Theoretical analysis of interactive coupled effects between urbanization and eco-environment in mega-urban agglomerations

Mega-urban agglomerations in China play a vital role in both national economic development strategies and national new-type urbanization, and undertake important historical responsibility with the world economic center transfer to China. However, they suffer a series of increasingly serious eco-environmental problems in the process of development. Thus, studies on the interactive coupled effects between urbanization and eco-environment in megaurban agglomerations are the frontier areas and high priority tasks in the earth system science for the future ten years. This paper analyses the basic theory frame of the interactive coupled effects between urbanization and eco-environment in mega-urban agglomerations systematically. In theoretical aspect, based on the nonlinear relationship and coupling characteristics of the natural and human elements in mega-urban agglomerations system, we could estimate the interactive coercing intensity, nearcoupling and telecoupling mechanism of the inside and outside mega-urban agglomerations system after scientific identification of the key elements, and then form the basic interactive coupling theory. Moreover, we could build a spatio-temporal coupling dynamic model, which is integrated with multi-elements, multiscales, multi-scenarios, multi-modules and multi-agents. The model will be used to develop the intelligent decision support system for urban agglomeration sustainable development. In methodology aspect, the mega-urban agglomeration is regarded as an open complex giant system. We should establish the standardized shared database for exploring the interactive coupled effects between urbanization and eco-environment. Then using new technology for analyzing big data and the integration methods incorporating of multi-elements, multi-scales, multi-targets, multi-agents, multi-scenarios and multi-modules, we can build a methodology framework to analyze the complex interaction coupling between urbanization and ecoenvironment. The technical route is to analyze spatiotemporal evolution characteristics, identify the key elements, interpret coupling relationship, reveal the mechanism of coercing effect, find the general rules, filtrate the control variables, solve the critical thresholds, conduct regulation experiments, simulate different scenarios, propose an optimized schemes, and achieve national goals. Furthermore, we could put forward the overall optimization scheme. In general, this research could provide theoretical guidance and method support for the transformation and sustainable development in mega-urban agglomerations. © 2016, Science Press. All right reserved.