Retrospect and prospect of geomorphology in IGSNRR,CAS

Geomorphology has been a main subject of the modern geography,and it has been regarded as one of the mainstay subjects in the Institute of Geography(now,the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research),CAS.The studies done by the geomorphologists in the institute have made a great contribution to national economic construction as well as to the knowledge of geomorphology.This article makes a general review on the main progress in geomorphology made by the geomorphologists in the institute since the institute was founded,including the progress in the fields of fluvial geomorphology,Loess Plateau and slope geomorphology,Tibet and Antarctic landforms and Quaternary,karst and tourism geomorphology,experiments and simulations of landform processes,and cartography of landforms.The existing Department of Geomorphology and Watershed Processes in the institute focuses on studies of slope processes and slope reclamation,sediment erosion and control in watersheds,sediment transport and river channel changes,land-ocean interactions in estuaries,Simulation of dynamic landform systems,karst landform and hydrochemical processes,regional and applied geomorphology.Some suggestions are proposed for improving the roles of the department in developing the geomorphologic sciences and serving the national economic construction.