China is a mountainous country in which the mountainous area totally accounts for 65% of its territorial area． The differences and complexities of geographical environment as well as the intense activities by human beings have led to a distinct specificity relationship of human—land in mountain areas． Mountainous area is a natural complex
with diverse functions，exerting resource supplying，ecosystem services， environmental regulation and other irreplaceable functions，and is the important natural foundation of the national survival and development． Mountain problems increasingly get more attention as well as mountain development because China devotes itself to the construction of ecological civilization and build of a well-off society in an all-round way of the country． This study combined with national key basic research and development program ( 973 Program) —spatiotemporal coupling characteristics， effects and regulation of water and soil elements in typical mountain area，centers on the water and soil elements according to the country’s significant demand，explores the differences of spatiotemporal coupling characteristics as well as resources and ecology effects of the water and soil elements，and reveals the mechanism of coupling structure and process of the water and soil elements in mountain area． The research achievements answered the corresponding scientific questions and provided a scientific basis for the optimization and regulation of territorial space structure．