective] Developing wind power is a crucial pathway for promoting the transition to low-carbon energy and achieving the “dual carbon” goals. Discarded wind power equipment contains a large amount of critical metals and is an important future supply source for these metals. Assessing the recycling potential of critical metals in such equipment is of great significance for resource supply security. [Methods] Based on a dynamic material flow model, this study estimated the demand, recycling volume, and secondary material supply of critical metals—neodymium, dysprosium, and praseodymium—from discarded wind power equipment in China from 2000 to 2050. Additionally, the issues related to supply security, along with the environmental and economic benefits of recycling, were discussed. [Results] (1) The evolution of demand for and recycling volume of neodymium, dysprosium, and praseodymium exhibited a phased pattern of “demand first and recycling later”. From 2000 to 2050, the cumulative demand for neodymium, dysprosium, and praseodymium was 141800-303900 t, 23700-50700 t, and 35500-76000 t, respectively. The cumulative recycling volume was 34600-80400 t, 5800-13400 t, and 8700-20100 t, respectively. The secondary material supply ratio was projected to rise continuously, reaching peak values of 73.46%, 91.87%, and 91.87% by 2050. (2) The effective recycling of neodymium, dysprosium, and praseodymium from discarded wind power equipment in China was expected to bring environmental benefits equivalent to a reduction of 3.6163-8.3804 million t of greenhouse gas emissions and economic benefits with a market scale of up to 155.866 billion yuan, realizing the synergy of the “triple benefits” of supply security, environmental emission reduction, and economic value addition. (3) The intensity of climate policies, equipment lifetime, and technology pathway selection had significant regulatory effects on the recycling potential. The multi-scenario comparative approach used in this study could provide a replicable analytical framework for assessing the potential of similar resources. [Conclusion] The recycling potential of critical metals in future discarded wind power equipment will continue to grow, and the issue of raw material shortages in China’s wind power industry is expected to gradually ease. The efficient recycling of critical metals from discarded wind power equipment helps enhance resource self-sufficiency, reduce external dependence, and deliver multiple environmental, economic, and social benefits, thereby providing support for achieving the circular economy and “dual carbon” goals.

[Objective] Holmium is widely applied in high-end technologies, especially in the fields of laser materials, fluorescent materials, and optical fiber communications, and its demand has been increasing year by year. This study aims to clarify the current status of supply and demand of holmium in China, assess future trends, and propose policy recommendations. [Methods] A material flow analysis model was constructed to analyze the life cycle material metabolism of China’s holmium resources from 2011 to 2020. Based on the L.Ridenour’s stagnation growth model, Hubbert’s peak model, Generalized Weng Model, and scenario analysis, the supply and demand of holmium resources from 2021 to 2060 were predicted. Additionally, future secondary resource supply of holmium was predicted based on different application fields. [Results] (1) Over the period of 2011-2020, the mining supply and the demand of holmium resources in China saw notable increases, with a substantial gap observed between supply and demand. (2) During the mining and beneficiation stage, the annual compound growth rate of holmium-containing ore mining was 3.77%. In the separation and refining stage, ionic rare earth ores dominated as the primary source. (3) Over the period of 2021-2060, the annual compound growth rate of total holmium resource demand in end products was projected to be 4.28%, and laser materials were identified as the largest application field. (4) If the recovery rate increased by 2% annually, the secondary resource supply was expected to reach 11.36% of the total demand by 2060. [Conclusion] China faces an issue of potential undersupply of holmium resources, and this situation is projected to intensify in the future. The supply of secondary resources may alleviate the imbalance to a certain extent. Accordingly, policy recommendations are proposed, including strengthening technological innovation, promoting the recycling and utilization of holmium resources, establishing strategic reserve mechanisms, and deepening international cooperation.

[Objective] Against the backdrop of the rapidly growing digital economy, whether digital transformation can effectively drive the cultivation and development of new quality productive forces in resource-based enterprises has become a crucial issue that urgently needs to be addressed. [Methods] This study constructed a theoretical analysis framework for digital transformation and the new quality productive forces of resource-based enterprises. Based on the data from Chinese A-share listed resource-based companies from 2011 to 2022, econometric strategies such as the entropy method and static panel data models were employed to empirically examine the impact of digital transformation on the new quality productive forces of resource-based enterprises and the underlying mechanisms. [Results] (1) Digital transformation effectively stimulated the development of new quality productive forces in resource-based enterprises. From the perspective of different dimensions, the application of digital technology had the greatest promoting effect on the new quality productive forces of resource-based enterprises, followed by internet-based business models, then by the implementation of intelligent manufacturing, while modern information systems exhibited the smallest contribution. (2) Technological integration capability positively moderates the promoting effect of digital transformation on the new-quality productivity of resource-based enterprises. (3) An inverted U-shaped relationship was observed between digital transformation and the improvement of new quality productive forces in resource-based enterprises, while technological integration capabilities showed characteristics of increasing marginal effects. (4) The heterogeneity analysis showed that the role of digital transformation in empowering the new-quality productivity of resource-based enterprises is more pronounced in strategic resources, enterprises with low external transaction costs, and those in the growth stage. [Conclusion] Digital transformation can significantly promote the development of new quality productive forces in resource-based enterprises. Therefore, resource-based enterprises should be actively guided to accelerate the process of digital transformation, so as to accelerate the emergence and formation of innovative, efficient, and sustainable new quality productive forces in resource-based enterprises.

[Objective] Against the backdrop of heightened climate risk, enhancing the resilience of agricultural production through agricultural insurance is of great significance for ensuring the security of agricultural supply. Although the level of participation in China’s agricultural insurance has been rising, problems such as substandard insurance claims and large regional differences still exist, constraining the effectiveness of the insurance protection. Based on the phased characteristics of agricultural production, this study constructs an analysis framework to examine the impact of agricultural insurance participation level on the resilience of agricultural production, and discusses the threshold effects of the level of insurance claims between the two. [Methods] Based on provincial panel data from 2007 to 2022, the entropy weight method was used to measure agricultural production resilience (including resistance, recovery, and transformation capacities). A panel threshold regression model was employed, using the claims level as the threshold variable, to investigate the nonlinear impact of agricultural insurance participation level on agricultural production resilience. [Results] (1) During the sample period, China’s agricultural production had the strongest recovery capacity, followed by resistance capacity, while transformation capacity was the weakest. (2) Agricultural insurance significantly enhanced agricultural production resilience when the level of insurance claims per capita was below the threshold. Once the threshold was exceeded, the enhancement effects disappeared. (3) By dimension, when the claims level was low, agricultural insurance enhanced resistance and recovery capacities, but suppressed transformation capacity. However, when the claims level was high, the role of agricultural insurance in enhancing resistance capacity significantly weakened. Its role in enhancing recovery capacity reversed into a suppressing effect, and it exerted a positive impact on transformation capacity. (4) Heterogeneity analysis revealed that the threshold effects of agricultural insurance on agricultural production resilience were more pronounced in non-major grain-producing areas and northern regions. [Conclusion] Agricultural insurance enhances the resilience of agricultural production, but this effect is constrained by rising insurance claims. In the future, policies should be promoted through multiple channels to increase farmers’ participation in agricultural insurance. Regular assessments of reasonable claim ranges should be conducted to strengthen the capacity for preventing moral hazard.

[Objective] This study explores the impact of social media on residents’ food waste behavior through information interaction mechanisms. [Methods] Using Beijing residents as the research subjects, a questionnaire survey was conducted from August to September 2023, yielding 501 valid samples. An agent-based modeling approach was employed to construct a complex system of residents’ food waste behavior from the perspective of information interaction. By integrating structural equation modeling, susceptible-infected-recovered model, and environmental footprint accounting method, this study analyzed the impact of social media on residents’ food waste behavior and compared it with other information interaction channels. [Results] (1) Social media became the primary source of information on food waste for Beijing residents (approximately 50%). (2) Traditional food waste behavior analysis frameworks underestimated the impact of subjective norms. (3) System simulation results showed that, compared to no information interaction, social media-based information interaction more rapidly reduced the daily frequency of waste behavior (from 0.35 times/day to 0.20 times/day) and the daily waste amount (from 16.67 g/day to 9.51 g/day), and lowered the daily carbon footprint (36.63 g/day), water footprint (29.99 dm³/day), and ecological footprint (26.04 dm²/day) caused by food waste. Furthermore, compared to traditional information interaction channels, social media-based information interaction resulted in better and faster reductions in food waste. [Conclusion] Through information interaction mechanisms, social media can significantly improve Beijing residents’ food waste behavior and reduce environmental footprints. Future efforts should focus on optimizing multi-channel information interaction systems, fully leveraging the interactive advantages of social media, and driving broader participation in conservation behaviors through a “ripple effect” approach to reduce food waste and its associated environmental impact.

[Objective] Reducing the embodied carbon emissions from agricultural product exports is of great significance for agricultural carbon emission reduction. This study aims to investigate the influence of different value chain embedding methods on the embodied carbon emissions from China’s agricultural product exports, thereby providing new insights for the realization of China’s dual carbon goals. [Methods] Based on the Asian Development Bank (ADB) World Input-Output Table from 2007 to 2022, this study employed a high-dimensional fixed effects model to empirically assess the impact of China’s forward and backward embedding in the RCEP regional value chain on the embodied carbon emissions from agricultural product exports. [Results] (1) From 2007 to 2022, the forward participation of China’s agricultural product exports embedded in the RCEP regional value chain generally increased, while the backward participation showed a declining trend, and there are differences in both forward and backward participation across different agricultural sectors. (2) China’s forward-embedded RCEP regional value chain had a carbon reduction effect on the embodied carbon emissions from agricultural product exports. However, this effect exhibited diminishing marginal returns with the increase of the participation in the forward-embedded RCEP regional value chain, showing a U-shaped nonlinear relationship. The backward-embedded RCEP regional value chain had a carbon increase effect on the embodied carbon emissions from agricultural product exports. (3) The impact of China’s forward and backward embedding of RCEP regional value chains on the embodied carbon emissions from agricultural product exports demonstrated heterogeneity at both the sector level and the trading country level. [Conclusion] The participation in the forward value chain of agricultural products in China is significantly better than that in the backward value chain. China’s forward embedding in the RCEP regional value chain exerts a carbon reduction effect on embodied carbon emissions through technological level effects and export structure effects, while its backward embedding in the RCEP regional value chain exerts a carbon increase effect on the embodied carbon emissions of China’s agricultural product exports through trade scale effects and export structure effects. The impact of embedding in the RCEP regional value chain on the embodied carbon emissions from agricultural product exports from industries with different pollution intensities and countries with different income levels is heterogeneous. Scale effects, structural effects, and technological effects are the main approaches for China’s embedding in the RCEP regional value chain to affect the embodied carbon emissions from agricultural product exports.

[Objective] This study aims to explore the impact of the carbon trading market on green and low-carbon agricultural development, thereby providing practical pathways for establishing a long-term incentive mechanism for agricultural transformation and achieving the goal of building an agricultural powerhouse with Chinese characteristics. [Methods] Based on provincial panel data in China from 2007 to 2021, this study first employed the super-efficiency SBM model to construct a green and low-carbon agricultural development index. Subsequently, the PSM-DID model was applied to quantitatively analyze the impact of the carbon market on green and low-carbon agricultural development and to investigate the mechanisms at both the industrial and enterprise levels. Finally, a difference-in-differences-in-differences model was used to analyze, from the perspectives of synergies of the domestic carbon market with administrative interventions, the international carbon market, and agricultural pollution reduction policies, how these synergies enhanced the effect of the domestic carbon market. [Results] (1) The regional disparity in China’s green and low-carbon agricultural development index was significant. The agricultural protection zone had the highest index value, the moderate development zone showed the fastest growth rate, and the optimized development zone experienced the largest decline. (2) The carbon market promoted green and low-carbon agricultural development primarily through industrial linkage and enterprise innovation mechanisms. (3) The synergies of the domestic carbon market with administrative interventions, the international carbon market, and agricultural pollution reduction policies could generally enhance the domestic market’s impact on green and low-carbon agricultural development. Among these, the synergistic effect between agricultural pollution reduction policies and the domestic trading market was the strongest, while the linkage between international and domestic carbon markets remained weak, yielding the least synergistic impact. [Conclusion] The carbon market is a highly promising long-term mechanism for promoting green and low-carbon agricultural development. The effectiveness of this mechanism relies on key transmission through industrial linkage networks, and an appropriate combination of the “intensity and mode” of administrative interventions can effectively enhance the carbon market’s effects. Accordingly, it is recommended to implement differentiated green and low-carbon agricultural development strategies for the three major agricultural functional zones, establish methodological systems for agricultural carbon sources and sinks to overcome the “thin market” dilemma, clarify the functional boundaries between government and market to maximize synergistic effects, and form the concept of synergistic agricultural pollution and carbon management.

[Objective] Exploring the impact of artificial intelligence technology on carbon total factor productivity in cities of the Yellow River Basin is conducive to identifying the transformation directions for promoting green and low-carbon development of cities in the Yellow River Basin in the era of digital and intelligent economy. [Methods] This study systematically elucidated the impact mechanism of artificial intelligence technology on carbon total factor productivity in cities of the Yellow River Basin and conducted an empirical test using panel data from 78 cities along the basin from 2006 to 2021. [Results] (1) Artificial intelligence technology had a significant positive effect on improving carbon total factor productivity in cities of the Yellow River Basin, and this finding remained robust after a series of robustness tests and endogeneity tests. (2) Artificial intelligence technology mainly enhanced carbon total factor productivity in cities of the Yellow River Basin through two channels: industrial digital transformation and industrial green transformation. (3) The enhancing effect of artificial intelligence technology on carbon total factor productivity was more pronounced in cities of urban agglomeration, non-resource-based cities, and cities with high government attention to environmental protection, substantial environmental protection investment, high levels of human capital, and high levels of green consumption. [Conclusion] Artificial intelligence provides key technical support for enhancing carbon total factor productivity in cities of the Yellow River Basin. Therefore, it is necessary to increase investment in digital and intelligent transformation and environmental protection, promote the digital and green transformation of traditional industries, and foster low-carbon and sustainable development in cities along the Yellow River Basin.

[Objective] This study aims to identify the spatial correlation network structure and formation mechanisms of ecological well-being performance (EWP) across China’s five major urban agglomerations—Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), Pearl River Delta (PRD), the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (MRYR), and Chengdu-Chongqing (CC). The analysis provides a scientific basis and policy support for promoting the high-quality economic development of urban agglomerations and the continuous improvement of residents’ sense of gain. [Methods] Using panel data from 2010 to 2021, this study took 92 cities within the five major urban agglomerations as the spatial research units. Then, by using the super-efficiency SBM model with undesirable outputs, a modified gravity model, and social network analysis (SNA), this study identified network structure characteristics and formation mechanisms from both “attribute” and “relation” perspectives. [Results] (1) The overall average EWP across the five urban agglomerations was 0.614, exhibiting a fluctuating upward trend over the study period, with a 20.57% growth rate. The average EWP ranked as follows: BTH (0.702) > CC (0.622) > MRYR (0.613) > PRD (0.598) > YRD (0.535). Although the YRD ranked last in terms of average EWP, it had the highest growth rate of 30.68%. (2) The overall network structure of EWP in five agglomerations demonstrated complex and multi-threaded characteristics. The YRD and MRYR exhibited multi-core synergistic development patterns, while the BTH, PRD, and CC exhibited typical center-periphery structures. (3) Core nodes were identified as Beijing and Tianjin in the BTH, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, and Wuxi in the YRD, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in the PRD, Wuhan and Changsha in the MRYR, and Chengdu and Chongqing in the CC. The improvements in Zhuzhou, Xiangtan, and Ziyang indicated the effectiveness of regional coordinated development and policy guidance. (4) Mechanism analysis identified a “three-force” mechanism framework driving the evolution of the EWP network across the five agglomerations. Geographical proximity, income disparities and differences in urbanization rates acted as the driving force, structural differences in industry and environment constituted the supporting force, and differences in government and regulation at the institutional level functioned as the regulating force. Together, these three forces shaped a multi-nodal, multi-level, and highly interactive spatial correlation network. [Conclusion] The overall EWP across the five major urban agglomerations exhibits steady improvement, structural differentiation, and accelerated central agglomeration, with the greatest potential for enhancement concentrated in peripheral cities. It is recommended to implement differentiated green development strategies, reinforce the leading role of central cities, and promote the coordinated development of multi-dimensional factors to achieve the comprehensive improvement of EWP in urban agglomerations.

[Objective] Land development directly affects regional ecological security pattern. This study systematically investigates land use/cover change and landscape evolution to identify ecological sources, resistance surfaces, corridors, and nodes, providing scientific tools for constructing ecological security patterns in mountain-oasis-desert ecosystems and supporting ecosystem protection and spatial governance in ecologically sensitive areas. [Methods] Using Hami, Xinjiang as a case study, we integrate habitat quality assessment, landscape connectivity, least cost path, and circuit theory to identify key ecological sources, corridors, and nodes. Based on land use data from 2000, 2010, and 2020, the PLUS model simulates three 2030 scenarios—natural development, ecological optimization, and rapid development—to compare ecological security patterns. [Results] By 2030, the ecological optimization scenario increases forestland by 10.09 km² and grassland by 146.43 km², while natural and rapid development yield smaller gains or losses in these areas. Key ecological sources cover 27823.16 km² under ecological optimization—more than under other scenarios. Its ecological corridors form a connected network, outperforming the linear, east-west patterns of the other two. Landscape dominance and connectivity are also highest under ecological optimization. [Conclusion] Ecological optimization should be prioritized for Hami’s future planning, though alternative paths remain relevant. Incorporating land use dynamics and policy drivers into ecological pattern design enhances resilience in arid regions. Scenario-based frameworks offer dynamic, actionable source-corridor-node outputs that support zoning, boundary control, network optimization, restoration, and policy evaluation—useful for similar regions.

[Objective] This study aims to delineate planting suitability maps for major grain crops in the black soil region of Northeast China (BSRNC) and evaluate the potential for planting structure adjustment, thereby providing scientific decision-making support for agricultural spatial governance. [Methods] Taking the BSRNC as the study area, the MaxEnt model was integrated and optimized with multidimensional environmental variables to simulate the spatial patterns of suitable areas for maize, soybean, and rice. Through time-series analysis (2017-2021), this study revealed the evolution characteristics of planting suitability, and employed spatial overlay techniques to identify potential space for planting structure adjustment. [Results] (1) The optimized MaxEnt model (AUC values: 0.859~0.915) significantly enhanced the prediction performance and generalization ability of the model. (2) Under the dominant influence of soil and climatic factors, the proportions of suitable areas for maize, soybean, and rice were 47.87%, 47.47%, and 27.18%, respectively, with distinct spatial heterogeneity across different suitability levels for each crop. (3) The maize planting system exhibited a negative coupling between scale expansion and suitability decline, soybean planting showed stable suitability despite a contraction in planting scale, and rice demonstrated both high suitability and stable planting scale. (4) The internal structure of existing cropland demonstrated significant optimization potential, with a prominent demand for regulating maize-soybean layout. [Conclusion] This study develops an effective model for simulating the spatial suitability of major grain crops in BSRNC, reveals the risks of structural imbalance in current planting systems, and provides a spatial regulation pathway for the optimization of grain production and the sustainable use of black soil.

[Objective] Farmland transfer has formed a profound intrinsic connection with farmers’ fertilizer application by reshaping agricultural production patterns, while the uncertainty of land returns caused by grain price fluctuation alters farmers’ fertilizer application decisions. Exploring the relationship between farmland transfer and fertilizer application and clarifying the moderating role of grain price fluctuation constitute an important research topic for explaining the fertilizer reduction effects of farmland transfer. [Methods] Based on panel tracking survey data from 1119 small-scale grain producers (with farm sizes below 50 mu) in Henan, Shandong, Anhui, and Hebei provinces from 2012 to 2024, this study empirically examined the impact of farmland transfer-in on farmers’ fertilizer application per unit area in grain production using a two-way fixed effects model based on the instrumental variable method, and analyzed the moderating role of grain price fluctuation. [Results] (1) Farmland transfer-in had a significantly positive impact on both fertilizer application rate and application cost per mu for wheat and maize by small-scale farmers. (2) The impact of farmland transfer-in on fertilizer application per unit area in grain production exhibited heterogeneity across two dimensions: transfer duration and transfer rent. Specifically, the coefficients of the impact of long-term transfer-in and high-rent transfer-in on fertilizer application rate and application cost per mu for wheat and maize were both significantly positive. Short-term transfer-in had a significantly positive impact only on the fertilizer application cost per mu for maize, while low-rent transfer-in had a significantly negative impact coefficient on both fertilizer application rate and application cost per mu for wheat. (3) The coefficient of the interaction term between grain price increase and farmland transfer-in was significantly positive in the regressions for fertilizer application rate and application cost per mu for wheat and maize. The coefficient of the interaction term between grain price decrease and farmland transfer-in was significantly negative only in the regression for fertilizer application rate per mu for maize. [Conclusion] In the context of small-scale production, farmland transfer-in is not conducive to achieving fertilizer reduction in grain production. In particular, farmers with long-term transfer-in and high-rent transfer-in exhibit higher levels of fertilizer application, and the increase of transfer duration and transfer rent does not promote fertilizer reduction. Grain price increase has exacerbated the adverse impact of farmland transfer-in on fertilizer reduction, while grain price decrease has a limited moderating effect. To promote fertilizer reduction in grain production, it is recommended to increase green technology for small-scale grain-growing farmers, prevent excessive increases in farmland transfer rents, and strengthen the regulation of grain prices, thereby enabling farmers to form stable income expectations.

The quality of cultivated land is a major issue that concerns the long-term stability of the country. Cultivated land quality evaluation is an effective means to ensure food security and promote economic development, holding important practical significance. Taking “connotation identification, theoretical support, and system reconstruction” as the main framework, this study comprehensively analyzes the current research status of cultivated land quality evaluation in China. Through literature review, induction and deduction, and comparative analysis methods, this study systematically reviews the research on cultivated land quality evaluation, explores the existing deficiencies in cultivated land quality evaluation, and proposes its future development directions. The study shows that: (1) the academic community has largely reached a consensus on cultivated land quality evaluation and has established a solid theoretical foundation, but the existing research framework requires further integration to form a systematic theoretical system. (2) The indicator system has been increasingly improved, yet differentiated evaluation for specific targets and the dynamic monitoring of cultivated land quality still have room for optimization. (3) Current studies are mainly conducted at small and medium scales, and research on multi-scale integration and spatiotemporal dynamic analysis remains insufficiently developed. (4) Various evaluation methods each demonstrate advantages in their respective applicable contexts, but the comprehensive use of multiple technical approaches to improve the accuracy and robustness of evaluation results is still limited. On this basis, through system reconstruction, the following prospects are proposed to address the deficiencies in existing research on cultivated land quality evaluation. Future research should strengthen basic theoretical studies and build a systematic knowledge framework; improve the evaluation indicator system and integrate multi-source evaluation data; promote the transformation and linkage across different spatial scales to gradually clarify the mechanisms of cultivated land quality evolution; comprehensively apply multiple evaluation methods and conduct cross-validation to identify optimal solutions; and implement dynamic monitoring to provide scientific support for management decision-making.