Analysis of coupling coordination degree between livelihood strategies and land use behavior of farmers in rapid urbanization area

Abstract: Farmers' livelihood strategies and their land use behaviorconstitute a complex human-earth system and the interaction and sustainable development between them are becoming matters of concern.The purpose of this study was to explore and analyze their interrelationshipand the feedback mechanism of farmers' land use behavior to their livelihood strategiesin Qingpu District which is located in the western suburbs of Shanghai City. The data used were from 363 valid questionnaires concerning farmers' livelihood strategies and land use behavior.Coupling coordination model was used to reveal the coupling relationship and coupling coordination relationship between farmers'livelihood strategies and land use behavior, and Skinner reinforcement theorywas introduced to explainthe feedback mechanism of the comprehensive land use change of farmers to their livelihood strategies. The results indicated that: 1) Therewere differences in coupling relationship and coupling coordination relationship between livelihood strategies and land use behavior among different types of farmers. In terms of coupling relationship, the coupling degree of the 4 types of farmers was within the range of 0.4-0.5 which was in the antagonistic stage. Among them, the coupling degree of specialized agriculture households was the highest,which indicated the relationship between the livelihood strategy and land use behavior was the strongest,while that of non-agriculture-dependent households was the lowest. In terms of coupling coordination relationship, specialized agriculture households were in the highly coupled coordination stage, indicating that their livelihood strategies and land use behavior developed harmoniously and sustainably. The other 3 types of households were in the moderate coupling coordination stage.Combining coupling degree and coupling coordinationdegree, specialized agriculture households were in the medium-high stage, while the other 3 types of farmers were in the medium-mediumstage.2) The coordinated development level of livelihood strategies and land use behavior and land use effect had a significant impact on farmers' livelihood strategies.According to Skinner reinforcement theory, for specialized agriculture and agriculture-dependent households, land use effect and coupling coordination degree were higher and played a positive role on farmers as a positive reinforcement, which promoted them to expand the scale of cultivated land or increase investment and tend to scale management, while for non-agriculture-dependent and conventional agriculture households, land use effect and coupling coordination degree were relatively low and played a negative role on farmers as a negative reinforcement, which restrained them from expanding the scale of cultivated land or increasing investmentand kept or reduced the incidence of their original behavior. We concluded that the cause of this phenomenon was closely related to farmers' own conditions and livelihood goals of their families through investigation and analysis.3)The system of farmers' livelihood strategiesand land use behavior was a complex and giant system in which the two interacted with each other and influenced mutually, and its internal coordination was the key to the sustainable development of human and land. In Qingpu District, the livelihood strategy of specialized agriculture had contributed to improving the livelihood level of farmers, promoting the rational utilization of cultivated land resources and enhancing the coordinated development relationship between the two, which had great attractionto farmers engaged in agricultural production.The results of this study are helpful to coordinate the relationship between farmers' livelihood strategies and land use behavior in Qingpu District, and provide an important theoretical basis for their sustainable development.