Associations Between Climate Conditions and the Spatial Patterns of Construction Land in China, 2000–2020

This study examines the spatial associations between climatic conditions and construction land in China during 2000–2020. Using construction land data from CNLUCC and spatially interpolated meteorological data, five climatic indicators were selected: annual mean temperature, annual precipitation, annual sunshine duration, annual mean wind speed, and annual mean atmospheric pressure. Spatial statistical methods were employed to examine the distribution and changes in construction land across different climatic conditions and to assess their associations at the central-city level. The results show that different climatic factors exhibit distinct spatial associations with construction land. Urban land, rural residential land, and other construction land also show distinct spatial patterns across climatic conditions. Analysis of central cities and their surrounding areas further reveals a differentiation between construction land stock and recent growth, indicating that long-term spatial distribution and recent expansion represent different dimensions of construction land dynamics. These associations may reflect the combined roles of climatic and non-climatic factors and should not be interpreted as direct causal relationships. The findings provide a macro-level basis for understanding the spatial differentiation of construction land under diverse climatic conditions and for further integrating demographic, economic, technological, and land-use factors into future research.