Quantifying the impact of landscape changes on hydrological variables in the alpine and cold region using hydrological model and remote sensing data

• Published in: Hydrological processes 2021-10, Vol.35 (10), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Jin, Zizhen, Zhao, Qiudong, Qin, Xiang, Zhang, Jingtian, Zhang, Hui, Qin, Jia, Qin, Yu, Li, Hongyuan, Chen, Jizu, Liu, Yushuo, Li, Yanzhao, Wang, Lihui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alpine regions; Cold regions; Evapotranspiration; Flood peak; Glacial runoff; glacier runoff; Glaciers; Glaciohydrology; Grasslands; Hydrologic models; Hydrologic processes; hydrological variables; Hydrology; Impact analysis; Landscape; landscapes; landscapes change; Mercury; Mountain glaciers; Mountain regions; Mountains; Process parameters; Remote sensing; River basins; Runoff; runoff generation; Soil conservation; Soil water; Sustainable development; the Shule River Basin; Vegetation; Water conservation; Water resources; Water resources development
• ISSN: 0885-6087; 1099-1085
• DOI: 10.1002/hyp.14392

Quantifying the impact of landscape on hydrological variables is essential for the sustainable development of water resources. Understanding how landscape changes influence hydrological variables will greatly enhance the understanding of hydrological processes. Important vegetation parameters are considered in this study by using remote sensing data and VIC‐CAS model to analyse the impact of landscape changes on hydrology in upper reaches of the Shule River Basin (URSLB). The results show there are differences in the runoff generation of landscape both in space and time. With increasing altitude, the runoff yields increased, with approximately 79.9% of the total runoff generated in the high mountains (4200–5900 m), and mainly consumed in the mid‐low mountain region. Glacier landscape produced the largest runoff yields (24.9% of the total runoff), followed by low‐coverage grassland (LG; 22.5%), alpine cold desert (AL; 19.6%), mid‐coverage grassland (MG; 15.6%), bare land (12.5%), high‐coverage grassland (HG; 4.5%) and shrubbery (0.4%). The relative capacity of runoff generation by landscapes, from high to low, was the glaciers, AL, LG, HG, MG, shrubbery and bare land. Furthermore, changes in landscapes cause hydrological variables changes, including evapotranspiration, runoff and baseflow. The study revealed that HG, MG, and bare land have a positive impact on evapotranspiration and a negative impact on runoff and baseflow, whereas AL and LG have a positive impact on runoff and baseflow and a negative impact on evapotranspiration. In contrast, glaciers have a positive impact on runoff. After the simulation in four vegetation scenarios, we concluded that the runoff regulation ability of grassland is greater than that of bare land. The grassland landscape is essential since it reduced the flood peak and conserved the soil and water. The landscape changes in upper reach of Shule River Basin from 1980 to 2010. There are differences in the runoff generation of landscape both in space and time. Changes in landscapes cause hydrological variables changes, including evapotranspiration, runoff and baseflow.