Identification and Characteristics of Traditional Village Siting Types Under the Influence of Natural Environmental Factors: A Study from the Taihu Basin

Abstract

Understanding the spatial distribution patterns and siting characteristics of traditional villages provides an important basis for informing their conservation and spatial planning. This study employed geographic information system (GIS)-based spatial analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and clustering analysis to investigate the spatial distribution patterns, environmental associations, and siting typologies of traditional villages in the Taihu Basin. The results revealed that traditional villages in the Taihu Basin exhibited a spatial pattern characterized by large-scale clustering and localized scattered distributions, with their spatial distribution patterns and siting characteristics significantly associated with topographic, climatic, and hydro-ecological conditions. The siting of traditional villages was closely associated with variations in topographic, climatic, and hydro-ecological conditions. Different environmental factors jointly contributed to the formation of differentiated siting patterns of traditional villages. Among these factors, topographic and climatic characteristics showed relatively high contributions to distinguishing overall environmental variations, whereas hydrological conditions reflected the strong spatial association between traditional villages and regional water systems in the Taihu Basin. Based on the results of PCA and clustering analysis, traditional villages in the Taihu Basin were classified into three major siting typologies: mountainous steep-slope humid villages, plain waterfront warm–humid villages and plain gentle-slope sunny villages. This study revealed the environmental adaptation patterns underlying traditional village siting at the basin scale, providing scientific insights for traditional village typology identification, regional conservation, and spatial planning.