Characteristics of cultural-ecological adaptation in migratory ethnic settlement clusters: a multi-scalar study of the She settlement heritage in China

Migratory ethnic settlement clusters are carriers of ethnic cultural heritage and human-environment adaptation. Using cultural ecology as the core framework, this study develops a multi-scale framework to explore the cultural-ecological adaptation of She settlement clusters in Banzhong township, China. Key findings include: (1) At the macro scale, the clusters form a hierarchical network with key nodes and exhibit significant environmental site preference characteristics; (2) At the meso scale, village spaces display differentiated growth patterns, with landscape configurations reflecting a “core-periphery” nested production-living circle; (3) At the micro scale, the built environment of the dwellings represents a material expression of passive environmental adaptation, as well as a spatial manifestation of ethnic cultural beliefs and clan systems; (4) Regarding driving mechanisms, settlement distribution and morphology are shaped by multiple factors, with dual-factor or nonlinear enhancement effects. This study offers theoretical and methodological references for the study of migratory ethnic settlements worldwide.