Spatial optimization of rural settlements based on the perspective of appropriateness–domination: A case of Xinyi City

Abstract Rural settlements represent rural production patterns and social culture in rural territorial systems. This system reflects the interaction processes between human activities and the geographical environment. Exploring the spatial optimization of rural settlements is beneficial, especially for promoting scientific agglomeration of villages, tapping potential village land reclamation, and reconstructing rural areas. We constructed an analytical framework for rural settlement spatial optimization from the perspective of appropriateness–domination. Taking rural settlements layout in Xinyi City of Jiangsu Province in 2016 as a case, we made an iterative operation based on spatial competition and cooperation among rural settlements to obtain a spatial optimization scheme of rural settlements under different appropriate farming conditions. Through a spatio-temporal simulation of various farming radii, and considering the impact of different agricultural scale management levels on the spatial layout of rural settlements, we obtained a reasonable rural settlement layout in the dynamic evolutionary process of farming conditions. On the other hand, we obtained a spatial optimization scheme and development guidance of different rural settlements based on social dominance theory and central place theory through spatial cluster analysis. The perspective of appropriateness–domination provided multi-scenario optimization schemes of rural settlements and scientific guidance for the optimization and reorganization mechanism of rural settlements and rural vitalization.