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Dynamic evolvement of agricultural system and typical patterns of modern agriculture in coastal China: A case of Suzhou

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Abstract

Based on dynamic theory of system, agriculture is a complex system composed by element, structure, function and development. Firstly, this paper analyzes their connotation and relationship, which could be simply described that in virtue of element integrating and structure optimizing, agricultural system may achieve multifunctionality to meet increasingly diverse demands. As a case study of Suzhou, it concludes that Suzhou has a LP-dependence on agricultural element, and the growth extent of agricultural productivity correlates to the ratio of agricultural labor reducing rate to farmland reducing rate. Agricultural structure of Suzhou changed with time, and in the early 1980s and 2000s it was most notable. Correspondingly, agricultural function has experienced a succession process: ‘production’, ‘production-living’, and ‘production-living-ecology’. At last, based on questionnaires and interviews, some new characteristics and problems of agricultural development in coastal developed region of China have been put forward. Meanwhile, some typical patterns of modern agriculture in Suzhou which adapt to system evolving are also brought up such as export-oriented agriculture, enterprises-leading agriculture, agricultural science and technology parks, characteristic and stereoscopic agriculture, tourism and sightseeing agriculture.

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Correspondence to Yansui Liu.

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Foundation item: Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40635029, No. 40771014)

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Zhai, R., Liu, Y. Dynamic evolvement of agricultural system and typical patterns of modern agriculture in coastal China: A case of Suzhou. Chin. Geogr. Sci. 19, 249–257 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-009-0249-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-009-0249-z

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