Initiatives to clarify mechanisms of hydrological evolution in human-influenced Yellow River Basin

Abstract

Significant changes in water cycle elements/processes have created serious challenges to regional sustainability and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin in China. It is necessary to investigate the impacts of climate change and human activities on hydrological evolution and disaster risk from a holistic perspective of the basin. This study developed initiatives to clarify the mechanisms of hydrological evolution in the human-influenced Yellow River Basin. The proposed research method includes: (1) a tool to simulate multiple factors and a multi-scale water cycle using a grid-based spatiotemporal coupling approach, and (2) a new algorithm to separate the responses of the water cycle to climate change and human impacts, and de-couple the eco-environmental effects using artificial intelligence techniques. With this research framework, key breakthroughs are expected to be made in the understanding of the impacts of land cover change on the water cycle and blue/green water re-direction. The outcomes of this research project are expected to provide theoretical support for ecological protection and water governance in the basin.