Spatial distribution and influencing factors of national and provincial reserves of cultural ecology in China

Abstract China has established the largest Reserve of Cultural Ecology (RCE) system to safeguard intangible cultural heritage and its habitats. This study analyzes the factors influencing the distribution of RCEs utilizing methods such as the standard deviation ellipse, the optimal parameter geographic detector, and the hierarchical cluster analysis. The study indicates that China has 266 RCEs, mainly concentrated in the southwest, covering 3.15 × 10 ⁶ km². The mean slope, ethnic minority ratio, and number of nationally designated poverty counties, which passed the 0.05 significance threshold, exhibit the highest explanatory power for RCEs distribution. Significantly, the distribution of RCEs is influenced not only by individual factors but also by the local environment, which is shaped by the interplay of multiple factors, as evidenced by the pronounced interaction between any two factors. The regional types of RCE emphasize the necessity to develop a zoning or classification management plan.