Identification and driving mechanism of land use conflict in China’s South-North transition zone: A case study of Huaihe River Basin

Abstract Land use conflicts in China's south-north transition zone have become increasingly severe, posing significant challenges to regional planning and sustainable development. Taking the Huaihe River Basin as an example, based on the land use data from 1990 to 2020, this study utilized a land use conflict assessment model and the geodetector model to reveal the dynamics of these conflicts and their underlying causes. The results show that the cultivated land area in the Huaihe River basin shows a decreasing trend, while the construction land area shows a marginal expansion trend. At the same time, the degree of land use conflict decreases first and then intensifies. In addition, the spatial agglomeration effect of land use conflicts is significant, especially in the northern part of the Huaihe River basin. It is also found that elevation, slope, and population density are the main factors affecting land use conflicts in the Huaihe River Basin. These findings underscore the importance of considering the unique characteristics of the Huaihe River Basin in developing targeted land use policies that balance economic growth with environmental protection.