Understanding the relation between land-use types and baseflow mean response time (BMRT) is important to explore the response mechanism of baseflow processes in watersheds. BMRT was determined using an instantaneous unit hydrograph. The instantaneous unit hydrograph parameters were estimated by autocorrelation functions. The relative importance of land-use types in determining BMRT dynamics was assessed by hydrological model and partial least-squares regression. Our study suggests greater effects of urban area on BMRT than the effects of forest and agricultural land. This may be because the urban interception impervious area may impede baseflow generation over a short timescale. The effects of agricultural land are greater than those of forest in areas with steeper hillslopes, but lower than those of the forest in areas with more plains, reflecting the varied ability of forest and agricultural lands with different topography to hinder overland flow. Variations of BMRT are strongly linked to land use in the watershed. Overall, our study provides insight into the BMRT and dominant factors of land-use types in watersheds, planning of sustainable water resource use, and ecological protection in watersheds.

中文翻译：

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黄土高原小流域底流平均响应时间的空间格局：与土地利用类型的联系

了解土地利用类型与底流平均响应时间（BMRT）之间的关系对于探索流域底流过程的响应机制非常重要。使用瞬时单位水位图确定BMRT。瞬时单位水文参数通过自相关函数估算。通过水文模型和偏最小二乘回归评估了土地利用类型在确定BMRT动态中的相对重要性。我们的研究表明，市区对BMRT的影响要大于森林和农业用地的影响。这可能是因为城市截留防渗区可能会在短时间内阻碍基础流量的产生。在坡度较陡的地区，农业用地的影响大于森林，但在平原较多的地区，其影响小于森林，反映了具有不同地形的林地和农用地阻碍土地流向的各种能力。BMRT的变化与流域的土地利用密切相关。总的来说，我们的研究提供了关于流域的BMRT和土地利用类型的主导因素，可持续水资源利用的规划以及流域的生态保护的见解。