An analytical framework for food-ecological security: Optimizing production-living-ecological spaces in megacities and its application

Coordinating the spatial arrangement of production-living-ecological (PLE) spaces and establishing a secure pattern for food and ecology in megacities are crucial for regional sustainable development. Addressing the difficulties that megacities face in optimizing PLE spaces from the perspective of food-ecological security, this study develops a step-by-step framework that includes potential identification, scale allocation, layout simulation, and spatial morphology evaluation. The framework follows the functional roles and optimization logic of PLE spaces. It combines spatial suitability assessment, multi-objective planning (MOP), land-use simulation, and landscape pattern analysis. Wuhan is used as an example to explore how spatial patterns change under food security, ecological security, and urban development objectives. The results show several key findings. First, the suitability of production, living, and ecological spaces in Wuhan varies markedly spatially, demonstrating a clear functional regionalization. Second, under different priority scenarios, the spatial pattern of PLE spaces evolves in different ways. The proportions of land designated for production, living, and ecological uses change, and their boundaries evolve in tandem. Third, the optimization scenarios improve the overall balance among land functions. However, the degree of landscape fragmentation and the complexity of spatial forms vary by scenario, indicating that different planning strategies lead to distinct spatial outcomes. This research provides a methodological reference for spatial planning and governance in megacities. It offers practical support for coordinating food production needs with ecological protection and for promoting sustainable territorial development.