Geomorphological regionalization theory system and division methodology of China

doi:10.1007/s11442-020-1724-9

Abstract

Abstract:

Geomorphological regionalization (geomor-region) and geomorphological type (geomor-type) classification are two core components in the geomorphologic research. Although remarkable achievements have been made in the study of geomor-region, many deficiencies still exist, such as the inconsistency of landform indicators, the small quantity of division orders, disparities of geomorphological characteristics, differences of mapping results, and the small scale of zoning maps. Requirements for improved national geomor-regions are therefore needed for the purpose of an enhanced national geo-information system. Based on theories of geomor-region in China including plate tectonics, crustal features, endogenic and exogenic forced geomorphological features, and regional differentiations of geomor-type, a three-order (major-region, sub-region, and small-region) research program on China’s geomor-regions is proposed on the basis of previous 2013 geomor-region system. The major contents of the new geomor-region scheme are: (1) principles of the national multi-order geomor-regions; (2) hierarchical indicator systems of geomor-regions including characteristics of the terrain ladder under the control of tectonic setting, combinations of regional macro-form types, combinations of endogenic and exogenic forces and basic types of morphology, combinations of regional morphological types, and combinations of regional micro-morphological types; (3) naming rules and coding methods of geomor-regions; and (4) precise positioning techniques and methods of multi-order geomor-region divisions based on multi-source data. Using the new geomor-region theory and division methodology, the partition of national three-order geomor-regions of China was successfully constructed. The geomor-region system divided China into six first-order major-regions, 36 second-order sub-regions, and 136 third-order small-regions. In addition, a database and management information system of the national geomor-regions were established. This research has an important guiding significance for promoting the development of China’s regional geomorphology and for practical applications based on geomor-regions.

Key words: geomorphological regionalization, geomorphological types, hierarchical system, China

WANG Nan, CHENG Weiming, WANG Baixue, LIU Qiangyi, ZHOU Chenghu. Geomorphological regionalization theory system and division methodology of China[J].Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2020, 30(2): 212-232.

Figures/Tables 8

Table 1

Figure 1

Table 2

Names and codes of the second-order sub-regions and third-order small-regions of Eastern China Plains-Low Mountains-Hills Region I"

Second-order sub-regions			Third-order small-regions
Codes	Names		Codes		Names
IA	Wanda Mt and Sanjiang Plain low mountains and hills sub-region		IA1		Sanjiang alluvial plains small-region
			IA2		Wanda Mt low mountains and hills small-region
			IA3		Xingkai Lake alluvial-lacustrine plains small-region
IB	Changbai Mt middle and low mountains, platforms and hills sub-region		IB1		Changbai Mt middle and low mountains, lava platforms small-region
			IB2		Eastern Liaoning low mountains and hills small-region
			IB3		Zhangguangcai Mt middle and low mountains and hills small-region
IC	Eastern Shandong low mountains, hills and plains sub-region		IC1		Jiaodong low mountains and hills small-region
			IC2		Jiaolai alluvial plains small-region
			IC3		Central Shandong middle and low mountains and hills small-region
ID	Xiao Hinggan Mt low mountains, hills and platforms sub-region		ID1		Eastern Xiao Hinggan Mt low mountains and hills small-region
ID			ID2		Western Xiao Hinggan Mt hills and lava platforms small-region
IE	Songhua River-Liaohe River Plains sub-region		IE1		Xiao Hinggan and Dahei Mts piedmont alluvial-diluvial plains and platforms small-region
			IE2		Lower reaches of Liaohe River alluvial-marine plains small-region
			IE3		Songhua River-Nenjiang River alluvial-lacustrine plains small-region
			IE4		Upper reaches of Liaohe River diluvial-alluvial plains small-region
			IE5		Eastern foot of Da Hinggan Mts hills small-region
			IE6		Middle reaches of Liaohe River alluvial plains small-region
Second-order sub-regions				Third-order small-regions
Codes		Names		Codes		Names
IF		Yanshan Mts & western Liaoning low mountains, hills and platforms sub-region		IF1		Western Liaoning hills and platforms small-region
IF				IF2		Yanshan Mt low mountains and hills small-region
IG		Northern and Eastern China plains sub-region		IG1		Bohai Sea marine plains small-region
				IG2		Northern Jiangsu lacustrine-marine plains small-region
				IG3		Jiangsu and Zhejiang alluvial delta plains small-region
				IG4		Huang-Huai-Hai alluvial plain small-region
				IG5		Piedmont of Taihang Mts diluvial-alluvial plains small-region
				IG6		Piedmont of Funiu and Dabie Mts alluvial-diluvial plains small- region
IH		Ningzhen plains, hills and mounds sub-region		IH1		Chuzhou low mountains, hills, mounds and plains small-region
				IH2		Southern Yangtze River hills and plains small-region
				IH3		Nanjing lower reaches of Yangtze River Plains small-region

Table 2

Table 3

Names and codes of the second-order sub-regions and third-order small-regions of Southeastern China Low Mountains-Hills-Plains Region II"

Second-order sub-regions		Third-order small-regions
Codes	Names	Codes	Names
IIA	Zhejiang and Fujian middle and low mountains, hills and valleys sub-region	IIA1	Zhejiang and Anhui middle and low mountains, hills and valleys small-region
		IIA2	Zhejiang and Fujian costal low mountains, hills and plains small-region
		IIA3	Central Zhejiang and Fujian middle and low mountains, hills and valleys small-region
		IIA4	Wuyi Mt middle and low mountains, hills and valleys small-region
IIB	Huaiyang low mountains, hills and mounds sub-region	IIB1	Tongbai and Dabie Mts middle and low mountains and hills small- region
IIB	Huaiyang low mountains, hills and mounds sub-region	IIB2	Nanyang Basin low mountains, hills, platforms and plains small-region
IIC	Middle reaches of Yangtze River low mountains, hills, plains and basins sub-region	IIC1	Middle reaches of Yangtze River alluvial plains small-region
		IIC2	Jianghan lacustrine-alluvial plains small-region
		IIC3	Poyang Lake hills, mounds, alluvial-lacustrine plains small-region
		IIC4	Southern Jiangxi low mountains, hills and basins small-region
		IIC5	Mufu and Luoxiao Mts middle and low mountains, hills and basins small-region
		IIC6	Central-southern Hunan middle and low mountains, hills and basins small-region
IID	Southern China low mountains, hills and plains sub-region	IID1	Eastern Guangdong coastal low mountains, hills, platforms and plains small-region
		IID2	Eastern Guangdong low mountains, hills, parallel ridges and valleys small-region
		IID3	Nanling Mts middle and low mountains and basins small-region
		IID4	Pearl River Delta plains small-region
		IID5	Guangdong and Guangxi low mountains, hills and basins small-region
		IID6	Western Guangxi karst low mountains, hills and basins small-region
		IID7	Guangdong and Guangxi coastal hills, platforms and plains small-region
		IID8	Northern Hainan platforms and plains small-region
		IID9	Southern Hainan middle and low mountains and hills small-region
IIE	Taiwan plains and mountains of sub-region	IIE1	Eastern Taiwan middle and low mountains and hills small-region
IIE	Taiwan plains and mountains of sub-region	IIE2	Western Taiwan low mountains, hills and plains small-region

Table 3

Table 4

Table 5

Names and codes of the second-order sub-regions and third-order small-regions of Northwestern China High and Middle Mountains-Basins-Plateaus Region IV"

Second-order sub-regions		Third-order small-regions
Codes	Names	Codes	Names
IVA	Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Xinjiang plateaus, hills and plains sub-region	IVA1	Alxa plateaus, hills, aeolian plains small-region
		IVA2	Mazong Mt middle mountains and hills small-region
		IVA3	Hexi Corridor alluvial-diluvial plains small-region
		IVA4	Gaxun Gobi hills and basins small-region
		IVA5	Turpan-Hami alluvial-diluvial plains small-region
IVB	Altai Mt high and middle mountains sub-region	IVB1	Altay Mt high and middle mountains small-region
IVB	Altai Mt high and middle mountains sub-region	IVB2	Altay Mt low mountains and hills small-region
IVC	Junggar Basin sub-region	IVC1	Ulungur and Ertix rivers alluvial plains small-region
		IVC2	Eastern Junggar Basin hills and plains small-region
		IVC3	Gurbantunggut Desert small-region
		IVC4	Western Junggar middle mountains and hills small-region
		IVC5	Southern margin of Junggar Basin diluvial-alluvial plains small-region
		IVC6	Tianshan Mt north piedmont low mountains, hills and plains small-region
Second-order sub-regions		Third-order small-regions
Codes	Names	Codes	Names
IVD	Tianshan Mt high mountains and basins sub-region	IVD1	Eastern Tianshan Mt high mountains small-region
		IVD2	Northern Tianshan Mt high mountains small-region
		IVD3	Central Tianshan Mt high mountains and basins small-region
		IVD4	Yanqi Basin small-region
		IVD5	Southern Tianshan Mt high mountains small-region
IVE	Tarim Basin sub-region	IVE1	Baicheng front range hills and basins small-region
		IVE2	Northern Tarim River lacustrine-alluvial plains small-region
		IVE3	Southeastern margin of Tarim River alluvial-diluvial platforms and plains small-region
		IVE4	Taklimakan Desert aeolian dunes small-region
		IVE5	Southern margin of Tarim River alluvial-diluvial plains small-region
		IVE6	Keping front range hills and basins small-region
		IVE7	Kashgar diluvial-alluvial plains small-region

Table 5

Table 6

Names and codes of the second-order sub-regions and third-order small-regions of Southwestern China Middle and Low Mountains-Plateaus-Basins Region V"

Second-order sub-regions		Third-order small-regions
Codes	Names	Codes	Names
VA	Qinling-Daba Mts middle and low mountains sub-region	VA1	Qinling Mts middle and high mountains small-region
		VA2	Southern Henan and Hanzhong middle and low mountains, hills and valleys small-region
		VA3	Daba Mt middle and low mountains and valleys small-region
VB	Hubei-Guizhou-Yunnan middle and low mountains and valleys sub-region	VB1	Western Hubei plateau-Dalei Mt middle and low mountains, hilly plateaus and valleys small-region
		VB2	Wuling Mt middle and low mountains and valleys small-region
		VB3	Xuefeng Mt middle and low mountains small-region
		VB4	Southern Sichuan-Northern Guizhou-Eastern Yunnan karst plateaus and middle mountains small-region
		VB5	Central Guizhou karst middle mountains, hilly plateaus and basins small-region
		VB6	Southern Guizhou-southeastern Yunnan karst plateaus and middle mountains small-region
VC	Sichuan Basin sub-region	VC1	Eastern Sichuan parallel low mountains, ridges and valleys small-region
		VC2	Northern Sichuan Basin low mountains and hills small-region
		VC3	Central Sichuan Basin hills and platforms small-region
		VC4	Western Sichuan Basin alluvial plains small-region
		VC5	Southern Sichuan Basin low mountains and hills small-region
VD	Southwestern Sichuan and Central Yunnan Plateaus, middle and low mountains and basins sub-region	VD1	Wumeng and Liangshan Mts middle and high mountains small-region
		VD2	Central Yunnan karst plateaus middle mountains and valleys small-region
		VD3	Yanyuan and Chuxiong plateaus middle mountains and basins small-region
VE	Southwestern Yunnan middle and high mountains sub-region	VE1	Southern Hengduan Mt middle and high mountains small-region
		VE2	Western Yunnan middle mountains and basins small-region
		VE3	Southwestern Yunnan middle mountains and valleys small-region

Table 6

Table 7

Names and codes of the second-order sub-regions and third-order small-regions of the Tibetan Plateau High and Extremely High Mountains-Basins-Valleys Region VI"

Second-order sub-regions		Third-order small-regions
Codes	Names	Codes	Names
VIA	Altun & Qilian Mts high mountains and valleys sub-region	VIA1	Northern Qilian Mt high mountains and valleys small-region
		VIA2	Southern Qilian Mt high mountains, valleys and basins small-region
		VIA3	Altun Mt high and extremely high mountains small-region
VIB	Qaidam Basin and Yellow River-Huangshui River high mountains and basins sub-region	VIB1	Yellow River and Huangshui River valleys and basins small-region
		VIB2	South of Yellow River high mountains and basins small-region
		VIB3	Qaidam Basin small-region
VIC	Central and eastern Kunlun Mt high mountains sub-region	VIC1	Eastern Kunlun Mt high mountains small-region
		VIC2	Eastern segment of central Kunlun Mt high mountains and plateaus small-region
		VIC3	Western segment of central Kunlun Mt high mountains and lake basins small-region
VID	Hengduan Mt high mountains and valleys sub-region	VID1	Daxue-Minshan Mt extremely high and high mountains small-region
		VID2	Northern section of Hengduan Mt high mountains and valleys small-region
		VID3	Southern section of Hengduan Mt high mountains and valleys small-region
VIE	Sources of Three Rivers high hilly mountains and plateaus-upper reaches of rivers mountains and valleys sub-region	VIE1	Sources of Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers hilly mountains and plateaus small-region
VIE		VIE2	Upper reaches of Three Rivers high mountains and valleys small-region
VIF	Karakorum & western Kunlun Mt high and extremely high mountains sub-region	VIF1	Western Kunlun Mt high and extremely high mountains small-region
VIF		VIF2	Karakorum Mt high and extremely high mountains, broad valleys and basins small-region
VIG	Qiangtang Plateau lakes and basins sub-region	VIG1	Hoh Xil plateau hilly mountains and plateaus and lake basins small-region
VIG	Qiangtang Plateau lakes and basins sub-region	VIG2	Qiangtang Plateau high and extremely high mountains and lake basins small-region
VIH	Himalayan high and extremely high mountains sub-region	VIH1	Nyainqentanglha and Gangdise Mts high and extremely high mountains small-region
		VIH2	Northern Himalayas and Yarlung Zangbo River high mountains, valleys and basins small-region
		VIH3	Himalayan extremely high and high mountains small-region

Table 7

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Order	First-order major-region	Second-order sub-region	Third-order small-region
Coding methods	Roman numerals I, II, III…	Capitalized letter in alphabetic order A, B, C…	Arabic numerals 1, 2, 3…
Region example	Eastern China plains, low mountains and hills region	Northern and Eastern China plains sub-region	Huang-Huai-Hai alluvial plain small-region
Coding example	I	IG	IG4

Second-order sub-regions		Third-order small-regions
Codes	Names	Codes	Names
IIIA	Da Hinggan Mt middle and low mountains sub-region	IIIA1	Northern Da Hinggan Mt middle and low mountains and hills small-region
		IIIA2	Southern Da Hinggan Mt middle and low mountains and hills small-region
		IIIA3	Northwestern Hebei middle and low mountains small-region
		IIIA4	Da Hinggan Mt west slope low mountains and hills small-region
IIIB	Shanxi middle and low mountains and basins sub-region	IIIB1	Northern Shanxi middle and low mountains and basins small-region
		IIIB2	Taihang Mt middle and low mountains and hills small-region
		IIIB3	Central-southern Shanxi basins small-region
		IIIB4	Lvliang Mt middle and low mountains and hills small-region
IIIC	Northeastern Inner Mongolia high plains sub-region	IIIC1	Hulun Buir plateau small-region
		IIIC2	Xilin Gol plateau small-region
		IIIC3	Ulanqab high plain small-region
IIID	Ordos Plateau and Hetao Plains sub-region	IIID1	Yinshan Mt middle and low mountains small-region
		IIID2	Hetao alluvial plains small-region
		IIID3	Ordos Plateau small-region
		IIID4	Helan Mt subalpine mountains small-region
IIIE	Loess Plateau sub-region	IIIE1	Northern Shaanxi loessic ridges, tablelands and mounds small-region
		IIIE2	Fenhe and Weihe diluvial-alluvial plains and platforms small-region
		IIIE3	Liupan Mt middle and low mountains, hills and valleys small-region
		IIIE4	Gansu middle mountains, loessic ridges and mounds small-region