The study looked at how rainfall affects runoff in the Loess Plateau, China, a region prone to erosion. By analyzing 340 rainfall-runoff events in five catchments, researchers found that runoff is mainly influenced by rainfall intensity in areas with poor vegetation, while in mountainous regions, runoff is more dependent on rainfall volume. Over time, the runoff coefficient decreased while the time scale increased, likely due to changes in land use. The dominant runoff mechanism in the area is shifting from Horton overland flow to Dunne overland flow and combination runoff, potentially leading to a reduction in runoff in the Yellow River.