Since 1990s， spectral analysis has become an important technique to characterize the properties of chromophoric and fluorescent dissolved organic matter （CDOM and FDOM） from various aquatic systems and a series of spectral indices have been suggested to trace the sources of DOM and their biogeochemical regulation processes. DOM samples were collected from an aquatic continuum from watershed to deep ocean， i.e. Zhangjiang River and Estuary， Dongshan Bay， Taiwan Strait， Northeast basin of the South China Sea， Luzon Strait and the vertical profile of the Kuroshio region of the West Pacific Ocean. This continuum covered many critical interfaces （land-ocean， shelf-basin， marginal sea basin-open ocean and euphotic and aphotic layer）. The spatial distribution and variation of various qualitative and quantitative parameters along the continuum were clearly revealed. Combined with literature review， the sources and sinks of CDOM/FDOM and their inherent regulation processes under significant hydrological and biogeochemical gradient variation were systematically summarized. The geochemical differentiation of the quantitative DOM spectral index in various aquatic systems was discussed. The tracing ability of the qualitative DOM spectral index was commented. The coupling study of soil-river organic matter systems， mechanism of mineralization-related microbial production of CDOM/FDOM， quantified geochemical framework concept and perturbation of global change on CDOM/FDOM dynamics were suggested as future key topics.