SPATIAL STRUCTURE AND SELF-ORGANIZING MECHANISMS OF URBAN NETWORKS IN CHINA BASED ON THREE TYPES OF FLOWS

AN Di; HU Ying-jie; WAN Yong

doi:10.13959/j.issn.1003-2398.2025.03.008

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HUMAN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2025, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (3) : 68-78. DOI: 10.13959/j.issn.1003-2398.2025.03.008

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SPATIAL STRUCTURE AND SELF-ORGANIZING MECHANISMS OF URBAN NETWORKS IN CHINA BASED ON THREE TYPES OF FLOWS

AN Di¹, HU Ying-jie², WAN Yong²

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Abstract

With the deepening of research on spatial structure and influence mechanisms within urban networks, the investigation of self-organizing mechanisms has become an important research topic. This paper took 336 China's prefecture-level administrative units as research objects, and utilize Internet big data to establish three kinds of urban networks: enterprise organization, information search, and population migration. Then we analyzed the characteristics of physical space and topological structure across these networks, and finally used the exponential random graph model to empirically test both exogenous influencing factors and endogenous self-organizing mechanisms. The research demonstrates that: 1) Three types of urban networks demonstrate spatial heterogeneity in physical spatial patterns, manifesting a "center-periphery" structure across two hierarchical scales: the national level and the regional level (encompassing urban agglomerations and provincial areas). This spatial configuration leads to two hinterland patterns: large-scale interlaced networks and proximity diffusion zones. 2) Topological analysis identifies characteristic scale-free and smallworld properties, with self-organization manifesting at varying scales. As spatial scope expands, triangle and star configurations emerge as dominant factors, driving the transformation of urban networks toward more complex interactive topologies. 3) Urban network arises from the synergistic integration of exogenous influencing factors and endogenous driving mechanisms. The mechanisms of preferential attachment and network proximity collectively elucidate the self-organization process underlying the intricate urban system.

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urban network / spatial structure / self-organization / space of flow / exponential random graph model (ERGM)

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AN Di, HU Ying-jie, WAN Yong. SPATIAL STRUCTURE AND SELF-ORGANIZING MECHANISMS OF URBAN NETWORKS IN CHINA BASED ON THREE TYPES OF FLOWS[J]. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY. 2025, 40(3): 68-78 https://doi.org/10.13959/j.issn.1003-2398.2025.03.008

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