Coupling and Coordination of Production–Living–Ecological Space in the Karst Plateau Basin, China: A Combined Spatiotemporal Differentiation and Impact Mechanisms Perspective

Exploring the coupling coordination relationship and underlying mechanisms within Production–Living–Ecological Space (PLES) and revealing its spatial interactions are of great significance for promoting the sustainable development of national territorial space. Taking the Beipanjiang River Basin as a case study, this research employs the PLES classification system, the Coupling Coordination Degree (CCD) model, Exploratory Spatiotemporal Data Analysis (ESTDA), and a geodetector to examine the spatiotemporal differentiation patterns and impact mechanisms of PLES coupling coordination from 2010 to 2023 in the karst plateau basin. The results indicate that (1) from 2010 to 2023, the spatial functions of PLES showed significant heterogeneity. Both production and living functions increased gradually, while the ecological function declined slightly. (2) From 2010 to 2020, the coupling degree and coordination level of PLES improved steadily but remained at a low coupling and imbalanced stage overall. From 2020 to 2023, marked growth occurred, though regional disparities persisted. (3) From 2010 to 2023, the overall spatial structure of the CCD of the PLES remained relatively stable, demonstrating significant spatial integration. Regional development exhibited clear path dependence, and the positive spatial correlation effect continued to strengthen. (4) Natural, social, and economic factors jointly influenced the PLES coordination level. Among them, nighttime light intensity, population density, and annual average Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were key drivers of its spatiotemporal differentiation. Factor interactions showed significant two-factor enhancement and nonlinear enhancement effects. These findings provide a scientific basis for optimizing the PLES in the Beipanjiang River Basin and offer a practical reference for spatial governance and planning in ecologically fragile karst plateau river basins.