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Two widely used approaches, nonparametric approach and Budyko framework approach, were used to calculate precipitation elasticity of streamflow (ε) in China’s main river basins. While the Budyko framework illustrates only the effect of climate on ε, the nonparametric approach illustrates the effects of both climate and human activity on ε. Both approaches showed similar spatial pattern of ε, with high values for northern arid catchments and low values for southern humid catchments, suggesting high sensitivity of streamflow to climate in the arid catchments in China’s north. Inland catchments had low ε values, probably because most of the annual streamflow was driven by glacial and snowmelt. While strong anthropologic activities reduce the sensitivity of streamflow to precipitation in some northern arid catchments, which was indicated by lower ε values produced by nonparametric approach, the combined use of the two approaches underscored the significance in identifying the effects of anthropologic factors on streamflow.