Spatial evolution of cultivated land in the Heilongjiang Province in China from 1980 to 2015

Sustaining cultivated land is critically important for food security, economic development, and social stability in China. China has been developing rapidly since the adoption of the Chinese Economic Reform of 1978, revealing the spatial evolution characteristics of cultivated land can provide valuable information for estimating and sustaining Chinese food security. In this study, we analyzed the spatial evolution of cultivated land from 1980 to 2015 in the Heilongjiang Province, one of the most important grain production regions in China, by combining five land-use databases, a geographic information system, and mathematical models. The results showed that cultivated land in the Heilongjiang Province increased by 33,234 km² (23%) from 1980 to 2015. The increase primarily resulted from land conversion from the forest (11,511 km²), grassland (9780 km²), and unused land (9696 km²). Additionally, cultivated land-use change’s spatial characteristics differed among decadal periods. Spatial changes were stronger during 1990–2000 than in the other periods (1980–1990, 2000–2010, and 2010–2015). The landscape shape index indicated that cultivated land development had a regular changing pattern but showed a trend toward irregular development over the study period. The spatial expansion of cultivated land showed a strong directional trend, which was further found to be associated with geomorphological factors, indicating the prominent controls of abiotic factors on cultivated land expansion. This study provides an overview of the long-term spatial evolution characteristics of cultivated land and the key abiotic controls on cultivated land use change. This information can help local government policymakers effectively balance regional development, environmental protection, and food security.