Analyzing the Hotspots of Land Use Change in the Chinese Section of Tumen River Basin (1980-2020)

This study analyzed land use changes in the Chinese side of the Tumen River Basin from 1980 to 2020, focusing on identifying and characterizing spatial changes of hotspots, using Landsat satellite imagery analysis and spatial statistical methods. The Getis-Ord Gi* statistic was used to identify significant hotspots of land use change, revealing three distinct areas: Yanji City, Hunchun City, and Wangqing County. Yanji City experienced rapid urban expansion with built-up areas increasing from 5.2% to 42.3%, while Hunchun City demonstrated changes driven by international cooperation initiatives in the lower Tumen River Basin. Wangqing County exhibited more gradual changes focused on forest conservation policies reflect the growing importance of environmental protection in this area. Topographical factors significantly influenced the patterns of these changes, with elevation and slope emerging as key determinants of land use transitions across all three regions. The findings highlighted the spatial heterogeneity of land use change in the basin and provided important implications for sustainable regional development policies. The study contributes to understanding how geographical conditions and policy interventions interact to shape land use patterns in border regions.