Eco-product value realization and eco-industry are in a rapid development stage, but the eco-product value realization mechanism is still unclear. Strengthening research on eco-industry and eco-product value realization not only helps to coordinate the relationship between regional ecologies and the economy but also contributes to regional sustainable development. This study conducted a systematic literature review based on related articles retrieved from the Web of Science database and China National Knowledge Infrastructure database. The results showed the following: (1) Regarding time series, the average annual number of published works in the literature from 2000 to 2017 is less than 4, while the average annual number of published works in the literature from 2018 to 2022 is more than 97. The overall study on eco-product value realization and eco-industry has shown a year-on-year growth trend. (2) The research content primarily involves five aspects, including the connotation and extension of eco-products, eco-product supply, eco-product value accounting, eco-product value realization, and eco-industry. (3) It is essential to deepen the study on the improvement mechanism of the eco-product supply capacity, eco-products property rights, evaluation system for eco-product value realization, ecological compensation mechanism, driving mechanism for eco-products to eco-industry, and coupled development of ecological restoration and eco-industry. Based on the above research, this paper presents an enlightment of the forest ecosystem services in the karst ecological restoration area from three aspects: enhancing the supply ability of eco-products, improving the compensation mechanism of forest ecological services, and coordinating the development of ecosystem services and eco-industries.

The achievement of eco-product value and the growth of eco-industry can boost the economic advancement of karst areas. The findings of a statistical analysis of 520 relevant studies reveal the following: (1) From a time series perspective, the amount of papers increase with each wave of research; (2) contents mainly concentrate on four aspects, namely, ecosystem services supply (8.46%), value accounting (10.58%), value realization (37.88%), and eco-industry (30.38%); (3) the study areas are primarily concentrated in Asia (85.96%), Europe (7.12%), and North America (4.04%), most of which are located in China’s karst areas with vulnerable ecological environments and regions that are aware of eco-product values; and (4) research frontiers are reflected through four aspects of the ecosystem, namely, services supply, value accounting, value realization, and the eco-industry. Based on the analysis in this paper, it can be concluded that paths, mechanisms, and models for eco-product value realization are still slow. Therefore, to support the growth of karst agroforestry ecosystem services, it is imperative to further research the capacity of agroforestry ecosystem services supply, value accounting systems, ecological compensation mechanisms, the value realization models of eco-products, and the formation mechanism of eco-industries.

In the context of achieving certain results in rural revitalization and karst desertification control, promoting the realization of eco-product value to promote the rural revitalization strategy has become a hot topic in China. The importance of eco-product value has been raised to an unprecedented level, confirming that the realization of eco-product value is an important way to promote rural revitalization and ecological civilization construction in desertification areas. This study reviewed 489 relevant documents on the realization of eco-product value and conducted a statistical analysis. The analysis results show that (1) the number of published related documents is generally on the rise, indicating that after the policy was proposed, research in this field has received high attention from the academic community; (2) the research content mainly focuses on five aspects: eco-product value accounting, eco-product value realization, eco-industry, and theoretical attributes of eco-products; (3) the research area is concentrated in the demonstration pilot areas of China’s eco-product value realization; and (4) combined with the above results, this paper summarizes the concept and connotation of eco-products, the value accounting of ecological products, the mechanism and path of the value realization of eco-products, the ecological industry, the landmark achievements of home and abroad, and the scientific problems to be solved, so as to better serve the karst area and promote the revitalization of rural areas.