Human-earth system dynamics in China's land use pattern transformation amidst climate fluctuations and human activities

Amid rapid environmental changes, the interplay between climate change and human activity is reshaping land use, emphasizing the significance of human-earth system dynamics. This study, rooted in human-earth system theory, explores the complex relationships between land use patterns, climate change, and human activities across China from 1996 to 2022. Using a comprehensive analytical framework that combines Geographical Detector (GeoDetector), Random Forest (RF) model, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), Spearman's rank correlation, and k-means clustering, we analyzed data from national land surveys, climate records, and nighttime light observations. Our findings indicate a significant, though regionally varied, transformation in land use: arable land decreased by 1.67 %, driven by intense urbanization and policy shifts, particularly in rapidly urbanizing Jiangsu province where arable land diminished by 19.19 %. In contrast, construction land in the northern regions increased by 225.91 million hectares. Climatic influences are apparent, with rising temperatures positively correlating with arable land expansion in the Northeast and Northwest, and urban land in Jiangsu province increasing by 35.51 %. Variations in precipitation patterns were linked to changes in forested areas. This study highlights the dynamic and intricate interactions within the human-earth system, stressing the urgent need for sustainable land management and climate adaptation strategies that improve land use efficiency and resilience. Our research offers a solid foundation for informed policy-making in land management and climate adaptation, advocating a human-earth system science approach to address future environmental and societal challenges.