Optimization of land use structure based on an improved multi-objective genetic algorithm: a case study in a large-scale opencast coal mine area, China

Based on the land use data in 1986, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2009, 2015 and 2020 in the Pingshuo opencast coal mine area, the land use information entropy and dynamic degree were calculated, and the land use transfer matrix and complex network were constructed. The evolution characteristics of land usage were analyzed from several perspectives. Under the future economic-ecological dual scenario, an improved genetic algorithm was proposed to optimize the land use structure of the mining region, while the Markov model was used for comparative validation. The research results showed that cultivated land, forest land and grassland decreased between 1986 and 2020, while residential land and mining land rose dramatically, with cultivated land serving as the primary source. The entropy value of land use increased and the dominance decreased. Moreover, the integrated changes in the land use became more intense in 1986-2020, with the most drastic change in residential land. The land use system's overall stability was low, but showed a slowly increasing trend. In addition, after the optimization of multi-objective genetic algorithm, the land use structure of the mining area can provide greater comprehensive benefits, especially the ecological benefit. This aided in the improvement of the mining area's delicate ecosystem. The research results reveal the evolutionary process of land use over the past 30 years in the Pingshuo opencast coal mine area and provide theoretical support for regional land use planning and sustainable development.