Mechanistic Drivers and Sustainability Implications of Ecosystem Service Interactions in the Yinshan Mountain Region

ABSTRACT The Yinshan Mountain region features are complex and have a diverse topography, geomorphology, and climate types. Investigating the spatiotemporal variations, trade‐offs/synergies, and driving mechanisms of ecosystem services (ESs) in this area is critical for scientific ecosystem management and enhancing ecosystem service functionality. In this study, we used the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs) model to quantitatively estimate carbon storage (CS), soil conservation (SC), wind and sand fixation (WSF), habitat quality (HQ), water yield (WY), and food production (FP) in the Yinshan Mountain region. Furthermore, we analyzed pairwise ES trade‐offs/synergies and identified their socioecological drivers. The results reveal that the spatial patterns of ESs in the Yinshan Mountain region remained generally stable but exhibited localized dynamics. CS, HQ, and SC displayed highly similar spatial distributions, with core zones persistently concentrated in the central Yinshan Mountain and the northern foothills, serving as critical ecological barriers. High‐value FP areas were consistently clustered along the southern fringe and eastern agropastoral ecotone, whereas WY gradually expanded southwestward since 2000. In contrast, the spatial gravity center of WSF shifted from the northern and southern slopes toward the western desert‐steppe zone. Regarding driving mechanisms, topographic factors primarily governed the spatial differentiation of SC and CS, while vegetation coverage significantly regulated HQ and FP. Climatic variables predominantly explained the spatial variations in WSF and WY. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of ES spatiotemporal dynamics and their drivers, deepening our understanding of ES interactions and offering targeted policy insights and precise management strategies for ecological sustainability in the Yinshan Mountain region.