Partial Order Ranking of the Key Drivers of Grassland Conversion in the Urban-Grassland Interface: A Case Study of the Hohhot-Barotou-Ordos Region  
[PERSON]  
1 College of Geographical Science, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot 010028, China; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (X.L. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (B. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (Y.F. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (L.K. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (Y.M. ); 2021601908@mails. in (GCI) [1]. This process encompasses both grassland loss and gain. GCO has an important effect on ecosystem services, including biodiversity loss [2], reduced carbon storage capacity [1], disruptions to water cycles [3], and soil degradation [4]. Investigating the drivers of grassland conversion is essential for understanding the underlying mechanisms of land-use change and formulating sustainable land management policies. Grassland degradation and grassland conversion are two distinct concepts. Grassland degradation refers to the process by which grassland ecosystems are damaged due to physical stressors (e.g., overgrazing and trampling) or changes in growth conditions (e.g., climate change), leading to significant declines in grassland coverage or its transformation into other land-use forms [5; 6]. In contrast, grassland conversion refers to the transformation of grassland ecosystems into other land-use types, such as croplands, construction lands, or barren lands, driven by changes in land-use practices [7]. Grassland conversion is often the result of trade-offs between regional development and ecological conservation [8]. Although grassland conversion may bring short-term economic benefits, its unsustainable expansion can disrupt the ecological balance, weaken ecosystem services, and adversely affect the sustainable development of pastoral social economies in the long term [9]. Grassland conversion is not only a manifestation of land-use change but also has a profound impact on ecosystem functions, regional economic development, and the effectiveness of social policies [10; 11]. Therefore, investigating the spatiotemporal distribution patterns and driving factors of regional grassland conversion can provide a scientific basis for optimizing regional policy adjustments and offer theoretical support for identifying key conflicts and solutions in processes related to land-use and land-cover change (LUCC) [12; 13]. The driving factors of land-use change exhibit five key characteristics. First, they demonstrate integrality, meaning that multiple factors are interconnected and jointly drive land-use change rather than the process being influenced by a single factor. Second, these drivers exhibit dynamism, evolving over time in response to changes in environmental conditions, policies, and socioeconomic contexts. Third, they display hierarchical organization, where different factors contribute according to an ordered structure based on their functions and significance. Fourth, synergistic effects often emerge among the driving factors, amplifying their overall impact and reflecting the complex interplay between societal, economic, and natural systems. Last, the spatial heterogeneity of these factors highlights regional variations in natural conditions and socioeconomic contexts, necessitating region-specific and customized land-use management strategies. Understanding these characteristics provides critical insights for formulating adaptive and sustainable land-use policies that are tailored to diverse regional contexts [14; 15]. The existing methods for studying the driving factors of grassland conversion face several significant challenges. First, many studies rely on statistical analysis [16], machine learning [17], and field surveys [18], but these methods are often constrained by linear assumptions [19], heavy dependence on data [20], or inefficiency and high costs [21], which limit the exploration of complex nonlinear relationships in grassland conversion drivers.