## 5 Discussion and Conclusions
### Conclusions  
The dissertation research led to the following conclusions:  
1. The PLES conflicts in Zengcheng District demonstrate distinct spatial and temporal evolution patterns. The average PLES conflict indices for 2010, 2015, and 2020 were 0.17, 0.32, and 0.18, respectively, indicating an overall increase of 5.9% from 2010 to 2020. This trend suggests a progressive intensification of land-use conflicts among production, living, and ecological functions, particularly in high-conflict zones. To mitigate these conflicts, a comprehensive land consolidation approach should be adopted. For instance, territorial spatial planning and land-use zoning can optimize the spatial layout of production, living, and ecological spaces, ensuring a rational allocation of land functions. Additionally, ecological restoration measures such as wetland restoration, farmland ecological compensation, and afforestation can help alleviate conflicts in ecologically sensitive areas. Implementing comprehensive land consolidation strategies, including farmland protection, rural settlement restructuring, and degraded land rehabilitation, can enhance land-use efficiency and promote the coordinated development of urban and rural areas.
2. The Optimal Parameter Geodetector analysis reveals that the interaction between nighttime lighting and river network density exerts the most significant influence on conflicts, with a q-value of 0.69 in 2020. This underscores the critical role of the interplay between socio-economic development and resource environments in intensifying conflicts. Furthermore, the combined effects of natural factors, such as river network density and the NDVI, alongside socio-economic variables like nighttime lighting, substantially shape spatial differentiation patterns. The mechanisms and intensities of these effects vary across different stages of development. Future studies should focus on the long-term monitoring of PLES conflicts, employing continuous spatial-temporal data to track the evolution of these conflicts over extended periods. Moreover, integrating policy interventions into the analysis of conflict dynamics is crucial for developing effective, evidence-based strategies to mitigate PLES conflicts in urban fringe areas.
3. Conflicts are primarily concentrated in areas of rapid urbanization, particularly between urban expansion and ecological reserves. Spatial conflicts show an upward trend, especially in ecologically fragile areas in the southern region. To effectively mitigate these conflicts, it is crucial for policymakers and urban planners to prioritize the protection and restoration of ecological spaces through targeted ecological restoration programs and land-use zoning strategies. Strengthening the integration of ecological considerations into urban development plans, coupled with the enforcement of land-use regulations, will help balance the competing demands of production, living, and ecological functions. These efforts should be coupled with comprehensive monitoring and adaptive management to ensure sustainable land-use practices in the long term.  
Conceptualization, Z.F.; data curation, Z.F.; methodology, Z.F. and S.L.; software, Z.F. and Y.L.; validation, S.L.; writing--original draft, Z.F., Y.L. and S.L.; writing--review and editing, S.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research was funded by Guangdong Provincial Social Science Fund, grant number GD24 CGL63.  
The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.  
We wish to thank the anonymous reviewers and editors for their professional comments and suggestions.  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.