Landform-driven human reliance on rivers in imperial China

Cao，Wenfang1; Liu，Junguo1; Ceola，Serena2; Mao，Ganquan1; Macklin，Mark G.3,4,5; Montanari，Alberto2; Ciais，Philippe6,7; Yao，Yuanzhi8; Tarolli，Paolo9

2023-05-01

10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.129353

Journal of Hydrology   影响因子和分区

0022-1694

1879-2707

Proximity to rivers and flat areas are two of the main factors that determine the location of human settlements. Despite empirical relationships between human settlements, river dynamics and the corresponding landforms, the underlying mechanism remains speculative. Here, we present the first millennium-scale, quantitative temporal analysis of human population dynamics and its relationship with river location and landforms in imperial China across four dynasties (Han – 2 CE, Tang – 742 CE, Song – 1102 CE and Ming – 1522 CE) over the last 2000 years. Our results show less human reliance (measured by the number of people living close to a water course) on rivers for people living in lowland areas, which we interpret to be related to flood risk and the availability of groundwater from alluvial aquifers distant from rivers, used for agriculture. Conversely, people living in mountainous and hilly areas appear to have a stronger reliance on rivers in imperial China. Specifically, behind the strong variations of human-river relation across millennia, we infer a general principle highlighting the role of landforms in human-river interactions. These results shed light on how geomorphology shape settlement and urban patterns, with important implications for sustainable lifeways in riverine environments.

Human settlement Imperial China Landforms Population migration Reliance on rivers

SCI ; EI

英语

第一 ; 通讯

Shenzhen Science and Technology Program[KCXFZ20201221173601003]

Engineering ; Geology ; Water Resources

Engineering, Civil ; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary ; Water Resources

WOS:000962270800001

ELSEVIER

20231313807823

Aquifers ; Floods ; Geomorphology ; Groundwater resources ; Hydrogeology ; Population dynamics ; Risk assessment ; Rivers

Groundwater:444.2 ; Geology:481.1 ; Geomorphology:481.1.1 ; Accidents and Accident Prevention:914.1 ; Social Sciences:971

ENGINEERING

2-s2.0-85150797236

Scopus

1.School of Environmental Science and Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,China
2.Department of Civil,Chemical,Environmental and Materials Engineering,Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna,Bologna,Italy
3.Centre for Water and Planetary Health and School of Geography,University of Lincoln,Lincoln,United Kingdom
4.Institute of Agriculture and Environment,Massey University,Palmerston North,Tennent Drive,4474,New Zealand
5.Centre for the Study of the Inland,College of Arts,Social Sciences and Commerce,La Trobe University,Melbourne (Bundoora),DMBE 116,Australia
6.Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement,LSCE/IPSL,CEA-CNRS-UVSQ,Université Paris-Saclay,Gif-sur-Yvette,France
7.Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C),The Cyprus Institute (CyI),Nicosia,Cyprus
8.School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences,Auburn University,Auburn,United States
9.Department of Land,Environment,Agriculture and Forestry,University of Padova,Italy

Cao，Wenfang,Liu，Junguo,Ceola，Serena,et al. Landform-driven human reliance on rivers in imperial China[J]. Journal of Hydrology,2023,620.

Cao，Wenfang.,Liu，Junguo.,Ceola，Serena.,Mao，Ganquan.,Macklin，Mark G..,...&Tarolli，Paolo.(2023).Landform-driven human reliance on rivers in imperial China.Journal of Hydrology,620.

Cao，Wenfang,et al."Landform-driven human reliance on rivers in imperial China".Journal of Hydrology 620(2023).