综合自然地理学发展的新展望

Expectation on the Development of Comprehensive Physical Geography

综合自然地理学是研究地球表层自然结构与功能、自然要素相互作用、相互制约、相互协调及其动态变化与区域分异的科学,是人类认识自然、谋求人与自然协调的科学基础,其学科定位明确,综合系统思维符合当代科学发展的方向.综合自然地理学研究由抽象到具体、由定性到定量、由静态到动态、由部门自然要素独立研究到相互交叉综合研究,都取得可喜进展.但贵在综合,难也在综合.综合自然地理学在揭示自然纷繁复杂过程的本质和定量分析的水平上远与现代科学的要求不匹配,与其本应担当的社会与科学责任不适应,学科自身的发展也面临巨大挑战.当代以系统科学、耗散结构理论、协同论等为代表的新理论,以大数据、互联网、云计算为代表的新方法和新技术有助于推进综合自然地理学的深化和定量研究.我们必须藉此强化综合自然地理学基础理论研究,人地关系研究,自然系统多等级层次、多因素组合模式、多地域空间层次综合研究,自然界面研究,山地自然地理研究,发挥综合系统研究的学科优势,进一步提高学科的理论水平和定量化水平,建立起与此相适应的理论体系、方法论和技术体系,提高学科的学术影响力和社会功能,为人与自然的协调发展做出新贡献.

Comprehensive physical geography is a scientific subject that studies the natural structure and functions of earth surface,and the interaction( mutual restriction and coordination) of different natural factors,as well as their dynamic changes and regional differentiation. It is a scientific foundation for human beings to recognize nature and pursue their harmonization between human and nature.Therefore,its goal and definition are clear and explicit. The thought of the integrated system accords with the direction of contemporary scientific development. Over the years,gratifying progress has been made from abstraction to concretion,from qualitative to quantitative analysis,from static to dynamic,and from single factor to multi-factors integration. Although the value of the study is the comprehensiveness,the difficulty is also the comprehensiveness. Thus,the research level now is far from meeting its proper role in contemporary science and the social and scientific responsibility that it should have assumed is not adapted,especially in revealing the essence and quantitative analysis of natural complex processes. At the same time,the development of the subject itself is also facing great challenges. Today,the new theories represented by systemic science,dissipative structure theory and synergetic theory,and the new methods represented by big data,internet and cloud computing,are helpful to promote the in-depth and quantitative research of comprehensive physical geography. In the light of contents mentioned above,we shall strengthen the basic theory of comprehensive physical geography,the human-land relationship,the comprehensive research of multi-level,multi-factor,and multi-spatial of natural system,the natural interface research,and the mountainous physical geography research,giving full play to the subject advantages of comprehensive system research. Furthermore,we should improve the theoretical level and quantitative level of the subject,establish a theoretical system,methodology and technical system,enhance the academic influence and social function,and make new contributions to the coordinated development of human and nature.