PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2020, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (11): 1884-1897.doi: 10.18306/dlkxjz.2020.11.009

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Allometric scaling analysis of population and accessibility on the Loess Plateau from 1980 to 2016

LV Minjuan1,2,3,4(), CAO Xiaoshu2,3,4,*()   

  1. 1. School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
    2. Academy of Natural Resources and Territorial Space, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
    3. Key Laboratory for Urbanization and Land Environment Geo-simulation in Northwest China, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
    4. Loess Plateau Observation Station of Coupled Human and Natural System, Xi'an 710119, China
  • Received:2019-11-06 Revised:2020-06-01 Online:2020-11-28 Published:2021-01-28
  • Contact: CAO Xiaoshu E-mail:18003431662@163.com;caoxsh@snnu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41831284)

Abstract:

Based on the 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2016 panel data at the town and township level on the Loess Plateau, this study analyzed the population and accessibility scale structure, hierarchical system, and allometric scaling by using rank-size distribution and allometric growth model of the fractal theory. The results show that: 1) Population size was mainly small and medium, and population of 60% of the towns and townships was growing at a positive rate. The distribution of population presented a pattern of "high in the north and south, and low in the middle". Potential accessibility on the Loess Plateau tended to increase over time and the spatial distribution of potential accessibility gradually decreases from southeast to northwest. Population and potential accessibility of valley plains both are the highest. 2) The rank-size distributions of population and accessibility comply with the power-law relation, and both present a log-normal distribution. The distribution of population size changed from equilibrium to polarization, and the distribution of potential accessibility tended to be further balanced. The population rank-size distribution was characterized by dual fractals from 1980 to 2016, while the accessibility rank-size distribution had evolved from dual fractals to single fractals with 2000 as a turning point. Accessibility scale distribution tended to be stable. 3) The characteristics of population-accessibility allometric growth were clear. The 3006 towns and township mainly showed positive allometry, supplemented by negative allometry. The allometric growth types of towns and townships in the gully areas of the Loess Plateau and the valley plains were dominated by positive allometric growth with population growth. The allometric growth types of towns and townships in the hilly-gully areas of the Loess Plateau, sandy and desert areas, and earth-rock mountain areas were dominated by negative allometric growth with population decline. The irrigated regions were dominated by positive allometric growth with population growth and negative allometric growth with population decline. Finally, according to the population and accessibility allotypes and spatial distribution characteristics, some policy recommendations for the development of each region are put forward.

Key words: population scale, accessibility, rank-size, allometric scaling, the Loess Plateau