Study on Division of the Terrestrial System in China
中国陆地表层系统分区初探

Based on the idea of Top-down and Bottom-up advocated by Huang Bingwei, five integrated divisions in China, including the physio-geographical division, the ecological division, the potential agro-productivity division, the economic division, and the response to global warming of China, are integrated to divide the terrestrial system of China into nine regions at the first level. Then by evaluating the Pressure, State and Response on 46 components for 344 prefectures in China with the PSR Models, the criteria in seven grades for terrestrial system status in every prefecture are established, and terrestrial system status for nine regions are assessed. The results show: (1) The regional differences in landforms and climate are the dominant priority to the regional terrestrial system status. (2) The socio-economic development dominated by human dimension is the secondary priority to the regional terrestrial system status. (3) For terrestrial system status in nine regions, North China, Southeast China and South China are at better level; Northeast China is at middle level; the Southwest China and Shaanxi-Inner Mongolia-Gansu-Shaanxi are at poor level; Northwest China and Qinghai-Xizang are at the worst level.