The structure evolution and driving factors of urban network in the Yellow River Basin:A perspective from enterprise investment
In the context of ecological preservation and high-quality development emerging as national strategies in the Yellow River Basin(YRB),uncovering the structural evolution and driving factors of the urban network from the perspective of enterprise investment holds significant importance in achieving spatial integration and regional coordinated growth in this river basin.Through a comprehensive analysis utilizing big data on enterprise investment connections and the Exponential Random Graph Model,the structural evolution and driving factors of the urban network in the study area from 2000 to 2020 were thoroughly examined.The primary conclusions are as follows:(1)From 2000 to 2020,the urban network in the YRB witnessed a continuous strengthening trend towards a"multi-center,networked"structure.However,there are notable regional discrepancies in network development,generally declining from east to west.(2)The urban network in the YRB exhibits distinct hierarchical features and a radial network pattern of multiple"core-edge"formations.Investment connections within provincial-level regions(hereafter provinces)are robust,while those between provinces are weaker,indicating that the overall network framework of the basin is yet to be fully formed.(3)Investment connections within the YRB predominantly occur among adjacent cities within the same province,heavily influenced by administrative boundaries,manifesting significant boundary blocking effects and reflecting the economic characteristics of administrative districts.(4)The structural evolution of the urban network in the YRB is the result of the combined action of preference attachment mechanisms,network self-organization mechanisms,and multidimensional proximity mechanisms.Aggregate urban economic size,reciprocity,and transitivity of investments play significant roles in fostering investment networks.Cities with closer geographic proximity and stronger cultural affinities are more inclined to establish investment ties.The negative impact of geographic segmentation on investment connections between cities gradually diminishes,while the positive effects of institutional and cognitive proximity gradually emerge.This study not only provides decision-making references for regional collaborative development in the YRB but also contributes to a deeper theoretical understanding of the mechanisms underlying the formation and evolution of urban networks.
urban networkYellow River Basinenterprise investmentnetwork evolutionExponential Random Graph Model(ERGM)