Land Use Multifunctions in Metropolis Fringe: Spatiotemporal Identification and Trade-Off Analysis

As the transition zone between urban and rural, the metropolis fringe is an area where various functions permeate and compete fiercely with each other. Understanding land use functions (LUFs) and their relationships are crucial for both urban and rural sustainable development. In this study, we established a conceptual framework of land use multifunctions in the urban fringe and proposed an improved evaluation method to quantify LUFs at the grid scale. The bivariate spatial autocorrelation method was used to explore the trade-offs among LUFs. Taking Qingpu District in Shanghai as a case study, we found that LUFs displayed pronounced spatiotemporal heterogeneity. The economic- and social-dominated functional trade-off mainly occurred in the east part of Qingpu, whereas the ecological function dominated in the west. Human preference and corresponding policies were the key factors leading to these trade-offs. Additionally, land use function zoning was proposed to resolve existing conflicts. These findings can provide scientific information for efficient land use management in the metropolis fringe.