Multi-Objective Spatial Suitability Evaluation and Conflict Optimization Considering Productivity, Sustainability, and Livability in Southwestern Mountainous Areas of China

Abstract

Space is the fundamental carrier for production, living, and ecological activities, and optimizing the spatial pattern is of vital importance to promote regional sustainable development. To achieve this goal, the core issues are to identify the risks of resource and environmental constraints of development and to realize the rational distribution of human living space. Based on the integration of multisource heterogeneous data, taking Yunnan Province, a typical mountainous area in China, as an example, this research proposes a multi-object suitability evaluation method based on 50 × 50 m grid data at the provincial scale. We build a spatial conflict analysis model to identify production–living–ecological space (PLES) and propose governance suggestions for different functional areas. The results show that (1) areas suitable for ecology make up the greatest proportion of Yunnan Province, but areas with living and ecological functions show obvious spatial complementarity; (2) areas suitable for production are restricted by steep slope, geological hazards and fragmented pattern; (3) areas suitable for living is rare, and they are mainly concentrated in the plains of central Yunnan; and (4) twenty-seven percent of area has potential spatial conflicts, among which 4.38% of the area is all suitable for production–living–ecological. The production–living advantage areas are concentrated in the central Yunnan UA (Urban agglomeration), which has a high spatial overlap. These results are expected to provide valuable insights to support comprehensive multifunctional spatial utilization and sustainable development in mountainous areas.