The land surface process has significant impact  on the variation of water resource in the source region of the Yellow River, exploring the links between the land surface process and water cycle is significant in this region. In this paper, the preliminary characteristics of the background climatology and land surface process  over the source region of the Yellow River are presented. The research topics and and advances of the land surface process field experiments conducted in  the source region of the Yellow River are detailed, and the preliminary results from the data analysis, satellite remote sensing, data assimilation and numerical simulations are provided. And finally, the shortages and aspects which need to be improved are also pointed out. The proposed land surface process observations are prospected. The final objectives of these investigations are to explore the links and interactions between land surface process and water resource. These researches are to serve for the large scale water resource management in the source region of the Yellow River.