In arid and semi-arid regions, vegetation restoration will have a significant impact on ecosystem services (ESs). Accurate assessment of the relationship and driving mechanism between ESs will play an important role in the implementation of subsequent vegetation restoration projects and ecosystem management. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and identify the relationship between ESs, and explore the impact and driving mechanism of ecological restoration on the relationship between ESs. Taking the middle reaches of the Yellow River as the study area, this study analyzed three ESs including: Net Primary Productivity (NPP), soil conservation (SC), and water yield (WY), in the vegetation restoration area (VRA) in the middle reaches of the Yellow River for 20 years (2000–2010 and 2010–2020 years(a)). Taking the ecological restoration unit (ERU) as the evaluation unit, we evaluated the impact of three vegetation restoration models on ESs. Using geo-detectors to identify the economic, social and natural drivers that affect the relationship between ESS. The results showed the following: (1) Different vegetation restoration models will lead to significant differences in the restoration rate for ESs. They will lead to an increase in the recovery rate of NPP and SC. The first vegetation restoration mode and the third planting restoration mode will reduce the restoration rate for the WY. (2) The three vegetation restoration models will enhance the synergistic relationship between NPP and SC. They will weaken the trade-off relationship between NPP and WY, SC and WY. (3) Temperature, precipitation, and NDVI will affect the changes in ESs in VRAs. The ESs trade-off-synergy relationship will be affected by precipitation, NDVI, and GDP. This study showed that, with the implementation of vegetation restoration projects, ESs in time and space and the complex heterogeneity of ESs will affect ecosystem management. The results of this study will be helpful for the implementation of subsequent vegetation restoration projects and provide scientific advice for ecosystem management.

Optimizing the connectivity-carbon sequestration coupling coordination of forest and grassland ecological spaces (F&GES) is a crucial measure to enhance carbon sequestration effectively in mining areas. However, the prevailing strategies for optimizing F&GES often overlook the connectivity-carbon sequestration coupling coordination of the network. Therefore, this study aimed to propose a novel restoration plan to improve the connectivity-carbon sequestration coupling coordination of existing networks. Taking a typical mining area in northwestern China (Eyu County) as an example, we extracted the existing F&GES based on remote sensing ecological indicators and ecological risk assessments. Subsequently, we optimized the network using the connectivity-carbon sequestration coupling coordination degree (CSCCD) model from the perspective of connectivity-carbon sequestration coupling coordination, proposed potential alternative optimization schemes, and evaluated the optimization effects. The results showed that the range of Eyu County’s F&GES structure had been determined. Ecological source sites with better carbon sequestration effects were primarily distributed in the central and northeastern parts of Eyu County. After optimization, the network added 26 ecological patches, and the added area reached 641.57 km². Furthermore, the connectivity robustness, edge restoration robustness, and node restoration robustness of the optimized network were significantly improved, and the carbon sequestration effect of the forest and grassland ecological space was increased by 6.78%. The contribution rate of ecological source sites was 97.66%, and that of ecological corridors was 2.34%. The CSCCD model proposed in this study can effectively improve the carbon sequestration effect in mining areas, promote carbon neutrality, and save network optimization time while improving efficiency. This restoration strategy is also applicable to forest and grassland ecosystem management and optimization of ecological spaces in other mining areas, which has positive implications for promoting ecological civilization construction and sustainable development.