Analyzing the spatial-temporal changes of resources–based industrial land is essential to the transformation and development of resources–exhausted cities. In this paper, we studied coal resources–based industrial land use changes and their driving factors in a typical coal resources–exhausted city, Anyuan District, Pingxiang city. The changes between coal resources–based industrial land and other land-use types were analyzed. The logistic regression models were applied to identify the main driving factors and quantify their contributions to coal resources–based industrial land-use changes during the two periods of 2003–2008 and 2008–2013. The results show that coal resources–based industrial land declined by 34.37% during the period 2008–2013 as coal resources were being exhausted. Altitude, distance to roads, distance to town, population density change, fixed-asset investment per area change, and GDP per capita change drove coal resources–based industrial land-use changes. However, the patterns of the driving effects differed, and even the same factors had different influences on coal resources–based industrial land-use changes during the two periods. The changes in the driving factors can be seen as responses to socioeconomic transformation and development in the city, which is experiencing the exhaustion of coal resources. As a result of the comprehensive effects of these driving factors, coal resources–based industrial land use has changed in complex ways.

The agricultural soil alongside highways has experienced multiple potential ecological risks from human activities. In this study, 100 soil samples near the highways were collected in Lishui District, Nanjing City. Using the single-factor pollution index, the Nemerow comprehensive pollution index, and the potential ecological risk index, the study investigated the heavy metal contents and distribution in roadside agricultural soil. PCA and a multiple regression model were applied to quantitatively analyze the spatial relationships between sampling soil heavy metal accumulation and the surrounding man-made landscape. The mean contents of Cu and Pb exceeded the background, while Cd, Cr, and Zn were lower than that. The potential ecological risk index exhibited a very low ecological hazard and only Cr in soils rarely showed moderate risk. Furthermore, quantitative analysis for the sources of contamination revealed that agricultural practices were the dominant contributors to the heavy metals, including Cd, Cu, and Zn, while road and heavy industrial practices contributed to Cr and Pb. The study provides sources of heavy metal pollution from human activities in roadside agricultural land and serves as a reference for ecological restoration.

It is crucial to pay close attention to the ecological security in land consolidation and utilization of coastal tidal areas and make an appropriate zoning scheme to meet the characteristics of its particular landscape. Landscape security patterns can identify the patterns that are crucial to the health and security of landscape ecological processes by analyzing and simulation them. This article applies the theory of landscape security pattern to land consolidation zoning in a coastal tidal area, Dafeng District, Yancheng, Jiangsu Province. The main landscape processes in land consolidation are explored in land consolidation in the area by literature review and field investigation, corresponding single landscape ecological security patterns are constructed using spatial analysis functions in ArcGIS 10.3, and land consolidation zones are determined according to the comprehensive landscape security pattern. The results show that: (1) The processes of water-soil conservation, water source protection, biodiversity conservation, local culture protection, and recreation are the main landscape processes. The security patterns generated by key points and resistance elements could affect land consolidation; (2) The comprehensive landscape security pattern is composed of the multi-landscape security patterns, which are classified into three levels of high, medium, and low. The areas of the levels account for 20.12%, 46.23% and 33.65% of Dafeng District, respectively; (3) The specific suggestions of ecological protection and ecological restoration in land consolidation are put forward for land consolidation zones with different levels of landscape security patterns. These results suggest that zoning based on landscape security patterns can provide guidance for land consolidation and regulation in coastal tidal areas.

The hilly areas of China have experienced soil erosion and are also typical land consolidation (LC) regions. Using the RUSLE model and the multiple regression model, this study evaluated the soil erosion of agricultural land and assessed the effects of LC on soil erosion in Lishui District, a typical district in the Ning-Zhen-Yang hilly area. The soil erosion of agricultural land ranged from 0 to 385.77 t·ha⁻¹·yr⁻¹ with spatial heterogeneity due to the topography, land cover, and vegetation cover. Overall, carrying out LC reduced soil erosion due to the construction of protection forests, farmland shelterbelts, and different kinds of land engineering. Furthermore, the different types of LC had different impacts on soil erosion, where farmland consolidation resulted in more serious soil erosion than land development. Nevertheless, the potential risks brought by LC to soil erosion reduction could not be overlooked, and more attention should be paid to ecological environment protection during the process of LC. This study presents findings regarding the positive impacts and potential risks of LC for soil erosion reduction in agricultural land in hilly areas.

Using county-level panel data for Jiangsu Province from 2008 to 2018, this study adopted a fixed effect model to analyze the impact of land consolidation on crop planting structure, also considering the moderating effect of distance from the city center and the heterogeneous effect of various types of land consolidation. The results revealed that farmland consolidation and land reclamation had a negative impact on the proportion of grain crops (rice, wheat, and corn) cultivated, which declined by 0.0051 % (0.0069 %), 0.0055 % (0.0124 %), and 0.0101 % (0.0123 %) for every 1 % increase in investment, construction area, and newly added arable land from farmland consolidation (land reclamation), respectively, demonstrating that land consolidation has not prevented, or even encouraged nongrain production expansion. The production conditions of reclaimed arable land and land transfer practices following consolidation may be factors affecting these declines. Notably, the negative effect of land consolidation on crop planting structure weakens when the land is further away from the city center. To ensure food security, priority should be given to follow-up management after land consolidation and rational oversight and guidance following land transfer.