Exploring Spatial Evolution of Traditional Settlement Landscapes in the Southern Taihang Region of China: A Study on Cultural Ecosystem Dynamics and Reconstructive Strategies

Abstract

As spatial manifestations of human–environment relationships, traditional village landscapes are increasingly challenged by industrialization, urbanization, and globalization. This study focuses on the southern Taihang Mountains in China and applies a cultural ecology approach to construct a process-oriented model of settlement evolution. It systematically analyzes how agrarian culture shapes spatial forms across technological, institutional, cognitive, and practical dimensions, and reveals the transformation of settlements from ecological adaptation to spatial reconstruction under external disturbances. Integrating Holling’s adaptive cycle theory, the research delineates four evolutionary stages of traditional settlements and employs network analysis to build a cultural ecosystem network, highlighting mechanisms of multi-scalar spatial restructuring. Based on this, a holistic protection strategy is proposed—from node activation and cluster coordination to regional network optimization. The study offers theoretical support for the dynamic reintegration and systemic revitalization of traditional settlements in the southern Taihang region, while providing a reference framework for adaptive protection of cultural landscapes globally.