Understanding and evaluating the resilience of rural human settlements with a social-ecological system framework: The case of Chongqing Municipality, China

The remediation of rural human settlements is receiving increasing attention in contemporary China. Evaluating the resilience of rural human settlements and formulating site-specific remediation strategies are crucial for realizing China's rural revitalization goals. Based on the social-ecological system (SES) theory, this study establishes a theoretical framework for understanding the resilience of rural human settlements. Building upon this framework, an index system for assessing the resilience is constructed across three dimensions: the resource subsystem, the actor subsystem, and the governance subsystem. The study then analyzes the resilience level of rural human settlements and the interactions among these subsystems, using Chongqing Municipality as an example. The main study conclusions are as follows. First, the resilience index of rural human settlements in Chongqing exhibits spatial heterogeneity and imbalances among subsystems. Specifically, the average resilience index of the resource subsystem is lower than that of other subsystems and there is noticeable spatial heterogeneity in resilience indices among different counties. Second, resilience in rural human settlements is a complex outcome resulting from interactions among multiple subsystems within the SES. These subsystems interact through a two-factor enhancement and non-linear enhancement relationship. Third, the main barriers to the resilience in rural human settlements in Chongqing are related to the resource subsystem, particularly per capita wetland resources, followed by challenges within the governance and actor subsystem, such as rural population density. Fourth, the SES theory can better guide the resilience evaluation of rural human settlements. To improve that resilience, we recommend adopting a systemism perspective, treating rural human settlements as SES entities, and paying attention to the important role of rural inhabitants as the main body of environmental governance. Additionally, tailored environmental governance measures should be developed based on the resilience characteristics and interactions between the subsystems. The research results expand the application field of SES theory and provide novel insights and valuable theoretical guidance for studying the resilience of rural human settlements.