Arid Zone Research ›› 2024, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (9): 1527-1537.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2024.09.09

• Land and Water Resources • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Coupling relationship and spatiao-temporal differentiation of the water resources-ecological environment-social economic system in the Hexi Corridor

ZHANG Wenrui1(), SUN Dongyuan1(), WANG Yike1, YANG Jun2, LAN Lijun2, JIN Hujia2, XU Yu2   

  1. 1. College of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
    2. Soil and Water Conservation Center of Gansu Provincial Department of Water Resources, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
  • Received:2023-10-28 Revised:2023-12-19 Online:2024-09-15 Published:2024-09-25
  • Contact: SUN Dongyuan E-mail:zhangwr@st.gsau.edu.cn;sundy@gsau.edu.cn

Abstract:

Promoting the coordinated development of water resources, the ecological environment, and the socio-economic system provides technical support for enhancing regional economic growth, social progress, ecological harmony, and high-quality development. Based on the modified coupling coordination degree model, this paper evaluated the coupling coordination level of water resources-ecological environment-social economic system in the Hexi Corridor. The gray correlation degree model and Theil index were used to identify the driving factors and spatial heterogeneity. The trend surface was utilized to map the global distribution of the coupling coordination degree. The results showed that: (1) The comprehensive development level of water resources-economy-ecosystem driven by economic development increased every year, and the comprehensive development index enhanced from 0.29 in 2006 to 0.65 in 2021. (2) The coupling coordination degree between the water resources, economic, and ecological subsystems in the Hexi Corridor showed different trends, and the development of the coupling degree of the water resources-ecology-economy system was upgraded from the antagonistic to the running-in stage. The coordination degree experienced five stages of “mild imbalance recession-on the verge of imbalance recession-reluctant coordinated development-primary coordinated development-intermediate coordinated development”. (3) The spatial heterogeneity in the region first increased and then decreased. The spatial distribution revealed that the development of the southeast was better than that of the northwest. Jinchang and Zhangye have gradually become the dominant areas of development in Hexi. (4) Urbanization rate, total pollutant discharge, and water-saving irrigation areas played a remarkable role in driving the coupling development of water resources-ecological environment-social economy in the Hexi Corridor. These results have a certain reference-related significance for the coordinated development of the economy-ecology-water resources system in the five cities of the Hexi Corridor.

Key words: modified coupling coordination model, water resources-ecological environment-social economic system, spatio-temporal change features, driving factors, Hexi Corridor