Adaptive changes in traditional settlements in the Loess Plateau of the Yellow River Basin over 500 years

Abstract

AbstractBasin settlements are social‐ecological systems that embody human–land relationships in river basins and face the challenge of adaptive development. The traditional human–land relationship in the Loess Plateau of the Yellow River Basin has changed under the combined effects of human activities and natural disturbances. Traditional settlements face the challenge of balancing conservation, development, ecology, and livelihood. To clarify the long‐time evolution process of settlements in this region, a framework of “population–production–ecology” coupled system in the Loess Plateau of the Yellow River Basin was proposed from the perspective of social‐ecological systems. Based on long‐term time‐series data, the evolution of the regional human–land relationship and the coupling coordination degree of the system were identified. Further, based on the differences in the levels of systems, the adaptation of basin settlements to the external environment was analyzed using water resources as an example. The results showed that the coupling coordination degree within the basin had been decreasing, suggesting the disintegration of the dynamic mechanism of regional development. Moreover, the changes in the development pattern of basin settlements were more delayed compared with those in the basin environment. Overall, this study provides suggestions for the development of sustainable integrated river basin management strategies.