Progress and thought of ground substrate survey from the perspective of Quaternary geology

Ground substrate survey is a new field in integrated surveys of natural resources. It holds significant importance for the construction of ecological civilization and the high-quality development of regional economies. Based on advancements in related geological survey and soil survey, this paper reviews the progress in the ground substrate survey. It clarifies the concept and classification of ground substrate, and summarizes the survey content, investigation degree, work flow and methods. Furthermore, from the perspective of Quaternary geology, the article offers contemplations and recommendations regarding the principle, survey areas, and achievement expression. Quaternary geology can provide a fundamental geological theoretical framework for the ground substrate survey, especially in the ground substrate of gravel, sand, soil, and mud. In terms of regional selection, it is recommended to give priority to alluvial plains (e.g., North China Plain and Sanjiang Plain) and sedimentary basins (e.g., Fen-Wei Basin and Sichuan Basin) where the Quaternary deposits are widely distributed. The article also suggests strengthening the Quaternary research, including the geochronology and paleoenvironmental analysis, to deepen our understanding on the formation, evolution, and historical patterns of ground substrates. In addition, it calls for the diversification of map expression to strengthen the readability and scientificity.