Geographical Research Bulletin

Geography Studies

Published: February 12, 2025 Updated: February 12, 2025

Displaying 1-10 of 10 articles

Volume 4 (2025) Pages 96-119 Published: February 12, 2025
A review of trade geography research: Theoretical foundations, spatial patterns, and frontier dynamics
Junping He, Hanru Li

As an important interdisciplinary field integrating geography and economics, trade geography focuses on the spatial distribution characteristics of trade activities and their driving mechanisms, serving as a crucial tool for understanding global and regional economic development patterns. This paper systematically reviews the theoretical framework of trade geography, including spatial economics, location theory, comparative advantage theory, and economic globalization theory. It provides an in-depth analysis of global and regional trade patterns' main characteristics and formation mechanisms. Based on this, the paper examines the impacts and underlying mechanisms of key factors such as natural resource distribution, transportation network layout, policy environment, and technological progress on trade geography patterns. The paper further highlights research hotspots and frontier areas in trade geography, including the evolution of regionalization trends in the context of globalization, practices of green trade and sustainable development, the constraints and reshaping of trade flows by geopolitics, and the profound influence of the digital economy on traditional trade geography patterns. Through case studies, it demonstrates the application of geographic research in areas such as regional economic integration, logistics network optimization, and the construction of free trade zones, revealing the practical value of trade geography in promoting regional economic coordination and international economic cooperation. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current state of trade geography, offer a scientific outlook on future research directions, and advance the further development of the discipline’s theories and practices.
Read more
Volume 4 (2025) Pages 3-25 Published: February 12, 2025
The research progress on phytogeography: Global plant distribution patterns and environmental driving mechanisms
Mei Lu

Phytogeography, as a core discipline studying the distribution patterns of plants on Earth and their environmental driving mechanisms, has made remarkable progress over the past decades. This paper systematically reviews the classification and distribution characteristics of global flora. It explores the driving roles of environmental factors such as climate, soil, and geology in the formation and evolution of plant flora. It highlights the dynamic changes and historical pathways of plant distribution patterns across different regions. Additionally, the paper emphasizes modern research methods in phytogeography, including the application of remote sensing technology, geographic information systems, and the development of flora models for future distribution predictions. In the context of biodiversity conservation and global climate change, the study discusses the potential applications of phytogeography in ecosystem management and sustainable development. It also identifies key directions and challenges for future research. By uncovering plant distribution's spatial patterns and environmental responses, phytogeography provides essential theoretical foundations and practical insights for understanding ecosystem dynamics and addressing global environmental changes.
Read more
Volume 3 (2024) Pages 10-22 Published: February 12, 2025
Overview of paleogeography studies
Zhao Feng, Zitai Yang, Paul Pindell

Paleogeography is a branch of geography that primarily focuses on the changes and evolution of geographical features, environments, human activities, and cultural landscapes on the Earth’s surface in the past. It examines the variations and impacts related to geographical patterns, climate changes, topography, ecosystems, and more during historical and geological periods. The objective is to reveal the historical processes, environmental changes, and the historical trajectory of interaction between humans and nature by studying past geographical information. This article provides an overview of the main themes in paleogeography research in recent years, aiming to offer readers a comprehensive understanding of studies in this field.
Read more
Volume 3 (2024) Pages 60-79 Published: February 12, 2025
Overview of soil geography: Definition, formation, functions, and prospects
Yabin Huang, Shanshan Li

This article aims to comprehensively introduce the basic concepts, research objects, and scope of soil geography, as well as its historical background in the field of geography. Firstly, a brief overview of the basic processes of soil formation and the characteristics of major soil types is provided, along with an outline of soil classification systems. Secondly, the interaction between soil and landform morphology, the role of soil in landform evolution, and the application of soil geography in landform research are discussed in depth. Next, the impact of soil on the environment, its role in ecosystems, and the application of soil geography in environmental protection are examined. Finally, an overview of research methods and technologies in soil geography, as well as future trends and challenges, is provided, along with suggestions and prospects for the development of soil geography. This article aims to offer readers a thorough understanding of soil geography through a comprehensive introduction and analysis, thereby fostering research and development in this field.
Read more
Volume 3 (2024) Pages 103-124 Published: February 12, 2025
Geographic research in the AI era: Applications, methods, and prospects
Binrui Ni, Xiaosong Wang

In the artificial intelligence (AI) era, AI technology is penetrating various academic disciplines at an unprecedented speed and depth, and geographic research is no exception. This paper aims to explore the applications, methods, challenges, and prospects of AI technology in geographic research. Firstly, the paper provides an overview of the specific applications of AI technology in remote sensing, spatial data analysis, and geographic information systems, highlighting its significant role in land cover change detection, urban planning, traffic flow prediction, and environmental monitoring. Secondly, in geographic research, the paper delves into the application methods of key technologies such as machine learning, deep learning, big data analysis, cloud computing, and edge computing. Subsequently, the paper discusses AI's technical challenges and ethical and social issues in geographic research. Finally, the paper envisions the future development trends of AI technology in geography, emphasizing the importance of integrating and innovatively applying new technologies. This paper hopes to provide valuable references for scholars and practitioners in the field of geography, promoting the extensive application and in-depth development of AI technology in geographic research.
Read more
Volume 3 (2024) Pages 129-141 Published: February 12, 2025
Cultural heritage and tourism development: Exploring strategies for the win-win scenario of heritage conservation and tourism industry
Ruibin Dai, Zhouqi Zhang

Cultural heritage is an important embodiment of a country or region’s unique history and culture and a significant resource for attracting tourists. However, with the rapid development of the tourism industry, the balance between the protection and utilization of cultural heritage has become increasingly important. This paper aims to explore the complex relationship between cultural heritage and tourism development by analyzing the promotion of tourism by cultural heritage and the impact of tourism on cultural heritage protection. Furthermore, the paper proposes strategies for sustainable tourism development, emphasizing the importance of cultural heritage protection and rational utilization, community participation, and benefit-sharing. The paper analyzes typical cases and summarizes successful experiences and challenges. Finally, it looks into future development trends in cultural heritage tourism and offers policy recommendations. This paper aims to provide valuable references and insights for strategies that achieve a win-win scenario for cultural heritage protection and tourism industry development.
Read more
Volume 3 (2024) Pages 183-214 Published: February 12, 2025
A review of commercial geography: Theoretical foundations, practical applications, and prospects
Hao Yao, Guikai Zhang

This paper systematically explores the theoretical foundations, research methods, application areas, and future development trends of commercial geography. First, it introduces the definition, research objects, and scope of commercial geography, with a focus on explaining the geographical distribution characteristics of commercial activities and the spatial layout patterns of commercial facilities. Second, it discusses the importance of consumer behavior and market analysis in commercial geography and introduces relevant theories and models. Next, the paper emphasizes the application of commercial geography in urban planning and management, including commercial district planning and design, as well as the coordination between commercial activities and urban development. Finally, it looks ahead to the future development trends of commercial geography, highlighting the impact of digital technologies and the challenges and opportunities for sustainable commercial development. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current research status and future directions of commercial geography, to promote the further development and application of this discipline.
Read more
Volume 3 (2024) Pages 302-327 Published: February 12, 2025
Frontier research in marine geography: An integrated analysis of topography and human impact
Wenbin Chen, Lili Teng

Marine Geography, a crucial branch of geography, studies the natural features, dynamic processes, and interactions between the ocean, land, and atmosphere. This paper reviews the major research areas in marine geography, covering topics such as ocean topography, seafloor structures, ocean dynamics, hydrological processes, marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and the impact of human activities on the marine environment. It emphasizes the critical roles of ocean currents, tides, and global ocean circulation in the climate system, and explores the current state of marine biodiversity and conservation strategies. Additionally, it examines environmental issues caused by human activities. This paper introduces commonly used research methods and techniques, including remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems, and data modeling, while also highlighting future research directions and challenges in addressing global change and ensuring the sustainable use of marine resources. Through a comprehensive analysis of frontier research in marine geography, this paper aims to thoroughly understand the field and offer theoretical support and a reference framework for future research and practice.
Read more
Volume 3 (2024) Pages 328-347 Published: February 12, 2025
Cultural geography and heritage conservation: Theoretical framework, practical exploration, and globalization challenges
Hairong Ma, Yixin Duan

This paper explores the theoretical foundation, practical approaches, and challenges faced in globalization concerning cultural geography and heritage conservation. First, it provides an overview of the evolution of cultural geography and its crucial role in interpreting regional cultures. Then, it analyzes the core concepts of heritage conservation, covering tangible and intangible cultural heritage protection strategies and policy frameworks. This paper further examines the interrelationship between cultural geography and heritage conservation, showcasing its application through specific case studies. Lastly, it analyzes the impact of globalization on local cultures, offers coping strategies, and envisions the future role of cultural geography and heritage conservation in sustainable development. This paper aims to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for understanding and addressing the complex issues in contemporary heritage conservation.
Read more
Volume 2 (2023) Pages 190-210 Published: February 12, 2025
Tourism geography: A retrospective and outlook
Rong Ouyang, Xinxia Li, Jianmei Xing

As an important branch of human geography, tourism geography focuses on the spatial, geographical, cultural, and social issues related to tourism activities. Its core is to explore the influence of tourism on the geographical environment, social structure, and cultural interaction. In addition, tourism geography also conducts an in-depth study of the spatial distribution of tourism activities, the selection mechanism of tourism destinations, tourism flow patterns, and the impact of tourism on the regional economy and environment. The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively summarize the research progress and significance of tourism geography and to explore its application in the analysis of tourism phenomena and sustainable development. By combing the core concepts and methods of tourism geography, a deeper understanding can be gained of the impact of tourism activities on regions and how to achieve sustainable tourism development.
Read more

Register with J-STAGE for free!