Spatio-temporal coupling evolution and zoning regulation of grain-to-arable value ratio and cropping structures in China

Both the food production value on arable land and the structure of food crop cultivation have impacted on national food security. Therefore, exploring changes in their spatial and temporal coupling patterns can help us to understand their relationships and to further improve food security. In this research, we took provincial-level regions in China as the object, and based on an in-depth interpretation of the connotation of the grain-to-arable value ratio and cropping structure, Simpson's index model, coupling coordination model and spatial auto-correlation are comprehensively used to study the spatial and temporal evolution patterns of grain-to-arable value ratio and cropping structure in the study area from 2004 to 2020, and the spatial and temporal dynamics between them in different regions are revealed in consequence. The results show that: (1) The spatial distribution of the grain-to-arable value ratio in all the provincial-level regions from 2004 to 2020 shows a double-decreasing characteristic, one from north to south and the other from west to east; (2) The spatial pattern of cropping structure shows a Hu-Huanyong-line-ridge in terms of spatial distribution, where Northeast, North and East China witness a significant decrease in crop diversity; (3) The degree of coupling coordination between the grain-to-arable value ratio and cropping structure is found between barely coupled and coordinated and highly coupled and coordinated, showing regular spatial clustering characteristics. In the central, western and northeastern China, there is a high-high concentration with matching advantage; in the southeast coastal region, there is a low-low concentration for matching improvement; and the overall distribution presents a pattern of high in the northeast and central regions, and low in the southeast. The study believes that, based on the heterogeneous characteristics of the spatial concentration and diffusion of factors, the synergistic evolution of food quality and diversity on arable land should be encouraged according to the local conditions, so as to promote the harmonious development of food structure and efficiency. © 2022, Science Press. All right reserved.