Land consolidation spatial pattern and diagnosis of its obstacle factors based on pressure-state-response model

Abstract: Spatial pattern analysis of land consolidation is to classify space for different conditions of land consolidation. It not only helps to clear regional land management direction and implementation strategy, but also is the important basis of task decomposition and project arrangement of land consolidation, which has become the necessary content of land consolidation planning. Therefore, scientifically carrying out the analysis of spatial pattern of land consolidation and its impact factor is important theoretical basis to clear the direction of regional land consolidation and make differential strategies in land consolation planning. Firstly, the paper made the concept framework of pressure-state-response (PSR) as theoretical basis, and built the PSR evaluation system of land consolidation with 18 indices. Secondly, the urgency, suitability and motivation of land consolidation were analyzed through applying the entropy weight TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution) model, and the analysis of the spatial pattern and types of land consolidation was carried out with the PSR combination matrix model. At last, the main obstacle factors of land consolidation in different regions and its frequencies were analyzed by using the obstacle degree model, and some different optimization strategies were proposed. Based on the data of the land consolidation planning and projects from 2011 to 2015 at the district or county level in Shandong Province, the empirical analysis showed that: (1) 69.04% of the counties on the P (pressure) value were higher than provincial average, 50.68% of the counties on the S (state) value were lower than provincial average, and 70.51% of the counties on the R (response) value were lower than provincial average, which indicated that the provincial comprehensive pressure of land use was high, the integrated suitability conditions was in the medium level, and the enthusiasm of land consolidation was low. (2) The spatial pattern of land consolidation in Shandong Province was divided into prior, focused and moderate consolidation area with the corresponding 6 types of regulation based on PSR grading strength and their combination characteristics. The number ratios of counties in 3 main areas were 37.41%, 28.78% and 33.81% respectively, and their spatial distribution was relatively concentrated. But the number ratios of counties for 6 types were 20.86%, 16.55%, 20.86%, 7.91%, 13.67% and 20.14%, respectively, and the spatial heterogeneity of land consolidation pattern was significant. Therefore, regional comprehensive evaluation of "top-down" and difference identification of "bottom up" should be balanced in the process of land consolidation space division. (3) The obstacle factors of land consolidation PSR system and their working frequencies both had a certain regional similarity and an obvious spatial heterogeneity. There were 3 similar aspects in different areas, which were high pressure on cultivated land occupancy, low potential of land development and reclamation and weak planning response on rural residential consolidation. From prior area to focused area and moderate area, the obstacle factors' working frequency of land consolidation PSR system was becoming higher, the difficulty was becoming bigger and the urgency was becoming stronger for carrying out land consolidation. (4) Land consolidation potential difference and funding gap widening between regions were the main causes to hinder the land consolidation response. We suggested that Shandong should introduce market mechanism and attract social capital investment to promote land consolation development, and discuss efficient governance modes and differential strategies to adapt the local conditions. This paper is an effective supplement for the "bottom up" method of land consolidation pattern division, which not only perfects the theory and method of land consolidation zoning, but also provides useful reference for task decomposition and project deployment in land consolidation planning.