Functional Assessment and Coordination Characteristics of Production, Living, Ecological Function—A Case Study of Henan Province, China

Multifunctional state assessment was the basis of time sequence design of territory spatial development and overall utilisation. This study aimed to identify the ecological-production-living (PLE) territory spatial function to provide a basis for territory spatial planning. It took Henan Province as the research area. This study developed a methodology to assess differentiation characteristics for PLE function, a method that integrates functional merging and geographic information technology. We used the coordination degree model and spatial autocorrelation analysis to reveal the coordination of spatial functions of the province. The results were as follows: (1) During the study period, the land production function of main grain-producing areas decreased slowly, and production and living function values of the Central Plains urban agglomeration with Zhengzhou as the centre were in an upward trend. The characteristics of urban-rural dualization were prominent, and ecological function value decreased year by year. (2) The laws of territorial spatial functions had different manifestations in different stages (1990–2005 and 2005–2018). By different characteristic laws, the change in production function in the later period was bigger than that in the previous period. The living function maintained a good continuity expansion characteristic before and after. The spatial regularity distribution characteristics of ecological function were weak, and the overall environment became worse than before. (3) The territory space of middle and low coordination function types was the most important type, and the aggregation was relatively weak. Xuchang County and Weihui City showed better states of functional coordination aggregation. Lushi County, Xinxian County, and Shangcheng County, which were in the western and southern mountainous and hilly areas, showed low-low aggregation characteristics. Thus, the government will strengthen targeted control over territorial space. This study provides a reference for the overall deployment of the development and utilisation of territory space in Henan Province.