Work

Assessing Urban Human Settlement Quality via Ecological Niche-Fitness: A Case Study of Wuhan Metropolitan Area

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Urban expansion intensifies economic–environmental conflicts, making human settlement quality increasingly critical for sustainable development. This study applies ecological niche theory to evaluate the evolution of human settlement quality in the Wuhan Metropolitan Area (WMA) from 2014 to 2022 using 21 economic, social, and ecological indicators. The results reveal: (1) significant variations in niche-fitness values across subsystems, with Wuhan maintaining superiority (>0.820) despite a gradual decline, while peripheral cities—notably Huangshi, Tianmen, and Ezhou—consistently ranked lower (<0.610) throughout the study period; (2) three evolutionary trajectories emerged, characterized by continuous decline, inverted U-shaped development, and sustained growth, reflecting nonlinear dynamics and path dependence in the region’s development patterns. These findings underscore persistent core-periphery disparities within the metropolitan area, yet improved regional coordination is evident as inter-city evaluation gaps narrowed from 0.329 to 0.231 between 2014 and 2022. Based on these insights, tailored policy recommendations are proposed to address the identified disparities and promote balanced development. This study offers valuable theoretical and practical contributions toward achieving coordinated and sustainable development in metropolitan regions.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su17219578

Authors: Wenjun Peng, Cancan Jin, Xiaohong Chen, Xu Wang

Institutions: Hubei University of Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Quality and Pollution

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896