Decoding rural territorial heterogeneity: Optimization pathways via Pole-Field-Area-Net structure analysis

The imbalance between urban and rural development is the core challenge of global sustainable development in the 21st century, and its essence is the structural contradiction in the spatial allocation of resource elements and the effective identification of the spatial structure and development type of rural territorial system is a critical way to promote the integrated development of urban and rural areas in the future. It employs the entropy-TOPSIS method, gravity model, K-means clustering, geodetector, and other techniques to identify and construct the multidimensional spatial structure of ‘Pole-Field-Area-Net’ in Binxian County. The results of the study demonstrate that: (1) Based on the multidimensional structural framework of ‘Pole-Field-Area-Net’ in a rural territorial system, six village revitalization poles (VRP), four township space fields (TSF), and ten village development areas (VDA) were identified and divided in Binxian. Among them, the VRP drive the development of the surrounding area through the economic radiation effect, the TSF promote the exchange of resources as the carriers of urban and rural factor flow, and the VDA forms synergistic effects through the complementary functions. (2) The integrated rural and village-level geographical resource development indicators objectively reflect the differentiated spatial development of rural villages in typical agricultural counties in Northeast China, with their development levels all showing apparent geographical differentiation. (3) A methodology for identifying the development types of rural territorial systems has been constructed, and differences in the distribution characteristics of regional links between different villages and towns have been explored. Based on the differences in functional advantages and development orientation, targeted optimization paths are proposed for different types of rural revitalization poles, village and township spatial fields and rural development zones. The study provides case studies for global suburban integration villages and has far-reaching significance in cracking the urban-rural dichotomy, establishing two-way factor flow channels, and promoting urban-rural functional spatial restructuring. • Built a ‘Pole-Field-Area-Net’ framework, revealing rural territorial system’s spatial evolution patterns. • Used GIS to map resource patterns and interaction intensity in rural. • Applied ‘zoning and classification’ to propose precise development optimisation strategies.