Spatial differentiation characteristics of internal ecological land structure in rural settlements and its response to natural and socio-economic conditions in the Central Plains, China.

Ecological land in rural settlements (ELRS) can directly provide many ecosystem services for rural residents that are related to their well-being. This study selects landscape pattern indices to describe the structural characteristics of ELRS at the county level in the Central Plains region (CP), China. Fragmentation of ELRS in the North China Plain (NCP) is higher than that in the marginal mountainous and hilly areas of the CP, and ELRS dominance is higher in the south than in the north. The stability of household plots in the NCP western margin and woodlands in plain and basin areas is higher than other areas. The grassland and water along the Yellow River and in the vicinity of urban areas show strong stability, while the central areas of the CP and western and southern mountainous areas show poor stability. ELRS diversity shows a progressive spatial pattern from the complexity of the northwest to the homogeneity of the south. Elevation is the most important independent factor in controlling the structure of ELRS, followed by the external morphological structure of rural settlements, road density, and the rural population. Each of the natural and socioeconomic factor affects the structural feature index of ELRS to a different degree but shows a regular control direction. Generally, the ELRS structure in areas of complex topography, obvious urbanization, convenient transportation, and weakening agricultural status tends to be complex. Rural settlements with large populations and densities, small mean patch sizes, poor uniformity and regular shapes help ELRS show integrity and superiority but not stability or diversity. The results will make up for the shortcomings of the research in the field of rural human settlement environments and serve to improve the appearance and optimize the function of villages.