A brief introduction to Tang Keli's life.

Tang Keli, 1932, was born in a craftsman's family in Shanghai and his ancestral home was in Changzhou, Jiangsu. Father Tang Sicheng attached great importance to the education of his children and asked them to know how to struggle, compete and eat with their own real skills, which made Tang Keli develop a strong, unyielding and self-reliant character from an early age. 1959- 1962, Tang Keli was sent to Dokuchaev Institute of Soil Research, former Soviet Academy of Sciences to study for a degree, 1962, and obtained an associate doctorate in soil erosion with honors. After returning home, 30-year-old Tang Keli, who should have been a mother, devoted herself to her work and engaged in simulated experimental research on erosion.

1972, when she was investigating soil erosion in southern Guangdong, she studied soil microstructure assiduously. From the development of equipment, the preparation of soil grinding, microscopic examination, microphotography to the development and printing of photos, I did it myself, and I also mastered the color printing technology that was not popular at that time. Finally, the research results have been achieved, which is of great help to clarify the evolution of soil sponginess, paleosol and Quaternary climate environment and the paleoenvironment of Beijing ape-man site. Professor Wang Yongyan, a famous loess scholar in Northwest University, wrote that "the study of loess-paleosol microstructure is the first in China". A set of 34 slides of soil micromorphology made by her has become a teaching material for many universities in China and abroad. 1980, she was ordered to set up the first soil erosion laboratory in China in the Institute of Soil and Water Conservation.

So she abandoned the study of soil microstructure, which was difficult to give up, and provoked the burden of studying soil erosion. Throughout the 1980 s, she was over half a year old, suffering from various diseases, and once again set foot on the Loess Plateau with the spirit of tenacious struggle. Through investigation, she clearly pointed out that man-made destruction of vegetation and unreasonable reclamation are the main reasons for the intensification of soil erosion and the increase of sediment in the Yellow River. People's Daily published her main opinion on the topic "Why the sediment in the Yellow River is not decreasing", which has great influence at home and abroad. During the "Seventh Five-Year Plan" period, Tang Keli presided over the national key scientific and technological project "Soil Erosion", led a scientific investigation team of more than 50 people in 12 unit, and completed the monograph "Regional Characteristics of Soil Erosion in Loess Plateau and Its Prevention Ways". This project won the first prize of scientific and technological progress of China Academy of Sciences. Due to his outstanding achievements in field work, Tang Keli won the Second Zhu Kezhen Field Science Award of China Academy of Sciences 1986.

Entering the 1990s is the busiest period in Tang Keli's life, with the most tasks, the most active academic thoughts and the most fruitful results. As the director of the State Key Laboratory, she presided over a major project of the National Natural Science Foundation, "Benefits of Erosion and Sediment Reduction by Soil and Water Conservation Measures in the Yellow River Basin", and put forward a scientific conclusion that man-made accelerated erosion plays a leading role in the modern erosion process. Won the first prize of natural science of China Academy of Sciences, and completed two monographs: Erosion and Runoff and Sediment Change in the Yellow River Basin (editor-in-chief) and Study on Environmental Evolution and Water and Sediment Operation Law in the Yellow River Basin (deputy editor-in-chief). At the same time, he presided over the national scientific and technological research project "Ecological environment improvement technology and experimental demonstration research in Shenmu water and wind erosion ecotone", revealing the scientific law that water and wind erosion ecotone is a strong erosion area on the Loess Plateau. The appraisal expert committee pointed out that this is an innovative research, which fills the gap in the research field of water erosion and wind erosion law and has made some breakthrough progress in guiding environmental improvement.

An accomplished scientist should innovate on the basis of existing achievements, instead of sticking to popular views and statements. To do this, we must rely on first-hand data, profound scientific accumulation and sharp and unique analysis. Tang Keli's many achievements have just achieved this. Through systematic investigation and study, Tang Keli has completed major national funds and key scientific and technological projects such as Regional Distribution Law of Soil and Water Loss in Loess Plateau, Law of Erosion and Sediment Yield in the Yellow River Basin and Benefit Analysis of Soil and Water Conservation, and put forward the concept of zoning of water and wind erosion ecotone, which initiated the study of interactive superimposed erosion and its control in water and wind erosion ecotone. A clear concept that modern erosion is dominated by man-made accelerated erosion is put forward. A clear assessment of soil erosion has not been effectively controlled in general. During this period, two papers caused great repercussions, one was Why the Yellow River sediment didn't decrease, which was reprinted by People's Daily 1986, and the other was "Rebuilding vegetation is still a good strategy to control the Loess Plateau" published by China Science Journal 1989. Both articles clearly emphasize the role of biosphere, pointing out that unreasonable human reclamation and vegetation destruction are the main reasons for the increase of soil loss; Returning farmland to forest and grassland is the most effective measure to control soil erosion.

At the same time of intense scientific research, she also brought more than 30 doctoral students, and the State Key Laboratory she presided over was completed on time and successfully passed the national acceptance. Tang Keli is a member of the first expert advisory committee of international journal of sediment research and Training Center of UNESCO. He has served as the executive director of China Soil Society for a long time, and served as the director of the special committee of soil erosion and soil and water conservation for three consecutive years. He also served as the director of China Soil and Water Conservation Society and China Geological Disaster Research Association, and organized delegations to participate in the 4th, 5th and 7th international conferences on soil and water conservation. 1994 entrusted by soil and water conservation society, led a delegation to visit Taiwan Province province. She went to the United States with Zhou, President of the China Academy of Sciences, to attend the high-level meeting of the Chinese and American houses of parliament, and gave a speech on "Soil Erosion and Global Change on the Loess Plateau", which was well received. Her profound knowledge and fluent academic speeches have won high praise from international and cross-strait academic circles, and contributed to the holding of the first cross-strait symposium on soil and water conservation in mainland China. She has visited the United States, Japan, Australia and other countries, which has promoted scientific and technological cooperation between China, the United States, China and Australia, and China and Japan. Tang Keli has made great contributions to the development of soil erosion and soil and water conservation in China and the world.