تحلیلی بر فشردگی ساختار فضایی سکونتگاه‌های روستایی شهرستان مشکین‌شهر و تاثیر بنیانهای جغرافیایی بر آن

استقرار و توزیع فضایی روستاها از ویژگی‌های متعدّد طبیعی و انسانی تاثیر می‌پذیرد و عواملی مانند ارتفاع، شیب زمین، جهت شیب، فاصله از جاده و شهرها و فاصله از رودخانه در آن موثر است. پژوهش حاضر از‌نوع پژوهش‌های کاربردی، توصیفی-تحلیلی و همبستگی بوده است. هدف از این مطالعه تحلیل فشردگی ساختار توزیع فضایی سکونتگاه‌‌های روستایی در شهرستان مشکین‌شهر و تاثیر بنیان‌های جغرافیایی بر آن است. پژوهش در دو فاز جداگانه انجام شده است. در این مطالعه با بهره‌گیری از ابزارهای تحلیلی arcgis در بخش اول پژوهش از تحلیل‌های متوسط نزدیک‌ترین همسایه، خوشه‌بندی زیاد/کم و خود‌‌همبستگی فضایی برای تحلیل الگوی توزیع فضایی روستاها، از تحلیل‌های خوشه و ناخوشه و لکه‌های داغ برای تهیۀ نقشۀ خوشه‌های روستاها و از تحلیل تراکم کرنل برای بررسی ویژگی‌های تراکم فضایی توزیع روستاها استفاده شده است. در بخش دوم ارتباط بین توزیع فضایی روستاها با بنیان‌های جغرافیایی بررسی شده است. نتایج نشان می‌دهد هر‌چند تحلیل در‌مقیاس دهستانی نشان‌دهندۀ خوشه‌بندی روستاها و جمعیت روستایی است، توزیع فضایی روستاها در شهرستان فاقد خوشه‌بندی است. علاوه بر این، استقرار روستاهای شهرستان بیشتر تحت‌تاثیر بنیان‌های جغرافیایی است؛ به‌‌طوری که کمینه ارتفاع در شهرستان برابر 595 متر و بیشینۀ آن مساوی 4800 متر بوده و بیشتر روستاها در ارتفاع 1200 تا 1400 متری قرار داشته و در شیب‌های 6 تا 15 درصد است. 71 درصد از روستاها در شیب کمتر از 15 درصد استقرار یافته‌ و 68 درصد آنها نیز در دامنه‌های سایه واقع شده است. بیشتر جمعیت روستایی شهرستان به‌علت دارا‌بودن زمین‌های کشاورزی و باغ‌های میوه در مجاورت شهر مشکین‌‌‌شهر بوده است. در این میان، نزدیکی به رودخانه‌ها نیز در استقرار و پراکنش روستاها به‌طور کامل، نقش اساسی داشته است.

an analysis on the compactness of the spatial structure of rural settlements in meshkinshahr county and the influence of geographical factors

abstractthe spatial distribution of villages is influenced by various characteristics and factors, including elevation, land slope, slope direction, distance from roads and cities, and proximity to rivers. this study employed an applied, descriptive, analytical, and correlational approach to examine the compactness of the spatial distribution structure of rural settlements in meshkinshahr county, as well as the impact of geographical features on this distribution. in the first part of the research, arcgis analytical tools were utilized to assess the spatial distribution patterns of villages. techniques such as average nearest neighbor, high/low clustering, and spatial autocorrelation were employed. additionally, cluster and outlier analysis, along with hotspot analysis, were conducted to create maps of village clusters. finally, kernel density analysis was performed to explore the spatial density characteristics of village distributions. the second part of the study investigated the relationship between the spatial distribution of villages and geographical features. the minimum elevation in the region was 595 m, while the maximum reached 4800 m. most villages were located at elevations between 1200 and 1400 m with the highest concentration found on slopes ranging from 6 to 15 percent. notably, 71% of the villages were situated on slopes of less than 15% and 68% were located in shaded areas. furthermore, the majority of the county’s rural population resided near meshkinshahr county with proximity to rivers playing a crucial role in the establishment of these villages. keywords: spatial structure, village, meshkinshahr county, geographical foundations, gis. introductionin the past, our ancestors relied heavily on experience for the placement of settlements, often without aligning their choices with contemporary scientific understanding. today, however, the simplicity of earlier times has given way to the complexities of urban life. modern cities characterized by advanced infrastructure, such as sewage systems, subways, and skyscrapers, stand in stark contrast to traditional villages, which serve as reservoirs for preserving human achievements and cultural heritage. recently, we have witnessed rapid urbanization, leading to a significant decline in the rural population. fragmentation of agricultural lands coupled with severe environmental pollution and emergence of numerous systemic risks has diminished rural areas, causing many traditional landscapes to vanish. despite their critical roles in agricultural production, ecological preservation, and cultural heritage, rural areas face significant challenges due to prolonged industrialization and urbanization, making rural decline a pressing global issue. materials & methodsthis research was categorized as applied research, employing descriptive, analytical, and correlational methods. the study focused on the spatial distribution of 414 villages in meshkinshahr county. in the first part of the research, we utilized analytical tools within arcgis software to conduct 3 analyses: the average nearest neighbor index, high/low clustering, and spatial autocorrelation, which together helped analyze the spatial distribution patterns of the villages. additionally, we performed cluster and outlier analysis, along with hot spot analysis, to create a map of village clusters. finally, kernel density function analysis was employed to investigate the spatial density distribution of villages in meshkinshahr county. in the second part of the research, we examined the relationship between the spatial distribution of villages and various natural and human geographical factors. the data obtained from spatial analysis in the geographic information system (gis) environment was then transferred to excel software to calculate correlations between the spatial distribution of villages and the influencing factors. research findingsmeshkinshahr county consists of 12 divisions and 414 villages. to analyze the spatial distribution pattern of these villages, the average nearest neighbor, cluster and outlier analysis, and spatial autocorrelation tools were employed. the results indicated that the villages in meshkinshahr county exhibited a random distribution, lacking significant clustering. to examine the homogeneity and heterogeneity of the spatial distribution of villages, the local moran’s i index was applied at the division level. this analysis revealed that arshq north dehistan was an outlier with low values surrounded by villages with high values, while noqdi dehistan formed a cluster of low values surrounded by similar low-value villages. additionally, to analyze the distribution of hot spots, the 12 divisions were assessed based on the number of villages within them. the findings indicated the presence of cold spots with a confidence level of 90% in the lahrud and noqdi divisions, while the other divisions of the county did not exhibit significant hot or cold spots. most villages in meshkinshahr county are situated at altitudes between 1200 and 1400 m. approximately 50% of the villages are located below 1400 m and about 80% are below 1600 m—an altitude deemed suitable for rural settlement according to existing studies. the analysis also indicated an inverse relationship between altitude and rural population distribution, showing a decline in population as altitude increased. furthermore, as the distance from rivers increased, the number of villages decreased, reinforcing the inverse relationship between river proximity and the spatial distribution of the rural population. discussion of results & conclusionthe analysis of clusters, outliers, and spatial autocorrelation regarding the spatial distribution of villages and their divisions revealed two key findings. first, the spatial distribution of villages within the county was random. second, the distribution of the 12 divisions in meshkinshahr county based on the number of villages they contained also exhibited a random pattern and lacked significant clustering. the slope was another critical factor influencing the spatial distribution of villages. notably, 71% of the villages were situated on slopes of less than 15%, which was conducive to cultivation. given that the study area was located in the northern hemisphere, the optimal slope directions for establishing villages were the eastern, southeastern, southern, and southwestern slopes (sunny slopes). however, this factor had not significantly influenced village establishment as only 38% of the villages were found on sunny slopes. this inconsistency might stem from the predominant location of meshkinshahr county on the northern and northwestern slopes of mount sabalan. additionally, the region’s hydrographic network greatly affected the settlement and distribution of villages, primarily due to the rural population’s reliance on water sources in this mountainous area. as the distance from rivers increased, both the number of villages and rural population diminished. furthermore, proximity to main and intercity roads was another vital factor affecting village settlement and distribution. most villages and the majority of the rural population were concentrated near these roads, highlighting the significant impact of transportation infrastructure on densely populated areas.