Construction of the natural resource planning discipline based on "space-element-planning" framework

Against the backdrop of global environmental changes and the ongoing advancement of China's ecological civilization, the natural resources science must deepen its theoretical foundations and refine its academic system to address pressing challenges such as population-resource conflicts. Based on a review of the development trajectory of natural resource science, this paper focuses on the interaction and coordination between "space" and "elements" and proposes a disciplinary framework for natural resource planning centered on the "space-element-planning" triad. The proposed framework takes "spatial positioning-element allocation-planning coordination" as its logical starting point and builds the disciplinary content system around three key dimensions: revealing spatial patterns, optimizing element configurations, and constructing spatial support. Looking ahead, the development of natural resource planning should be guided by indigenous knowledge innovation, supported by interdisciplinary curricula, and driven by major scientific and technological missions. This will promote the establishment of a robust discipline of natural resource planning that supports the unified management of natural resources and territorial spatial governance, contributing to the realization of Chinese-style modernization characterized by harmony between humanity and nature.