中文摘要：

结合近百年几代科学工作者在南海诸岛开展的自然科学调查研究,从区域地质地貌、气候、海洋水文、海洋生物、陆地生物、土壤、自然综合体和自然区划等方面对南海诸岛的自然环境进行了综合阐述;继而从国土资源、渔业资源、旅游资源、油气资源和天然气水合物资源、灰沙岛陆地生物资源和水资源、港口航道资源及海洋―大气能资源等方面对南海诸岛拥有的自然资源进行了详细解释。在此基础上,结合其自身禀赋、战略地位的重要性,提出了科学开发南海诸岛的策略。南海诸岛的开发,除了大力发展旅游业、捕捞业和环礁潟湖养殖业外,应重点推进海洋油气和天然气水合物资源勘探与开发。

英文摘要：

Combined with the work of several generations of scientists from China who carried out scientific investigation in the South China Sea Islands in the past century, natural environment of the South China Sea Islands is comprehensively analyzed on the basis of regional geologic landforms, climate, marine hydrology, marine organism, terrestrial biota, soil, natural complex and natural regionalization. Natural resources of the South China Sea Islands are explained in detail, such as territorial resources, fishery resources, tourism resources, oil and gas resources, natural gases hydrates resources, terrestrial organism and water resources in lime-sand islets, port and navigational channel resources, and ocean-atmospheric energy resources. According to the natural endowment and importance of strategic position, suggestions about the scientific development of the South China Sea Islands are proposed. It is considered that the development of the South China Sea Islands should include tourism, fishery and aquaculture in lagoon of atoll, while more attention should be paid to the exploitation of ocean oil,gas and natural gases hydrates resources.