Abstract: Water balance analysis is an important foundation for ecological restoration of territorial space. It can provide a basis for the planning of territorial spatial ecological restoration and the implementation of major ecological restoration projects. However, the sustainable coordination of water supply and demand in the ecological restoration system of territorial space is largely unknown. Here, we review the progress of water balance research, clarify the problems arising from water resource limitations, explore the concept of water balance, summarize the hydrological and ecological models for the analysis and evaluation of water balance, and analyze the application and potential of water balance. Furthermore, with the advancement of ecological restoration in territorial space, there were significant changes in territorial elements and their spatial structure. In the future, research on water balance needs to identify the limitations of water resources on regional restoration, evaluate and predict the water balance of territorial elements and spatial structure, and better support ecological restoration in territorial space.

Key words: land use, territorial space, ecological restoration, water balance, hydrologic model