{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]],"date-time":"2026-03-11T07:00:47Z","timestamp":1773212447539,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,10]],"date-time":"2026-03-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773100800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Systems"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Understanding the spatial mismatch between population distribution and economic activities is central to regional development, particularly in large river basins experiencing rapid demographic change. Existing studies often rely on slow-moving structural variables and give limited attention to dynamic population processes. This study examines the spatiotemporal patterns, demographic mechanisms, and regional heterogeneity of population\u2013economy mismatch in the Yellow River Basin from 2000 to 2020. We hypothesize that population\u2013economy mismatch exhibits pronounced spatial heterogeneity across the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the basin, and that demographic structure and migration dynamics play a decisive role in shaping these patterns. Using county-level data, we construct a Population\u2013Economy Distribution Disparity Ratio R, apply decomposable Theil indices, and estimate two-way fixed-effects panel models incorporating demographic and migration indicators. Spatial econometric models are further employed as robustness checks. The results show that intra-regional disparities account for more than 97% of total population\u2013economy mismatch, while inter-regional differences remain limited. Population migration intensity and age structure significantly influence mismatch dynamics, with effects varying systematically along the basin gradient. These findings underscore the importance of integrating dynamic demographic processes into spatial mismatch analysis and support regionally differentiated and systemically coordinated policy interventions for high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/systems14030293","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,10]],"date-time":"2026-03-10T08:43:31Z","timestamp":1773132211000},"page":"293","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["County-Level Spatial Mismatch and Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Population and Economic Distribution in the Yellow River Basin"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Wenxin","family":"Yu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Management, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-6591-3603","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yu","family":"Gao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Management, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"2505","article-title":"Theoretical Thinking and Practical Development on Coordination and High-Quality Governance of Human Activity Space in River Basins in China","volume":"39","author":"Luo","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. 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