明清时期西北地区环境变化与农业结构调整

Evolution of the Environment and Adjustment of Agricultural Structure in Northwestern China in the Ming and the Qing Dynasty

农业与其他生产部门相比,受自然环境的影响更为明显,环境的变化必然引起农业结构的调整。但环境变化的要素和强度、速度不同,农业结构调整的方向和途径也就有很大的差别。明清时期西北地区的环境变化表现在多个方面,但从总体来看,其农业结构的调整主要是通过水旱灾害所引发的灾荒为直接动因促成的,是大的灾荒为农业结构调整提供了契机。环境变迁对农业结构调整的影响不是简单的响应过程,是在多种因素共同作用下完成的,环境变迁为农业结构的调整提供了动力,但农业结构是否能够及时调整还要得到社会政治经济环境和农业技术环境的配合。

Agriculture is much more likely to be affected by natural environment, so agricultural structure has to be adjusted to environmental change. However, the orientation and means of adjusting agricultural structure vary according to factors and intensity and velocity of environmental change. Although varieties of factors were involved in environmental changes in northwestern China in the Ming and the Qing Dynasty, most adjustments of agricultural structure were directly triggered by the famines following floods and draughts. In other words, it was those great famines that created chances for adjustment of agricultural structure. However, the impact of environmental change on adjustment of agricultural structure is not simply a matter of passive echo but is effected by a joint operation of a variety of factors, environmental change provides a drive for adjustment of agricultural structure, but whether the adjustment can be actualised in time will depend upon a collaboration of social political and economic environment and agricultural technology.