Understanding urban–rural linkages from an ecological perspective.

Urban–rural linkages, which inevitably evolve over time, are influenced by economic, geographic, and demographic factors. In this paper, emergy accounting was used to calculate sustainability indicators and examine the metabolic processes that connect natural environments and rural–urban systems. A map of energy and material flow was visualized with a Sankey diagram, and urban–rural linkages were quantified according to ecological networks. Both rural and urban areas had open metabolic cycles, but the rural system was more dependent on the natural environment and showed better environmental performance. Urban–rural linkages reflected economic transformations during urbanization and formed a complex web of connections. The rural area’s economy and social system were unique in that they were not traditionally self-sufficient. Both rural and urban systems exploited the natural environment. From an ecological perspective, a competitive relationship exists between rural and urban systems, which may result in resource conflict and weaken the sustainability of urban and rural areas. The modern urban–rural linkage indicates a new trans-territorial type of rural system, the town village, which is an emerging phenomenon unique to China and imposes household registration systems. Urbanization has reshaped urban–rural linkages, and thereby influenced system sustainability. The results suggest that new resource management policies should be developed to coordinate the relationship between China’s urban and rural systems during urbanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]