Since the forest eco-hydrology of arid area shows a well sensitivity of the global climate change, the relationship between forest and water and the hydrological function has attracted the attention of academic communities and management departments. 

This paper expounds the research progress in arid mountain forest eco-hydrology, and analyses the formation and stable mechanism of forest patch pattern, the relationship between forest and water yield and the response of forest eco-hydrology to climate change from three aspects: Forest spatial pattern, hydrological process and its response to climate change. 

In addition, combined with the current research progress, the research emphases in the future are put forward: Strengthening the research on the coupling of vegetation pattern and hydrological process; solving the scale problem by using remote sensing technique and model; enhancing the understanding towards the hydrological function of forest; determining the suitable forest scale which can balance the relationship of ecology and hydrological effect. 

This research achievement has been published in Advances in Earth Science under the title of Review on Montane Forest Eco-hydrology in Arid Area.

 Water balance of Qinghai spruce forest in Qilian Mountain( Location of study site is the Pailugou catchment，with an area of 2．91 km2，and the forest coverage rate here is 38．5%)