Environmental models have been regarded as a key method to study the complex conditions of environmental systems. Sensitivity analysis (SA) is a vital step, which aims to investigate the impact of model inputs on model outputs. During the application of environmental models, SA plays a significant role in simplifying the model structure and improving the precision and reliability of the simulation. Consequently, identification and analysis of sensitivity parameters in environmental models is an important issue. This paper provides an introduction to the functions of SA in environmental models. Mathematical theories and methods used for SA are summarized, and their applications, advantages, and limits. On this basis, development trends for the use of SA for environmental models are proposed.
Keywords: environmental model; global sensitivity; local sensitivity; sensitivity analysis; uncertainty.