Remote Sensing-Based Estimation on Hydrological Response to Land Use and Cover Change

Hydrological processes are an important driving force of environmental pollutant variation that has aroused global concern. Land use and cover change (LUCC) strongly affects hydrological processes. Remote sensing technology has played an increasingly important role in studying the relationship between LUCC and hydrological processes. This study summarizes the progress of hydrological responses to LUCC. Overall, remote sensing can provide spatially continuous data of land cover and hydrological variables. With the aid of the retrieved data sets, the effects of LUCC on hydrological processes can be evaluated via correlation analysis, multiple regression method, experimental watershed approach and trajectory-based approaches. However, due to the high complexity of geographical systems, it is difficult to quantitatively separate the actual components of the influence of LUCC. The heterogeneous surface properties also lead to various results at different spatial and temporal scales. Future research should meet the challenges in data estimation, research methodology and analysis process.