随着人们对河流系统认识的深入,在新的发展时期亟需面向生态的河流分类方法。本文结合河流分类的已有成果,基于对河流生态系统形成背景和结构特征的深入分析,提出了河流综合分类方法体系,从河流的纪、系、统、类、型、境、群多个层次探讨了不同时空尺度上影响河流行为的环境因子及其生态响应关系,系统地阐述了现有分类方法在综合分类体系中的地位和作用,揭示了目前各分类方法之间的关系及其适用范围,并进一步探讨了典型生境条件下生物群落结构组成及其时空分布特征,为指导河流系统保护、环境治理和生态修复提供科学依据。
River classification is not only vital to understand the formation, evolution and transformation of rivers, but also of significance to promote protection, regulation, rehabilitation and sustainable management of river ecosystems. Efforts have been paid to river classifications in terms of different purposes. However, new classifications are still needed with particular ecological orientation for the purpose of river ecological rehabilitation. Based on the existing studies, this paper presents a comprehensive classification method for river ecosystem with full consideration of river formation, structure, controlling environmental factors and their ecological response at different spatial scales including its period, system, series, type, pattern, habitat and biotic community. The presented method is helpful to integrate the previous classifications of various kinds of rivers, describe their status and roles in the newly established classification system, reveal their relationship and appropriate scopes in practical applications, characterize the major classifying abiotic factors in different spatial scales, evaluate biotic characteristics of different rivers, and guide the forthcoming practices of river protection, environmental improvement and ecological rehabilitation.