Journal of Geographical Sciences >
Geomorphological regionalization theory system and division methodology of China
Wang Nan (1990-), PhD, specialized in disaster GIS. E-mail: wangn.14s@igsnrr.ac.cn |
Received date: 2019-06-26
Accepted date: 2019-08-07
Online published: 2020-04-21
Supported by
National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41590845)
National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41421001)
National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41571388)
Copyright
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.
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 . DOI: 10.1007/s11442-020-1724-9
Table 1 Examples of coding and naming methods of three-order geomor-regions in China |
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 |
Figure 1 Three-order geomorphologic regionalization (geomor-regions) in China(The names and codes of geomor-regions are shown in Tables 2-7.) |
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 | ||||
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 | ||||
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 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 | |
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 | |
IIE2 | Western Taiwan low mountains, hills and plains small-region |
Table 4 Names and codes of the second-order sub-regions and third-order small-regions of Northern China-Eastern Inner Mongolia Middle Mountains-Plateaus Region III |
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 |
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 | |
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 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 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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
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 |
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