Deciphering the spatial code of the Yellow River Basin: A novel framework for optimizing land use functions and zoning identification strategies.

This study proposes a novel, grid-based framework for evaluating and zoning land use functions (LUFs) in the Yellow River Basin (YRB), aiming to improve spatial planning precision and promote balanced territorial development. By integrating multi-source data and an enhanced identification model, it addresses the limitations of traditional macro-scale approaches and supports more refined, function-oriented land governance in ecologically sensitive areas. Based on grid-level data from 78 cities between 2012 and 2022, a production-living-ecological (PLE) evaluation system is constructed using remote sensing, POI, and socio-economic indicators. The results reveal that: (1) production and living functions significantly intensified, with high-value living function areas increasing from 1.95 % to 7.53 %, while ecological functions declined, with high-value ecological areas decreasing from 34.15 % to 29.59 %; (2) LUFs differentiation is shaped by both natural and socio-economic drivers, with population density, road network density, and precipitation identified as key variables through Geo-detector and GWR models; and (3) using a combined mechanical equilibrium model and comparative advantage index, the study identifies 18 types of land use function zones, including six dominant and twelve composite types. Notably, living-dominated land expanded from 35.30 % to 35.59 %, while ecological-dominated land declined from 27.23 % to 24.90 %. This study contributes an integrative and scalable framework for accurately identifying and optimizing land use functions, offering theoretical support for differentiated territorial spatial governance in ecologically vulnerable regions.