Most Down Articles

  • Published in last 1 year
  • In last 2 years
  • In last 3 years
  • All
  • Most Downloaded in Recent Month
  • Most Downloaded in Recent Year
Please wait a minute...
  • Select all
    |
  • Articles
    DONG Xiaofeng;SHI Yulong;ZHANG Zhiqiang;LI Xiaoying
    Advances in Earth Science. 2005, 20(10): 1067-1074. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2005.10.1067

    The Metropolitan region is an international model of the spatial organization for the modern Urban Agglomeration. The first part of this paper focuses on the national and international study about analysis conceptions, development tendencies and characteristics of metropolitan region. The development of research and practice about metropolitan region in the world was recognized. Based on the analysis, we made an analysis of the development of the research and the practice about metropolitan region in China. The author summed up the understanding about Metropolitan Region from Chinese scholars and packed up the practices in China in order to further understand the connotation of this conception. Then, we built up the development theory system of Metropolitan Region, including the conception and standards of Metropolitan Region which is seasoned with the situation of our country and the tendencies of development, the nature of metropolitan region which is a development pattern as well as a phenomenon, the spatial structure which circles from inside to outside, the effect, the phase of metropolitan region development and discussed how to manage this region. Lastly, we summed up the content of the metropolitan region development planning. The importance of incorporation and habitation conception for the development of Metropolitan Region was emphasized. As a kind of urban development model, Metropolitan Region is vital for the construction of urban area which has conditions to develop this model and the development of regional economy.

  • Articles
    Jia Zhenzhen, Liu Shaomin, Mao Defa, Wang Zhiliang,Xu Ziwei, Zhang Ru
    Advances in Earth Science. 2010, 25(11): 1248-1260. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2010.11.1248

    A comprehensive validation method of remotely sensed Evapotranspiration (ET) based on observation data was proposed to ensure the accuracy of estimated ET. Thus, an observation system was equipped with a large aperture scintillometer, an eddy covariance system and an automatic weather station, and then an observation network was established at Miyun, Guantao, Daxing and Xiaotangshan sites in Hai river  basin, which were set up from 2002 for ET and correlative parameters measurements at different satellite pixel scales. On this basis, rigorous data process and quality control were executed to ensure the high quality of observations. Meanwhile, a validation procedure of remotely sensed ET based on ground measurements was presented, and the method of selecting validation pixels and evaluation index were investigated intensively. According to this method, validation of remote sensing ET was performed in Beijing. Based on the LAS measurements at Miyun and Daxing sites in 2008, regional ET in Beijing area estimated by MODIS data was validated. The results demonstrated  that  the proposed validation method based on LAS observation data was feasible. The RMSE and MRE of estimated monthly and daily ET were  13.75、0.91 mm and 22.79%、18.61% respectively.

  • Genxing Pan, Yuanjun Ding, Shuotong Chen, Jingling Sun, Xiao Feng, Chen Zhang, Doross Marios, Jufeng Zheng, Xuhui Zhang, Kun Cheng, Xiaoyu Liu, Rongjun Bian, Lianqing Li
    Advances in Earth Science. 2019, 34(5): 451-470. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2019.05.0451

    In this review, the evolution of Soil Organic Matter (SOM) research was traced back to outline the main achievement of understanding SOM in relation to its ecological functioning, particularly of carbon sequestration against climate change. The short-coming of soil humus theory, knowledge of SOM protection and stabilization, framework of newly emerged Humeomics as well as the increasingly active study of molecular organics in soils were analyzed and discussed, highlighting the importance of re-visiting SOM in term of structure-property-functions for the main mission of modern soil science. There were limitations of soil forming conditions, fraction separation procedure and single molecule identification for understanding the huge complex humus of larger sized synthesized molecules. Thanks to the ever-active studies of soil (organic) carbon sequestration and stabilization focusing on the association status of SOM with soil components, SOM has been increasingly recognized as an assemblage of metabolites from life activities on or in soil, with different allocation or protected in mineral/organic complex phases, which could be traced by biomarker molecules. Using such biomarker molecules as a target (like primer in molecular microbiology), all the molecules of SOM could be digested and isolated for qualitative or quantitative identification with GC/MS high resolution technologies. Such development has emerged a new paradigm of molecular SOM study, finally as SOMics as a modern soil science frontier. The functioning of SOM for stabilizing soil structure, enhancing reactivity and promoting biological resistance could be correlated to the paradigm of abundance, composition, structure and functions rather than the content and recalcitrance of SOM. This may deserve urgent studies to quantify and parameterize the defined paradigm based on the molecular composition of SOM. Again, such theory and technology development could provide a tool to manage SOM in term of carbon sequestration but revalorizing bioactivity in ecosystems, especially in agroecosystems. We believe such studies could rather depict the nature of SOM and of soil in relation to its ecological services and functioning, which will be the focus of soil science in serving the sustainable development of human society.

  • Articles
    Sun He,Xiao Yilin
    Advances in Earth Science. 2009, 24(10): 1105-1121. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2009.10.1105

           Fluids are aubiquitous transport medium for heat and matter in most geological process. The presence of fluids in rocks may affect the chemical and physical properties, mineral reaction velocity and heat budget of geological systems, Direct sample of geological fluids could be preserved only in fluid inclusions that were trapped during the growth of their host mineral. Fluid inclusions can provide us unique information for the presence and composition of ancient fluids which can not be obtained by other geochemical methods (e.g. the component and evolution of diagenetic fluid; process of fluid-rock interaction; migration of trace elements in fluid). The study of fluid inclusions thus has become one of the “hottest” fields in earth sciences, and plays an important role in studies correlated with geological processes. Starting with a general introduction to the fluid inclusion properties and a summarization about the classification of primary- and secondary-fluid inclusions, this paper reveiws the most recent development in analytical methods in the fluid inclusion research field. We also review the current application of fluid inclusions to various fields in earth sciences (e.g. metamorphic fluid, ore-deposit, petroleum geology and biomarker) in the paper. Finally, we give a short outlook on potential future research topics about fluid inclusion studies.

  • Yu Liu,Jun Wang,Hui Li,Nuwen Xu,Juan Feng,Zijun Dong,Ziyan Li,Li Ji,Xiaoming Guo
    Advances in Earth Science. 2020, 35(11): 1171-1188.

    We analyzed the submissions, acceptances, reviews and grant awarding of various projects in environmental geosciences in 2020, pointed out the problems we found in the submission and review processes, and summarized the project conclusions the environmental geosciences at the end of 2019, the completion of the projects and the main research progresses made in this direction.

  • Articles
    Jiang Weimei,Miao Shiguang,Zhang Ning,Liu Hongnian,Hu Fei,Li Lei,Wang Yongwei
    Advances in Earth Science. 2010, 25(5): 463-473. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2010.05.0463

     The current research status of numerical simulations on urban meteorology and boundary layer is reviewed in this paper, including research on urban climate, urban surface energy balance, urban heat island and urban canopy modeling. Based on researchers′ experience, suggestion and discussion are given on some cutting edge problems and opinions. The state-of-art methods used in this field are discussed as well. Recommendations are also suggested in this paper: ①Observations and simulations on urban climate, urban surface energy balance, urban heat island are in great need facing the different climate zone and different cities; ②More and deeper researches on urban observation methods and rules, observation instruments and observation net design are needed; ③Prediction method of urban heat island based on synoptic conditions and urban surface characteristics should be improved; ④Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models can be used as tools to bridge the gap between mesoscale and microscale numerical modeling, and to evaluate and improve current mesoscale urban climate simulations.

  • Articles
    Bai Jie, Liu Shaomin, Ding Xiaoping, Lu Li
    Advances in Earth Science. 2010, 25(11): 1148-1165. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2010.11.1148

    Sensible/latent heat fluxes can be obtained by Large Aperture Scintillometer (LAS) over several kilometers, which play an significant role in the analysis  of and application to agricultural and forestry, hydrology and meteorology research. Take LAS observations in Miyun and Guantao stations over Hai River Basin in 2008 as an example. The way of data screening and quality control under unstable conditions as well as the effect of different calculation method on sensible heat flux have been discussed. The results showed: the structure parameter of the refractive index (C2n) should be calculated with the variance of the voltage of structure parameter of the refractive index; Humidity correction can be done with daily Bowen ratio; The effective height of LAS can be calculated with spatial averaged function;  The Andreas(1988) function is  used to get reliable sensible heat flux. Meanwhile, the nonlinear regression method and dynamic linear  regression method have been used to fill the 30min and daily missing data  while the 30  min missing data under stable conditions can be set to zero. The correlation relationship between daily ET measured by LAS and EC has been constructed to estimate daily ET when daily Rn<50 W/m2. Based on the above analysis, a set of LAS data processing scheme has been set up, which ensures continuous and high quality sensible/latent data can be obtained over various surfaces and weather conditions.

  • Articles
    Zhang Yunguo, Zhou Chaoxian
    Advances in Earth Science. 2011, 26(11): 1173-1190. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2011.11.1173

    Porphyry copper deposit as the largest source of Cu is one of the most important deposits in the world. Porphyry Copper Deposit not only occured in Circum-Pacific ore-forming region, but also occured in Tethys ore-forming region and Middle-Asian(Paleo-Asian Oceanic) oreforming region. The mineralization materials derived from the deep. Porphyry forms through four stages: “Oceanic Crust-Mantle Lava Flow”,“Original Magma”,“Shallow Ore Magma”,“Crystallization of Magma-Minerali-zation”. In the stage of “Original Magma”, much metallogenic materials and energy gather through the process of “MASH”. Ore-forming fluids are high-grade fliuds of gas-liquid phase, which are of fluid-rich, high temperature, high pressure, high salinity, strong oxidizing, high oxygen fugacity. The characteristics of ore-forming fluids are favorable for metallogenic materials to gather from magmas to fluids in the process of magma-hydrothermal separation. The copper is transported and migrated in form of Cl-complexes. With the ascent of ore-forming fluids, lowering of temperature and pressure is the main factors resulting in copper precipitation. The crystallization of magnetite resulting from lowering temperature and pressure provides much of S2- and  plays an important role in the formation of porphyry copper ore. From the inner to the outside, the alteration zones,in general,are composed of quartz zone,potassic zone,SCC zone and  argillic zone.The proposed genesis models which are commonly accepted,up to now, include the classical model, the system model and the model of polyphasal overprinting events.

  • Articles
    Zhong Lingzhi, Liu Liping, Ge Runsheng
    Advances in Earth Science. 2009, 24(4): 383-391. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2009.04.0383

           With the recent emphasis on understanding the role of clouds in the global radiation budget, cloud detection becomes more and more important. Although there are optical remote sensing techniques (e.g., satellite lidar, ceilometer, etc.) to measure cloud properties, optical signals cannot penetrate into thick cloud to observe the cloud′s horizontal and vertical dimensions and its internal structure. The scope of radar meteorology has expanded to include measurements of cloud properties and structure for radar′s wavelength is close to cloud′s diameter. Millimeter-wavelength radar is recognized as having the potential to provide a more sensitive probe of cloud particles ranging from a few micrometers in diameter to precipitation drops. Since the backscatter cross section of tiny drops (i.e., several tens of micrometers in diameter) increases in proportion to λ-4, where  λ is the radar wavelength, cloud drops are more easily detected by radars of millimeter rather than centimeter wavelengths. On the other hand, attenuation of millimeter waves is much stronger, and the λ-4 advantage gained using millimeter waves is offset by the strong attenuation these waves experience. The 10-cm-wavelength radar, used principally for storm warnings, cannot detect weak and no precipitation clouds well, compared with the mm radars. Compared to normal weather radar, millimeter wavelength radar has following superiorities in observing clouds: ①strong capability in detecting small particles like cloud, fog and dust; ②better resolution and precision of Doppler velocity; ③high special resolution result from its narrow beamwidth. In this paper, the status about cloud radar in and abroad about radars′ technology and application on clouds′ micro and macrophysics research, airports safe flight are introduced. Also present is a prospect on millimeter-wavelength radar.

  • Heping SUN, Wenke SUN, Wenbin SHEN, Chongyang SHEN, Yiqing ZHU, Guangyu FU, Shuqing WU, Xiaoming CUI, Xiaodong CHEN
    Advances in Earth Science. 2021, 36(5): 445-460. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2021.032

    Earth's gravity field and its application in geosciences is one of the important contents in the fields of Earth sciences. It plays an irreplaceable role in national basic surveying and mapping, disaster monitoring, resource exploration, surface layer coupling, aerospace and other aspects. In recent years, with the continuous innovation of gravity field observation technology, gravity measurement and the corresponding theory, methods and applications have developed rapidly, and fruitful research results have been achieved. The gravity topics of the annual meeting of Chinese Geoscience Union in 2020 are the concentrated display of these achievements (including 42 oral reports and 10 posters). Based on the reports on this annual meeting, this paper summarizes the latest research progress in the Earth's gravity field and its geoscience application in China in recent years.

  • Articles
    Advances in Earth Science. 2005, 20(1): 120-138. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2005.01.0120
  • Articles
    Wang Xiaojun, Ma Hao
    Advances in Earth Science. 2011, 26(11): 1191-1199. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2011.11.1191

    With the development of mesoscale atmospheric model, the next generation mesoscale Weather Research and Forecast Model is widely used at home and abroad, primarily because of its complete openness, easy portability, and fast update. The application of WRF model in China in recent decade is introduced from three aspects: the physical parameterization scheme, real-time simulation and comparison with MM5, which indicates the usefulness and advantage of WRF model in mesoscale simulation. Furthermore, two main prospects of WRF model in the near future are proposed: one is to develop Climate-Weather Research and Forecasting Model(CWRF), aiming to simulate and predict both weather and climate at mesoscale level, and the other is to couple WRF model with regional ocean model and construct a regional coupled model with high resolution. It is hoped that our summary can provide some necessary helps for the users of WRF model.

  • Articles
    HU Yi-chang, DONG Wen-jie, HE Yong
    Advances in Earth Science. 2007, 22(10): 1066-1075. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2007.10.1066

    More and more researches pay attention to extreme events because of their destructive impacts. Both observing and modeling studies found that extreme temperature and precipitation had significant changes. Further more, there may be more severe extreme events in the future with global warming. Of course, there are still many uncertainties contained in these results. Two main factors contribute to these uncertaintiesne. One is associated with models. There are usually great difference of outputs between different models; the other is the possible difference resulted from the period of different length analyzed. From the definition of extreme events, progresses about the study of extreme events in the last few years are described in detail first for both observing and modeling studies. Then the main progresses are listed, and some problems hanging in doubt are summarized.

  • Articles
    Ma Jianwen, Qin Sixian
    Advances in Earth Science. 2012, 27(7): 747-757. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2012.07.0747

    ]In recent years, global environmental change has more and more affected the survival of human beings. In order to enhance the observation of the landatmospheric-ocean, the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) and Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) have been proposed. Data assimilation, the key connection between observation data and model simulations, also gets rapid development. The most significant signs are the continuous introductions of new mathematical achievements into the data assimilation fields. Under the background of the “National Airborne Remote Sensing System—The Earth Science Data Processing Software System”, we review the development of the data assimilation algorithms so as to determine the technical route and major contents of this project and promote the research on data assimilation theory and the development of the software.

  • Articles
    Ding Wenlong,Xu Changchun,Jiu Kai,Li Chao,Zeng Weite,Wu Liming
    Advances in Earth Science. 2011, 26(2): 135-144. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2011.02.0135

    Discovery of numbers of fractured reservoirs in shale around the world and recent great progress of North American shale gas exploration shows the study of the fractures in shale is quite important. On the basis of the literature research of shale fractures research findings around the world, shale reservoir with strong plasticity has common and specificity, compared with other types of rock, on fractures type and origin, identification method, parameter estimation, and distribution prediction. The shale reservoir fractures can de classified into two groups of fracture according to their origin, structural and non-structural fracture, and 12 sub-classes. Different class of fractures has different characteristics and origin. Structural fractures, including high-angle shear fracture, Tensile and shear fractures and low-angle slip fracture, belong to ductile shear fracture. Non-structural fracture in shale, more developed than other types of lithology, such as shrinkage fractures, stylolites, over-pressured fractures and weathered fracture, resulted from diagenesis, drying crack, over-ressure, mineral phase transformation, recrystallization, and pressure-solution. Then we summarize the methods of fracture identification, parameter estimation, fracture reservoir distribution prediction using geological, seismic, drilling and logging and structural stress, and then propose current problems and trend of study on shale fracture reservoir nowadays.

  • Articles
    Zhao Tianbao,Fu Congbin,Ke Zongjian,Guo Weidong
    Advances in Earth Science. 2010, 25(3): 241-254. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2010.03.0241

    During the last decades, reanalysis of past meteorological observations using modern data assimilation technique and restructure the long-term and consistent gridded data products have been made great progress. Such datasets provide us the most primary research tools to identify the state and evolution of atmosphere, and understand the climate change and variability at different spatial-temporal scales. In this paper, the current research status and advances in the global reanalysis datasets including some of international global atmosphere reanalysis projects and the corresponding reanalyzed products, the important applications of reanalyzed products in some research fields of the atmospheric science, the validation and evaluation of the reanalysis datasets,and some quality problems represented by the reanalyzed products in climate change studies are systematically reviewed. Moreover,the prospects of the studies on atmospheric reanalysis in the future are also discussed in this paper.

  • Articles
    Zhang Jianyong,Liu Wenhui,Tenger,Wang Xiaofeng,Qing Ying, Ma Fengliang
    Advances in Earth Science. 2008, 23(4): 390-400. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2008.04.0390

    The thermochemical sulphate reduction (TSR) is believed to be the determinative factor for gas reservoirs to generate high content of H2S (the volume percent of H2S above 5%), but the main hydrocarbon compounds react with sulphate are still not distinctly made sure. In this paper, based on the contrast analysis of TSR reaction systems ( wet gas and magnesium sulfate, methane and calcium sulphate, heavy hydrocarbon and magnesium sulfate), through the analysis of TSR chemical equations and study of chemical kinetics and chemical thermodynamics, combined with geologic information, it is concluded that methane is believed to be the product of the TSR reaction between heavy hydrocarbon and sulphate, and not main reactant; there is synchroneity between the TSR reaction and the increasing of C2+  gaseous Alkane, the TSR reaction rate increase as C2+ Gaseous Alkane increase and the volume of H2S almost not increase till the wet gas cracked to be dry gas and then dry gas with H2S is generated. According to the analysis of oil and gas evolution stage, it is believed that TSR mainly at the stage of condensate gas generation by thermal cracking. When crude oil being cracked to be natural gas with H2S, the pressure system is changed and gas with H2S will be newly accumulated and the natural gas with H2S will be accumulated again in new traps if the structural environment changes. So, the volume of H2S in natural gas reservoirs is not only controlled by generation conditions but by other factors, such as migration pathway conditions, reservoirs conditions and preservation conditions.

  • Articles
    HAN Wei-guo, WANG Jin-feng, LIU Xu-hua
    Advances in Earth Science. 2004, 19(6): 925-930. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2004.06.0925

    This paper uses SIR model to back-analyze the parameters of SARS transmission based on the data released by the health authorities of Beijing and Hong Kong, we get the important parameters such as the peak period, the hospitalized cases and the removed parameter. It can be seen that these parameters of the model allow for better understanding of the SARS transmission because the result fits the actual data approximately. As a result, SIR model could be used to fit data, predict trend and simulate process of SARS transmission.

  • Weidong YANG, Lianbo ZENG, Xiang LI
    Advances in Earth Science. 2023, 38(2): 151-167. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2023.004

    Carbon neutrality has become a topic of global consensus. To achieve carbon neutrality, it is also important to enhance carbon sequestration and sink capabilities, apart from the development of new energy to minimize carbon emissions. Carbon sinks can be divided into marine and terrestrial types. The marine carbon sink is mainly composed of three parts: the coastal ecological carbon sink mainly formed by the carbon sequestration effect of coastal vegetation and coastal sediment load, and the marine ecological carbon sink mainly formed by dissolution and microbial pumps in the ocean. Both are directly related to monsoon oceanic current conditions, terrestrial organic inputs, coastal geographical conditions, and human activity. The feasibility of an artificial oceanic carbon sink depends on its impact on marine ecology. In terrestrial carbon sinks, vegetation carbon sinks are formed by organic carbon generated by the photosynthesis of terrestrial plants, including forest, grassland, and wetland vegetation. The influencing factors include temperature and precipitation, atmospheric composition, land use and its changes, and natural disturbance effects. Natural geological carbon sinks mostly consist of soil and karst carbon sinks. Soil carbon sinks are affected by regional vegetation, climatic conditions, soil utilization, and other factors. Karst carbon sinks are mainly produced by weathering between carbonate and silicate rocks absorbing atmospheric CO2, which is affected by temperature, precipitation, rock type, hydrological conditions, and human activity. An artificial geological carbon sink was formed because the captured CO2 was injected into the designated area underground for storage. The storage capacity depends on the evaluation of geological characteristics, reservoir conditions, oil distribution, and production. For the future, it is necessary to act decisively in climatic, natural resources, the social economy, and other aspects to fix carbon, enhance carbon sequestration, and achieve carbon neutrality.

  • Articles
    Xia Jun, Liu Chunzhen, Ren Guoyu
    Advances in Earth Science. 2011, 26(1): 1-12. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2011.01.0001

    The impact of climate change on water resources security is a challenging issue with widespread concern globally. It is as well the great strategic issue in the national sustainable development of China. Based on a wide review of related research, it is concluded that the research of climate change impact on the water cycle is one of the most exiting research perspectives in the study of relationship of climate change and water science. Due to the serious water resource situation plus climate change influence, the challenge and opportunity of the basic research work in the climate change impact on water resource were given. The climate change and water cycle study is the international forefront in the area of climatology, meteorology and hydrology. The detection and attribution of water cycle components change have become the international challenging problems, as well as the quantitative analysis and prediction of the uncertainties in a hydrological system; the research of water cycle response to climate change is developing from offline hydrologic simulations to coupling climate change with hydrological dynamics; study of the water resources vulnerability has become a key problem to deal with climate change and secure the water resources security. In the circumstances of the climate change, it is necessary to reexamine the hypotheses in traditional hydrological theories, as well as the spatial variability, uncertainty and hydrological extremes in regional hydrological studies. Carrying out the research of climate change impact on water resource and adoption measures is one of the  biggest scientific problems of water sciences and water resource in the 21 century. 

  • Articles
    ZHOU Guang-sheng;XU Zhen-zhu;WANG Yu-hui1
    Advances in Earth Science. 2004, 19(4): 642-649. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2004.04.0642

    Adaptation of terrestrial ecosystems to global change has become a key issue of global change study and of countermeasures formulation for human being. The adaptation of terrestrial ecosystems to global change would be reviewed in this paper from four aspects, [WTBX]i.e.[WT], (1) changes of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, (2) climatic change, (3) combined changes of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere and climatic change, and (4) human disturbance, in terms of the definition of global change. Based on the present research, some important tasks related to adaptation of terrestrial ecosystems to global change are suggested. Among them, the threshold assessment of adaptation practices should draw more and more attention in the future.

  • Articles
    Liu Yuanbo, Fu Qiaoni, Song Ping, Zhao Xiaosong, Dou Cuicui
    Advances in Earth Science. 2011, 26(11): 1162-1172. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2011.11.1162

    Precipitation is a fundamental component of the global water cycle. It is a key hydrologic variable of the water cycle in meteorology, climatology and hydrology. Accurate observation of precipitation and its regional, global distributions has long been a challenging scientific goal. With five-decade development of space-borne sensors, the approaches to retrieving precipitation appear mature. This paper briefly describes the principles and the main types of retrieval algorithms of precipitation using visible/infrared (VIS/IR), passive-microwave (PMW), precipitation radar (PR) data, or their combinations. The VIS/IR algorithms generally had relatively low retrieval accuracy, but it could provide better long-term retrieval due to better temporal sampling of geostationary data. The PMW algorithms were more accurate but more complicated than the VIS/IR algorithms in retrieval of instantaneous precipitation, and the PMW data had low spatial and temporal resolution. Among all the PMW algorithms, the Goddard Profiling Algorithm (GPROF) is the most widely applied one. The PR algorithm enabled capture of three-dimensional precipitation structure over the ocean and land. While the PR retrievals had accuracy on the order of ground-radar data, it had limited coverage of the Earth’s surface. The deficiencies of a single sensor algorithm were alleviated with the combination use of multi-sensors. A number of algorithms have been proposed with a particular combination of VIS/IR, PMW, and/or PR data. The commonly used algorithms include the Climate Prediction Center Morphing (CMORPH) algorithm, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) algorithm and the Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP) algorithm. Currently, scientific efforts have been made to compare and evaluate the existing algorithms, for example, the Program to Evaluate High-Resolution Precipitation Products (PEHRPP). With the development of instruments and algorithms of precipitation, there are produced many regional and global data sets dedicated to precipitation monitoring. The widely spread global precipitation datasets include TRMM, GSMaP and Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP). Each data set had its unique features in terms of spatial and temporal resolutions, typically in 3-hour and 0.25 degree. For future development, the launch of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission will improve and extend the TRMM measurements to higher latitudes, with a more frequent sampling, and a higher sensitivity to light and heavy rainfalls. Furthermore, combination of observations at different wavelengths and from both low and geostationary-orbit satellites is a promising way to produce global precipitation. The International Precipitation Working Group (IPWG) is providing a focus on the study of satellite-based quantitative precipitation measurements. With the international efforts, we are approaching to a unique retrieval of a consistent global precipitation cross multi-sensors. 

  • Articles
    Zhang Rui, Ma Jianwen
    Advances in Earth Science. 2009, 24(5): 555-562. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2009.05.0555

           Support Vector Machine (SVM) is a state-of-the-art machine learning algorithm based on statistical learning theory. It tries to find the optimal classification hyperplane in high dimensional feature space to handle complicated classification and regression problems by solving optimization problems. With the development of the theory and its applications, SVM has been used in remote sensing community successfully. SVM has been applied to land cover/land use classification for remotely sensed data, change detection for multi-temporal remote sensing data, and information fusion for multiple source data. Moreover, it has become a standard technique for hyperspectral data process. In this paper, the applications of SVM in remote sensing are reviewed. First, we introduced the basic theory of the SVM briefly. Then we reviewed the state of the art in different remote sensing applications. At last, we stated the development of several new SVM algorithms, which were derived from the SVM theory, and applications in remote sensing community.

  • Articles
    Zhou Chuangbing, Li Dianqiang
    Advances in Earth Science. 2009, 24(5): 477-487. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2009.05.0477

           Landslides, as a common geo-hazard, can result in huge economic losses and enormous casualties in mountainous regions of the world. Therefore, the assessment of landslide hazard and risk has become a topic of major interest for both geoscientists and engineering professionals. Firstly, the significance of rainfall-induced landslides mechanism, landslides risk assessment and risk mitigation is addressed. Secondly, this paper reviews the recent advances in geo-hazards associated with landslides from the aspects of geomechanics mechanism of rainfall-induced landslides, landslides mechanism, numerical simulation of evolution process of landslides, dynamic risk assessment and risk mitigation associated with landslides. Based on the critical review, problems in the past study of the rainfall-induced landslides are examined, and some challenge issues in rainfall-induced landslides are discussed. Finally, further research directions are suggested. It is recommended that the research on geo-hazards associated with landslides should take the dynamic process of landslides as the main line, take the geomechanics mechanism as the basis, take the landslides mechanism as the key problem, and take the landslides risk assessment as the tool. The final goal is to reduce the landslides risk as low as possible.

  • Articles
    Advances in Earth Science. 2011, 26(1): 75-132. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2011.01.0075
  • Chen Shulin, Liu Yuanbo, Wen Zuomin

    Soil moisture is a key variable influencing a variety of land surface processes. Accurate estimation of spatio-temporally distributed soil moisture is one of the challenging issues in quantitative remote sensing. This paper briefly describes the major algorithms for retrieving soil moisture using optical, passive-microwave and active-microwave remote sensing, or their combinations. The optical algorithms have relatively low accuracy of retrieval, but good spatial and temporal resolutions. The typical algorithms include the Index-based approach and the soil thermal inertia-based approach. The passive-microwave algorithms have relative high accuracy but low spatial resolutions. It can be grouped into the retrieval approaches for soil moisture only and the approaches for relevant parameters in addition to soil moisture. The active-microwave algorithms have generally high accuracy with a high spatial resolution. The algorithms can be divided into three classes: empirical, physical and semi-empirical approaches. In addition, a number of algorithms have been proposed, which combines in particular optical, passivemicrowave, or active-microwave data. Because the algorithms often combine the advantages of the multi-sensors, they can achieve a high accuracy with a good spatial resolution. With the achievement of retrieval techniques, several global soil moisture data sets have been generated. The widely used data sets include the European Remote Sensing satellites/ Meteorological Operational satellite programme (ERS/MetOp) data sets, the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) data sets, and the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) data sets. The ERS/MetOp data sets provides global soil moisture data with a spatial resolution of 25-km so far since July, 1991, retrieved from the TU-Wien approach using C-band microwave data. The AMSR-E data sets provides global soil moisture data with a spatial resolution of 25-km for the period from June, 2002 to September, 2011, retrieved from the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM) using C-band and X-band microwave data. The SMOS data sets provides global soil moisture data with a spatial resolution of 40-km so far since November, 2009, retrieved from the L-band Microwave Emission of the Biosphere model (LMEB) using L-band microwave data. To improve retrieval accuracy of soil moisture, the new satellite sensors are scheduled to be launched into space, for example, the Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar-2 (PALSAR2) in 2013 and the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) in 2014.

  • Articles
    Jiang Chongya, Fang Hongliang, Wei Shanshan
    Advances in Earth Science. 2012, 27(3): 292-303. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2012.03.0292

    Roughness, reflecting the smooth degree of the surface, is a key factor of many land surface processes. There are various methods of parameterization, but questions still exist since the characterization of land surface system has far from been fully understood. This paper reviews the research progress on land surface roughness characterization from three aspects, including land surface measurement techniques, roughness parameters, and remote sensing researches. So far, pin profiler and laser profiler are still main-stream land surface measurement approaches, while 3D laser scan and photogrammetry techniques have shown their potentials. Parameters defined by statistical methods and fractal theories are quite distinct from each other, but it is hard to describe land surface using either category of parameters due to the the complexity of its multi-scaled feature. As for remote sensing researches, both optical and microwave techniques have broad prospects, and the former needs to do better in match with classical parameterization, while the latter has to make improvement on techniques and methods for next generation remote sensing platform. Many key problems encountered in roughness parameterization study, such as comparison and transformation of parameters between different scales, heterogeneity and anisotropy of land surface, as well as roughness parameterization based on 3D surface data, have also been discussed.

  • Orginal Article
    Feng Zhao, Kuidong Xu
    Advances in Earth Science. 2014, 29(5): 551-558. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2014.05.0551

    Microbial eukaryotes are quantitatively predominant, highly diverse and functionally important groups of eukaryotes in the deep oceans. Investigations on the microbial eukaryotic diversity provide not only the base for elucidating the structure of deepsea ecosystems but also high support for better understanding the microbial diversity and their geographic distribution. So far, the biodiversity research on microbial eukaryotes obviously lags behind that of prokaryotes. Our knowledge of their morphological diversity mainly comes from groups (e.g. foraminiferans) that need not cultivate and are easily identified with external morphology. The application of molecular methods greatly extended our knowledge of the microbial eukaryotic diversity in deep sea, uncovering a much higher molecular than morphological diversity. More and more undescribed taxa and even novel evolutionary lineages of eukaryotes have been discovered from deep sea. By reviewing and summarizing literature data, the authors present the research progress and existing problems in the biodiversity of microbial eukaryotes in deep sea, and propose possible solutions and key issues for future research.

  • Yanlong Guo,Zefang Zhao,Huijie Qiao,Ran Wang,Haiyan Wei,Lukun Wang,Wei Gu,Xin Li
    Advances in Earth Science. 2020, 35(12): 1292-1305. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2020.110

    Species Distribution Models (SDMs) are numerical tools that combine observations of species occurrence or abundance with environmental variables database. SDMs tend to be used to simulate the potential distribution of species in a larger scale, under the confirming modeling conditions, which can be extrapolated in space and time. SDMs are now widely used in the fields of climate change biology, landscape ecology and conservation biology, and they are one of the most important tools in current biophysics research. This paper systematically discusses the current challenges and future development of species distribution model from two aspects: i.e., model building and model application. The development status and prospect of species distribution models in China are reviewed. The main viewpoints and conclusions are as follows: In the modeling practice of species distribution model, the rationality and accuracy of model results depend on many factors, including the choice of environmental variables and model algorithms, spatial and temporal scale, the interaction between environmental and geographical factors and the model extrapolation degree. Hence, researchers should understand the theoretical basis of the model, attach importance to the standardization of statistics in the process of modeling, choose and design a reasonable model algorithm. In future research, we need to consider the historical and geographical reasons for the current distribution pattern and the possible impacts of species niche shift, as well as the principles of landscape genetics and phylogeography, which should be effectively incorporated into the model framework. Meanwhile, how to use geoscience big data (remote sensing data) effectively is also one of the challenges for the development of the models.

  • Articles
    Fan Wei, Zhang Guangxin, Li Ranran
    Advances in Earth Science. 2012, 27(4): 413-423. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2012.04.0413

    Surface Water-Ground Water (SW-GW) interactions constitute an important link in wetland hydrologic processes, and consequently are of significance for eco-environmental evolution. Thus the interaction has important implications for the effective protection and management of the high environmental values usually attached to wetland habits. This article reviews the current knowledge of the SW-GW interactions and  the mechanisms, impact factors, interfaces effects, analysis methodologies and numerical models are synthesized and exemplified. The key findings are as follow: the SW-GW interactions are controlled by both the basic geological/hydro-geological conditions and the variations of hydrological regimes. However, its responses to the changing world should be emphasized in future due to the high sensitivity. Changes in global climate are expected to have impacts on hydrological and water supply regimes, which will in turn impose additional pressures on wetland. Subsequently the interactions among multi-interfaces integrating physical, chemical and biological processes will be enhanced for better understanding under changing conditions, and it is supposed to be counteractive to the SW-GW system extensively indeed. Concerted efforts from multidisciplinary approaches must be encouraged to elucidate the different interfaces effects, which help to understand the eco-environmental response to SW-GW interactions and provide insight into the research methodologies in return, because the interfaces effects display a function of fingerprinting to the characteristics of the interactions. Finally, the SW-GW interactions models are reviewed, and it is important to note that the models of SW-GW interactions coupling the water quantity and quality should be constructed based upon the understanding of hydrologic characteristics in wetland. To identify the information on different scales, coupling  several mechanisms and verifying  the parameters in the model are the key points in future study. Overall, the SW-GW interactions strongly influence the spatial/ temporal availability of the water resources and the structure/ function of the wetland ecosystem. Therefore, further study will be necessary to help water resources managers to deal with such issues as fiood mitigation, groundwater exploitation, and biodiversity conservation in a more integrated and sustainable manner.

  • Articles
    Du Yan, Fang Guohong
    Advances in Earth Science. 2011, 26(11): 1131-1142. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2011.11.1131

     This paper reviews the relevant ocean dynamics study of the Indonesian Seas and Indonesian Throughflow in the last 30 years. Centred at the heart of Maritime Contininent, the Indonesian Seas connect the Western Pacific Warm Pool and Indian Ocean Warm Pool, having a direct impact on the large scale atmospheric circulations. The Indonesian Throughflow (ITF), weaving through the mutli-straits and passages in the Indonesian Seas, balances the thermal and saline distribution of the world ocean. In a long time scale, ITF has an influence on the structure of general circulation and climate change. Based on the advance of the in situ observation by international cooperation, the global scientific community has a significant advance in the regional oceanography of the Indonesian Seas and ITF. Those studies include two aspects. In the study of the regional oceanography of the Indonesian Seas, this paper reviews the major advance in ocean circulation, wave dynamics, tide and mixing, ocean vertical stratifications and air-sea interactions. In the study of the ITF, which is the only ocean connection of the global conveyer belt in the tropics, this paper review the advance in the ITF pathway, vertical structure, multiscale variations, water mass origin and their influence, heat and saline transport, ITF relationship with the Pacific circulations and Indian Ocean circulations, and its impact on the large scale ocean-atmosphere interactions, etc. This paper categorizes and discusses the relevant study and proposes prospects.

  • Ling Zhang, Ping Wang, Xiyun Chen, Yong Yin
    Advances in Earth Science. 2020, 35(4): 414-430. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2020.030

    The U-Pb chronology of detritus zircon is an important method to explore sediment provenance, which is widely used in sedimentology, geotectonics, geomorphology and other fields. This paper reviewed the recent progress of the U-Pb chronology of detrital zircon from three aspects: data acquisition, analysis and comparison. In terms of data acquisition, the sample preparation method, isotope age data selection and test quantity were expounded from the basic principle; In terms of data analysis, the data visualization methods of Probability Density Plot (PDP), Kernel Density Estimate (KDE) and Cumulative Age Distribution (CAD) were compared; In terms of data comparison, the basic algorithm and application advantages of quantitative comparison were analyzed with examples, including (dis)similarity measures based on non-parametric hypothesis tests (K-S test), (dis)similarity measures based on age spectrum comparison (Cross-correlation coefficients) and (dis)similarity measures based on Multi-Dimensional Scali (MDS). Finally, three commonly used software tools were introduced. Suggestions were given in terms of data acquisition, analysis and comparison for future research.

  • Articles
    Liu Yonghe, Guo Weidong, Feng Jinming, Zhang Kexin
    Advances in Earth Science. 2011, 26(8): 837-847. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2011.08.0837

    As one of the means for bridging the gap of the data between low resolution data obtained from weather models and that needed in basin scale, statistical downscaling become a important field for study. The approaches for statistical downscaling are abundant and can be roughly divided into three groups: Transfer functions, weather-typing approaches and stochastic weather generators. The transfer functions may be linear methods, such as multivariate linear regression, canonic correlation, and Singular Value Decomposition, or nonlinear methods like artificial neural networks and support vector machine. Weather generators are designed initially for generating the missing weather data, but in downscaling applications it can be used as the output backend of other statistical downscaling techniques. The weather-typing approaches can be regarded as some variant of weather generators combining with some transfer functions or classifications. Thus, no strict boundaries exist among the three groups. The statistical downscaling problems have some attributes involved with temporal downscaling or spatial downscaling, stochastic downscaling or deterministic downscaling, temporal self-correlation and spatial correlation, point-site oriented or grids oriented. The differences of downscaling performance between all techniques are mainly related to these attributes. In recent years, the analog method, weather classifying, hidden Markov modeling, generalized linear models, Poisson clustered point process and the multiplicative cascade process based on multifractal theories are developed and used for statistical downscaling application, and many new nonlinear methods such as generalized additional models and physical-statistical methods are arising. Meanwhile, there is also some widely used model software available. Among all new emerging techniques, the nonlinear methods, stochastic simulation techniques of climate scenario, downscaling models for shortterm weather prediction and the statistical downscaling methods combining physical mechanism may become the main trend of study in the future.

  • Articles
    Advances in Earth Science. 1991, 6(5): 46-49. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.1991.05.0046
  • Shichao JIA,Tingjun ZHANG,Chengyan FAN,Lin LIU,Wanwan SHAO
    Advances in Earth Science. 2021, 36(7): 694-711. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2021.055

    Permafrost is gradually degraded with climate warming, which seriously affects the stability of engineering construction in permafrost regions. Therefore, real-time and accurate monitoring of permafrost changes is urgent. Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR), as a new type of earth observation technology, can monitor the surface of permafrost regions on a large scale at all times and in all weather, and become an effective monitoring method. This paper aims to introduce the research progress and future development trends of InSAR technology in permafrost regions in the past two decades. Firstly, the basic principle of InSAR technology and SAR system are introduced. Then, based on the development of InSAR technology, the application of D-InSAR and multi-temporal InSAR in permafrost regions is outlined. It also summarizes the currently developed freeze-thaw models and analyzes the influencing factors of surface deformation in permafrost regions. Finally, look forward to the future development trend and main problems of InSAR technology in permafrost monitoring, in order to provide scientific research personnel with a systematic application introduction.

  • Articles
    Duan Jing,Mao Jietai
    Advances in Earth Science. 2008, 23(3): 252-261. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2008.03.0252

    Aerosol and cloud play important roles in determining the earth's climate. Along with the further knowledge about these important roles, the researches on the interaction between aerosol and cloud became more and more important. A comprehensive review about the research methods and the development in recent twenty years on this field is discussed in this paper. The observation by airplane, satellite and the composite method of observation and model were the main research method in this research. Some data of observation and the model results have given evidences of the influence between aerosol and the other cloud physical characteristics including radiation, cloud drop and precipitation. Aerosol can transform to the cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) in some special situations. Through this process, aerosol influences the cloud characteristics. Therefore, the CCN is an important link in all interaction theory between aerosol and cloud. There were great progresses in the observation technology of CCN. The nonlinear relationship between saturated water vapor pressure and temperature was used to make the instrument to observe the CCN. The related theories about CCN and cloud also have made some progresses. In China, the research methods were changed from the analyzing single observation data to the way of using model and the methods combining observation and model. Finally, several pieces of proposal are brought forward in this research area.

  • Articles
    ZHANG Xiao-ye
    Advances in Earth Science. 2007, 22(1): 12-16. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2007.01.0012

    This article provides a brief introduction of a new 973 project, entitled “Aerosol over China and their climate effect”.

  • Articles
    Su Fang,Xu Zhongmin,Shang Haiyang
    Advances in Earth Science. 2009, 24(1): 61-69. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2009.01.0061

    Sustainable livelihood Analysis has been a new research method for sustainable development and a framework to analyze the complex and multi-dimensional relationship between social and physical environment.   After the systematical and theoretical summary of the progress investigated at home and abroad about sustainable livelihood analysis, the article analyzes the development path and important results about sustainable livelihoods framework by a clear and comprehensive way.   By describing the vulnerability context analysis, livelihood capital, livelihood strategy, livelihood output and transforming structure and institution and their relative relationships in the sustainable livelihood analysis, the article summarizes the approach that people use with different capitals, rights and possible strategy in order to pursue for some livelihood outlet.   Based on these analyses, the paper discusses the application of sustainable livelihood to the project identification and design, new project planning and existing activities review.These studies in the area of poverty reduction have strong reference and guidance.
       Meanwhile, the developmental planning officers should identify and establish the starting point of development strategies in order to regulate and enhance the ability to maintain their livelihoods through the whole and participatory analysis about the local survival.

  • Articles
    Zhao Ji, Li Jingyu, Zhou Yu, Bai Yutao, Yu Jingli
    Advances in Earth Science. 2012, 27(6): 651-659. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2012.06.0651

    The greenhouse effects of methane and nitrous oxide are significantly higher than carbon dioxide, respectively 23 and 296 times, respectively. Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide distribute in the atmosphere, and lead the earth’s temperature rising. The wetlands account for more than half of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere than that from water bodies. So the wetlands significantly affect the global climate changes.Soil microorganisms play important roles in maintaining ecological functions of the wetlands. Methane-oxidizer can use methane as the sole carbon and energy, and generate the energy for growth during the oxidation of methane to same amount of carbon dioxide. Methane-oxidizer plays an important role not only in methane consuming, but also in carbon, oxygen, nitrogen cycles in the land-water environments. Methane-oxidizer is the key group for controlling the methane emission and involving in the carbon cycle, and play important roles in greenhouse gas methane emission and in the carbon cycle. Ammonia-oxidation is the key and limiting step of the nitrification which is responsible for deep-sea huge library of nitrate formation. Methane and ammonia-oxidizer have similar substrates methane and ammonia to generate energy respectively. Oxidation of methane and ammonium are two different processes catalyzed by completely unrelated microorganisms. Still, the two processes do have many interesting aspects in common. Aerobic methane-oxidizer involving in the process of methane oxidation is as follows: CH4→CH3OH→HCHO→ HCOOH→CO2. Anaerobic oxidation of methane is a microbial process occurring mainly in anoxic marine sediments, and methane is oxidized with sulfate as the terminal electron acceptor. Anaerobic oxidation of methane is considered to be a very important process reducing the emission of the greenhouse gas methane from the ocean into the atmosphere. It is estimated that almost 90% of all the methane that arises from marine sediments is oxidized anaerobically by this process. Aerobic ammoniaoxidizer, the oxidation of ammonia to hydroxylamine, is catalyzed by ammonia mono- oxygenase, subsequently to NO-2  catalyzed by hydroxylamine oxidoreductase. Anammox, a new process of anaerobic ammonium oxidation, combines ammonia and nitrite directly into N2 gas. This reaction is carried out by anammox bacteria belonging to the planctomycete group. The anammox reaction can be represented as NH+4 + NO-2=N2+ 2H2O .
    It is important for understanding the biogeochemical cycle to explore the microbial distribution and community structure and so on. At present, traditional cultivation-dependent methods help us understand the culturable microorganisms. Most microorganisms need molecular ecological methods to detect due to the uncultured. These methods include Phospholipids Fatty Acids, Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism, Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism, Random Amplification Polymorphism DNA, Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism, Denatured Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, Fluorescent in Situ Hybridization, PLFA-based SIP, DNA-based SIP, RNA-based SIP, Pyro-sequencing, PhyloChipTM, GeochipTM and so on. But the traditional methods are still important for researchers to sequence the whole genome of the culturable microorganisms and to deeply explore the similar microorganism group, such as sequencing the genome of Candidatus “Nitrosopumilus maritimus” strain SCM1 and Methylococcus capsulatus.
    In this review, we discuss microbial mechanisms of the methaneand ammonia-oxidation processes; normally molecular methods for understanding these functional groups; the roles and significance of methane-oxidizer in the carbon cycle and controlling the greenhouse gas emission; the roles and significance of ammonia-oxidizer in the nitrogen cycle and controlling the greenhouse gas emission. Finally, We illuminate the common scientific problems facing in the methane-and ammonia-oxidizer studies.

  • Song Changqing,Wu Jinshui,Lu Yahai,Shen Qirong,He Jizheng,Huang Qiaoyun,Jia Zhongjun,Leng Shuying,Zhu Yongguan
    Advances in Earth Science. 2013, 28(10): 1087-1105. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2013.10.1087

    Soils are fundamental to preservation and sustainability of life-support system on Earth. Soils develop as the most dynamic and complex interface linking atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. Soils harbor enormous diversities of microbial communities as the primary driving forces for global exchanges of matter and energy on our planet. Despite of its profound importance, the invisible soil microbes have for long been underappreciated. In the early 2000s, there has been growing awareness that soil microbiology has attracted huge interest from nonsoil scientists due to the introduction of threedomain phylogeny. It is also known as tree of life theory which is widely recognized as the most accurate reflection of the relatedness of all organisms and provides us with a tool to classify and elucidate the largely untapped resource of soil microbial communities. In January 2005, the Department of Earth Sciences of National Natural Science Foundation of China organized a workshop of ‘Soil Biology and Soil Processes’ with focused discussion on soil microbiology research frontiers. The workshop outlined research priorities, crossdisciplinary research opportunities, technological needs and potential breakthroughs within soil microbiology. This workshop has witnessed the rapid advances of soil microbiology in soil nutrient transformation, global environmental changes and environmental remediation over the last decade in China. This article will give a brief review on soil microbial researches in the past decade in China, present the status quo of funding system and highlight the challenge and opportunities for future soil microbiology in China.