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Abstract This study aims to establish an evaluation system for human settlement suitability utilizing geographic detectors, focusing on traditional human settlements in Huizhou region, situated in the southern region of Anhui province, China. Our research reveals several key findings: 1. Central Huizhou exhibits higher overall suitability for traditional human settlements compared to its southern and northern counterparts, with a predominant northeast-southwest spatial differentiation pattern following the mountainous terrain. 2. Approximately 34.03% of the Huizhou is deemed highly suitable for human settlement, while 57.22% is considered moderately suitable, and 8.75% is classified as low suitability. Notably, areas of medium and higher suitability collectively constitute 91.25% of the region, indicating a favorable overall suitability for human settlements. 3. Among traditional settlements, 91.75% are situated in areas classified as medium and above suitability, primarily encompassing plains, plateaus, hills, and low mountains characterized by fertile soil, abundant vegetation, ample precipitation, and favorable climatic conditions. 4. Factors such as precipitation, vegetation, landform, and wind speed exert a significant influence on the spatial distribution of traditional settlements in Huizhou, while others demonstrate comparatively weaker effects. Additionally, the interaction between any two factors exhibits a stronger impact on settlement distribution than individual factors, highlighting the complex interplay of multiple factors in site selection. This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between mountainous traditional settlement site selection and the natural environment, offering guidance for the development of human settlement environments in similar mountainous regions.
Bi et al. (Wed,) studied this question.