最新的地球圈层──人类圈*

把人类作为最新地球圈层来研究是地球科学中一个重大理论问题。文中从人类圈的内涵、功能和结构、演化的主要阶段以及提出人类圈的主要依据等方面论证了人类已成为地球的最新圈层。接着论述确认最新地球圈层的重大意义:拓宽对地球系统的认识,将地球系统科学从纯自然科学推进到跨自然科学和社会科学两大领域的现代地球系统科学阶段,以便从现代地球系统结构演变的角度来讨论全球环境恶化的根源及可持续发展的基本条件等问题。

ENWEST GEOSPHERE──ANTHROPOSPHE

The study of mankind as newest geosphere is a great theoretic subject in earth science. An- throposphere (Human sphere) is a sphere of the earth with human being as the natural sub- stance. It is a self-controllable open system which has incompletely closed circulation function and triple structure with culture predominating. At present anthroposphere is entering the new catastrophic period. The major reasons for our treating the anthroposphere as an independent earth sphere are as follows , ( 1 ) Human beings have already become a global integrity : (2) The anthroposphere is the product of the earth differentiation ; ( 3 ) The strong interaction between the anthro- posphere and the earth's natural world;(4) It has some features different form that of the bio- sphere ; ( 5) It follows the same basic laws of the earth, s evolution as the earth system. The study of the anthroposphere has the following important significance. First it widens our knowledge of the earth system , and brings earth system science to the stage of modern earth system science which combines nature science and social science. Secondly it is advantagous to the study of the sources for global environmental deterioration and the basic conditions for the sustainable development from structural change of modern earth system.