简论我国黄土高原历史地理研究工作

本文将建国以来我国黄土高原历史地理研究工作划分成五十年代至六十年代前期、七十年代后期迄今两个阶段,从历史时期气候变迁、农牧业发展及分布区域的变化、土地利用方式与黄河下游安危的关系、植被变迁、黄土侵蚀地貌成因、河湖水系变化、沙漠变迁等七个方面介绍了所取得的主要研究成果及其意义,对今后如何进一步开展这一领域的研究工作提出了意见。

A BRIEF COMMENT OF THE RESEARCH IN THE HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE LOESS PLATEAU OF CHINA

The research in the Loess Plateau of China, has had a very long history.The changes of the natural environment are very obvious and the effects on-the neighbouring North China Plain have been great.Since the founding of the people's Republic of China, alor with the vigorous development of our national economy, science and culturt, the historical-geographical scholars of China have studied the loess Plateau from many aspects and have gained great success.Progress in research work, on the whole, may be divided into two stages: 1.from the 1950's to the early 1960's, 2.from the late 1970's until now.In the first stage the experts have written several theses of high quality.In the second stage more historical-geographical scholars have taken part in the research activities, the atmosphere has been more lively, and its effect has been more widespread.After liberation, the historical-geographical scholars of China have made gceat achievements in scientific research.These include research on climatic changes, the developments and the changes in the distribution of agriculture and livestock farming, the relationship between the form of land utilization and the flood of the lower reaches of the Yellow River, vegetation changes, the formation of loess and the causes of its erosion, changes in the morphological characteristics of rivers and lakes, the desert's changes in the historical period of the Loess Plateau of China, The research work has produced good results in the harnessing of the Yellow River and the Loess Plateau of China, in agricultural regionalization and in the development of agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry.Professors Zhu kezhen, Tan Qixiang, Hou Renzhi, Shi Nianhai, Xin Shuzhi and others have made great contributions, A large number of the middle-aged and young people have also made further advances.In order to carry on thoroughly historical-geographical research on the Loess Plateau of China, the experts should cooperate with those who specialize in all the subjects concerned.We must concentrate our attention to the study of important subjects such as: forestry changes, the influence of man's activities on soil erosion and desertification, and try to make breakthroughs.We should attach special importance to historical documents and simultaneously strengthen field investigation and adopt new techniques.We should widen the application of basic theory and spread the main research achievements of historical geography among the people.