Abstract:

Based on the satellite image survey data of Huangshan City in 2014, by using the related spatial analysis methods such as landscape pattern index and GIS spatial analyses, the spatial pattern characteristics of rural settlements in Huangshan City were analyzed. Some conclusions are drawn as follows: First, the overall distribution of settlement density of Huangshan City is sparse, but highlights the characteristics of “central city” agglomeration distribution; Second, the scale distribution of rural settlements shows a strong spatial autocorrelation, the high-value and low-value clusters of rural settlement scale are respectively characterized by aggregation distribution in space; Third, the spatial differentiations of township residential spatial pattern in Huangshan City are evident. There exists a distinct spatial disparity in Huangshan City. On the whole, the northeast part is more complex than the Southwest part. The quantitative analysis to rural settlement spatial distribution factors in the regional level indicates that the driving force of influencing rural settlement space distribution is mainly altitude, slope, traffic, central town, population, economy, planning, policy. On that basis, the main factors of rural settlement spatial pattern, as well as the rural settlement spatial morphological characteristics are discussed. 1) The scale of rural settlements in Huangshan City decreases with the increase of regional elevation and slope gradient. 2) With the increase of the distance between the traffic routes and the central towns, the scale of rural settlements shows a downward trend. 3) There is a positive correlation between population size, economic strength and settlement scale. If a town has a larger population size and stronger economy, the scale of rural settlement will be larger. 4) Planning and policy are also the important factors that affect the spatial distribution of rural settlements, they play an important role in the regulation and guidance. Although different factors have different characteristics on the spatial distribution of rural settlements, the final formation of the spatial pattern of rural settlements is the result of the interaction of terrain, location, social-economic conditions and other factors.