Island development suitability evaluation for supporting the spatial planning in archipelagic areas

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Geography
• Ecology

Background:

• Island development suitability is crucial for ecosystem-based management and sustainable development.
• Evaluating land development suitability and spatial planning requires a robust technical foundation.
• Understanding carrying capacities for ecological conservation, agriculture, and urban construction is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess island development suitability in China's Miaodao and Dongtou Archipelagos.
• To identify and measure the influence of controlling factors (terrain, sea, soil) on different development types.
• To establish an island development suitability index (IDSI) and optimize functional zoning through multiple schemes.

Main Methods:

• Calculated carrying capacities for ecological conservation, agricultural production, and urban construction.
• Identified controlling factors (terrain, sea, soil) and measured their influence on development types.
• Developed an island development suitability index (IDSI) and created four distinct zoning schemes (A-D).
• Selected an optimum scheme based on IDSI and functional zoning objectives.

Main Results:

• Controlling factors exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity in their influence across archipelagos and island types.
• The proportions of planned zones varied depending on the scheme and its purpose.
• The optimum scheme assigned specific development strategies (Schemes A-D) to different island areas (reclamation, uninhabited, sandy, remaining).

Conclusions:

• The study validated that controlling factors' influence on development suitability can differ from empirical expectations.
• A multi-scheme approach effectively addresses the disconnect between development suitability assessment and spatial planning.
• The findings provide a valuable framework for island ecosystem-based management and sustainable land use planning.