Human Settlement System in Grasslands: Intrinsic Characteristics, Construction Framework, and Development Directions

The construction of human settlements in grasslands is critical for national ecological security and the stable development of ethnic minority areas in border regions. It is necessary to build a human settlement system to address challenges regarding the balance between industry and ecology as well as the coordination between development and protection of grasslands. This study proposes the concept of a human settlement system in grasslands, supporting the study of a complex system formed by factors such as human, nature, and social economy in grassland areas. It expounds on the connotative characteristics and development status of the human settlement system in grasslands and analyzes the challenges faced in constructing the system, including reconstruction of the structural order, improvement in spatial layout, creation of appropriate design theories and methods, and establishment of an appropriate low-carbon technology system. Moreover, the study establishes a research framework covering three core aspects, namely element extraction, hierarchical association, and system adaptation, and creates an evolution theory where production, life, and ecology coordinate in the dimensions of integrality and adaptability. Additionally, it advocates a new paradigm of human settlement construction in grasslands that features integration with nature, low-intensity construction, and inheritance of tradition. Furthermore, the study suggests promoting the integrated development of ecological, production, and living spaces in grassland pastoral areas, creating architectural design theories and methods that adapt to the nature, resources, and society in grassland pastoral areas, and establishing a low-carbon pastoral area construction technology system that adapts to the harsh local climate, weak economy, and rich resources of the area, thereby promoting the high-quality development of human settlements in grasslands in the new era.