Evaluating the symbiotic interface for city-lake synergy: Evidence from Kunming city and Dianchi Lake in Southwest China (1990–2020)

Abstract

Investigating the city-lake nexus offers a scientific framework for the development of spatial optimization strategies. To foster a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing urban China where human-water coexistence thrives, the advancement of an integrated development paradigm encompassing land use efficiency, habitat quality, and environmental conservation has become central to spatial planning and management at the city-lake interface. Prior research has predominantly focused on governance strategies predicated on the overarching relationship between urban areas and lakes. Nonetheless, the absence of precise spatial delineation at the interface has resulted in these strategies being inadequate for fostering synergistic city-lake development. Dianchi is the largest urban lake on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, and its management has long received attention at China's national level. This study employs spatial raster data to develop assessment indicators for city-lake development dynamics and to quantify the coupling coordination degree of the city-lake relationship at the symbiotic interface, examining the spatial and temporal evolution over the period from 1990 to 2020. By integrating the historical urban expansion of Kunming with Dianchi Lake's pollution control efforts, we propose a sustainable symbiosis strategy aimed at fostering synergistic city-lake development, with the overarching goal of improving urban sustainability within the context of plateau lake conservation.