生态地理学概念界定及其经典案例分析

对生态地理学的概念进行了详细讨论和辨析,并将它与相近学科如生物地理学、生态地理区划、宏生态学等进行了比较分析,界定了生态地理学的概念。研究认为：生态地理学是生态学和地理学的交叉学科,是研究生态系统各组分关系和生态过程的地理空间分布格局或/和时间演变规律及其与地理环境耦合机制的学科。生态地理学的目的是揭示不同环境梯度下或不同时间尺度上生态系统各组分关系和生态过程的普适性规律及其成因。同时,结合国内外野外实验平台介绍,在全球变化等研究领域列举了经典案例进行分析：① 全球不同气候带森林凋落物分解和碳汇功能的研究;② 中国不同陆地生态系统碳通量和碳汇功能研究;③ 中国东北样带和南北样带陆地生态系统的脆弱性与适应性研究;④ 中国北方草地样带尺度的生态系统生态学研究。主要目的是在辨析生态地理学概念的基础上指出未来发展方向,推动生态地理学的发展。

Concept Clarification of Eco-geography and Analysis of Related Classical Studies

Based on literature review, we clarified the concept of Eco-geography after thorough discussion and discrimination from related disciplines such as Biogeography, Eco-geographical Planning and Macroecology. We considered that Eco-geography is the interdisciplinary science between Ecology and Geography. It concerns the geospatial pattern and/or temporal change of biotic interactions and ecological processes of ecosystems and how they are coupled with geographical parameters. The aim of Eco-geography is to demonstrate the universal rules and underlying mechanisms of biotic interactions and ecological processes of ecosystems along various environmental gradients and/or at different time scale. Meanwhile, we discussed several classical eco-graphical studies, particularly those from field controlled experiments in global change and other areas: 1) Global litter decomposition and carbon sink at different climatic regions; 2) Carbon flux and carbon sink of major terrestrial ecosystems in China; 3) Fragility and adaptability of terrestrial ecosystems along NECT and NSTEC transects of China; 4) Ecosystem studies of temperate grassland transect in northern China. Our aim is to facilitate the development of Eco-geography by clarifying the concept and highlighting the future directions. Fur future eco-graphical study, we need to pay special attention to the following aspects: 1) To strengthen the geospatial network study on ecological processes based on field stations and facilities affiliated with National Ecosystem Research Network (NERN) of China; 2) To launch key project in support of innovative ideas with well-designed field controlled experiments along geospatial gradient; 3) To enhance the large scale application of remote sensing technology coupled with long-term monitoring of ecological processes.