Spatial-temporal characteristics and causes of changes to the county-level administrative toponyms cultural landscape in the eastern plains of China

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217381
• Publication Date: 2019-05-28T17:33:21Z
• Authors: Yingying Wang; Yingjie Wang; Lei Fang; Shengrui Zhang; Tongyan Zhang; Daichao Li; Dazhuan Ge
• Keywords: Toponymy; Cultural landscape

As part of the cultural landscape, administrative toponyms do not only reflect natural and sociocultural phenomena, but also help with related management naming work. Historically, county-level districts have been stable basic regions in China, playing a role country's management. We explore spatio-temporal evolutionary characteristics landscape China's eastern plains areas. A Geographical Information System (GIS) analysis, Geo-Informatic Tupu, Kernel Density Estimation, correlation coefficients were conducted. constructed GIS database from Sui dynasty onward using Northeast North Yangtze Plains as examples. then summarized The results indicate that (1) number has roughly increased over time; (2) toponym densities on three are higher than national average corresponding timeframe since Sui; (3) to mountains hydrological features accounted for more 30% total 2010. However, percentage factors decreased Sui. To influencing this evolution, we analyzed correlations between human/social factors. degree density population is highest, Digital Elevation Model (DEM) lowest. Temperature changes important changes, influenced last 400 years China.