Research on Land Use Transition in China from the Perspective of Household Livelihood Capital

A symbiotic mechanism exists between household livelihood capital and land use transition (LUT). However, previous studies have seldom examined, from a macro perspective, the characteristics of household livelihood capital and its impact on LUT, lacking an in-depth analysis of the spatial spillover effects and regional heterogeneity. Household livelihood capital influences LUT by shaping livelihood strategies. This article incorporates psychological capital into the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF) and utilizes data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) database and land use data spanning 24 provincial-level administrative units in China from 2010 to 2022; this study employs the Spatial Durbin Model to empirically analyze the impact of household livelihood capital on LUT and its regional variability, along with the spatiotemporal evolution patterns of household livelihood capital and land use change. The results demonstrate the following: (1) From 2010 to 2022, household livelihood capital increased, with higher levels of psychological, natural, and human capital, while social, financial, and physical capital were lower. The eastern region exhibited higher livelihood capital levels than the central and western regions, but the gap narrowed annually. (2) Between 2010 and 2022, LUT primarily involved the transition of cropland to construction land, cropland to forest and grassland, and forest and grassland to cropland. The intensity of LUT increased over time and showed a spatial gradient from west to east. (3) LUT positively affected the LUT of adjacent provinces. Various forms of capital and livelihood strategies had different effects on LUT within a province and across neighboring provinces. (4) The heterogeneity analysis reveals that the eastern region is significantly affected by the competitive effect and the spillover effect from neighboring provinces, while the central and western regions are constrained by water resources and inhibited by pure agricultural farmers. The article reveals the mechanism through which household livelihood capital drives LUT and the spatial spillover patterns, providing scientific evidence for regionally differentiated land management and ecological compensation policies, which is of great importance for the sustainable use of regional land resources.