Abstract Increasing water scarcity intensifies conflicts between socio‐economic development and ecological integrity, underscoring the need for integrated socio‐ecological approaches. However, current assessments often lack frameworks that quantitatively capture the dynamic interactions among ecosystem structure, function, and human activity. In this study, we developed a factor–structure–ecosystem network assessment framework grounded in a socio‐ecological perspective to analyze the dynamic relationships between ecosystem services and human activities in the Hetao region from 2000 to 2020. Key ecosystem services—including water retention, habitat quality (HQ), carbon sequestration, and food supply—were quantified through spatial pattern analysis and linked to land use and cropping structure changes. Results revealed a decoupling trend in the socio‐ecological network, with network density declining from 22 to 15 (−31.8%) and connectivity from 31 to 14 (−54.8%), indicating weakened linkages. Declining social factors, such as population, reduced demand and led to surpluses in carbon sequestration and food supply, with a consistent upward trend in food surplus. Although habitat degradation was relatively moderate, a 32% decline was still observed by 2020. These findings suggest that despite improved supply capacities, intensified human activities—particularly changes in land use and cropping structure—are reshaping ecosystem service patterns and exerting increasing ecological pressure. Strengthening research on human–ecological interaction mechanisms is essential for promoting balanced socio‐economic and ecological development. This study provides a new analytical perspective and decision‐making reference for sustainable watershed management by integrating ecosystem services, human dynamics, and ecological processes into a unified network framework.
Yang et al. (Sun,) studied this question.