Effects of Topographic Factors and Human–Land Relationships on Land-Use Patterns in the Zhaotong Section of the Jinsha River Basin

The Jinsha River Basin, spanning Sichuan, Tibet, and Yunnan provinces, is a typical mountain–valley composite region characterized by complex and heterogeneous topography. To quantitatively assess the effects of topographic factors on land-use patterns, this study selected the Zhaotong section as the research area and employed Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to integrate administrative boundary data with high-resolution digital elevation models (DEM). Land-use categories were reclassified and analyzed in relation to elevation, slope, and aspect through GIS-based spatial statistics and gradient analysis. The results reveal that: (1) Elevation strongly stratifies land use. Below 2000 m, cropland dominates (42.7%), while above 2500 m natural land types prevail, including grassland (36.4%), shrubland (21.8%), and forestland (31.2%), with cropland and built-up land both falling below 10%. (2) Slope exerts the most critical influence. On gentle slopes (< 5°), cropland accounts for 48.5%, whereas at slopes >25°, grassland expands sharply to 54.2%, accompanied by significant increases in shrubland and forestland. (3) Aspect analysis indicates that cropland is more common on sunny slopes (19.6%) than shady slopes (15.8%), while grassland is more prevalent on shady slopes (37.4%). Built-up land, although below 2% overall, is concentrated in low-elevation, gentle-valley zones. Beyond topographic controls, the study employed GIS-supported models of coordination, coupling, and responsiveness to analyze human–land relationships and land-use evolution from 2016 to 2023. The findings suggest that guiding cropland consolidation toward low-slope areas, restricting slope cultivation, and strengthening the protection of high-altitude ecological land are essential strategies for optimizing ecological security and promoting sustainable land use in the Zhaotong section of the Jinsha River Basin.