The category identification and transformation mechanism of rural regional function based on SOFM model: A case study of Central Plains Urban Agglomeration, China

Regional function identification and transformation mechanism exploration provide an entry point for a comprehensive understanding of the pattern and direction of rural development. This paper proposes a new analytical framework by establishing first, the rural production-living-ecological evaluation index; second, the optimal functional clustering of 186 counties in the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration area of China by combining the Self Organizing Feature Map network, Geodetector model, and Mann-Kendall test method; and third, the transformation mechanism by comparing the 2-phase zoning results with an interval of 10 years. An overall positive trend was found in the transformation of the rural function. The proportion of lagging development functional areas decreased by 20.5 %. The proportions of dominant function areas and composite coordination function areas increased by 5.4 % and 15.1 %, respectively. There was a synergistic relationship between production and living functions and an opposing relationship between ecological functions and the other two. The functional area with a synergistic relationship had the highest conversion rate, and most of the functional areas with trade-off relationships remained unchanged. The transfer-out rate of functional areas with synergistic and trade-off relations is negatively correlated with its lagging functional inferiority. The degree of difficulty in transitioning to functional areas with synergistic or trade-off relations is similar. The research reveals the mechanism and law of the evolution of rural regional functions and provides a methodology reference and policy planning basis for further research on rural areas.