Spatial differentiation and influencing factors of cropland abandonment: A case study in Chongyi county, Jiangxi Province, China

Cropland abandonment is prevalent throughout China, particularly in mountainous regions. However, the varying degrees of land marginalization and the specific factors influencing different types of cropland remain insufficiently understood. This knowledge gap hampers targeted management strategies for mitigating cropland abandonment in these areas. This study used spatial analysis, logistic regression, and random forest models to explore the spatial patterns and key drivers of abandonment across flatland, terrace, and slopeland in Chongyi county, a mountainous region in Jiangxi Province of South China, utilizing data from the 2009 and 2019 national land surveys of China. Results showed that the overall cropland abandonment rate in Chongyi county was 36.46%, with particularly high rates in core terrace conservation areas. Abandoned cropland was spatially clustered, predominantly in high-elevation regions. The abandonment rates were 9.71% for flatland, 37.52% for terrace, and 43.02% for slopeland. Variations in vegetation cover on abandoned cropland suggest that abandonment started earlier on slopeland and later extended to terraces and flatlands. The factors driving the abandonment of flatland, terrace, and slopeland included land altitude, cultivation height difference, and distance to forest land, respectively. Consequently, the results recommend implementing land consolidation and developing small machinery projects for the fragmented flatland. Promoting the multifunctional use of terraces could realize their ecological value. Additionally, the Program of Converting Farmland to Forest should be implemented on the low-quality slopeland.