地理学研究进展与前沿领域

PROGRESS AND DISCIPLINARY FRONTIERS OF GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH

现代地理学涵盖自然地理学、人文地理学和地理信息科学 ,其发展趋势是 :相邻学科的交叉、渗透与融合 ,加强地理学内部的综合研究 ,地理过程的微观研究进一步深化 ,结合实践拓宽应用研究领域 ,实验与研究手段的现代化 ,理论思维模式的转变。地理学应在陆地表层过程与格局、全球环境变化及其区域响应、自然资源保障与生态环境建设、区域可持续发展及人地系统的机理与调控、地球信息科学和数字地球战略等前沿领域开拓创新 ,为促进地球系统科学的发展、协调人地关系等做出积极的贡献。

Geography is a science specializing in the study of the interaction between natural and human elements on the Earth surface and their space and time regular patterns. In nature, it is an inter discipline possessed of the characters innate to natural sciences and social sciences alike and features both integration and regionality. Contemporary geography includes physical geography, human geography and geo informatics. The achievements attained in the 20th century are listed as following:laws on regional differentiation revealed and exploration of regional systems, a comprehensive study of natural processes taking place on the Earth's surface, the man nature system and regional development research, compilation of various cartographic works in series such as national albums of maps and atlases, development and application of the geographic information system (GIS). Development trends in geographical research features the following aspects: transdisciplinary intersection, infiltration and interdisciplinary fusion with various adjacent disciplines, enhancement of integrated studies within geography itself, further deepening of microscopic studies on geographical processes, the expansion of applied research fields, the modernization of experimental geography and related technical means, change in theoretical thinking models etc. In order to promote development of the Earth system science and to coordinate man nature relationship, geographers may make contributions to the following research frontiers: a comprehensive study on the processes and spatial patterns of the terrestrial surface, global change and regional responses to it, guarantees of natural resources and ecosystem reconstruction, sustainable regional development, mechanism of man nature relationship and regulations, geo informatics and strategies of digital Earth research, etc.