[Objetive] The characteristics and driving mechanisms of spatial and temporal changes in the ecological vulnerability of the Songnen Plain from 1980 to 2020 were studied in order to provide a scientific basis for ecosystem management and sustainable development in the region. [Methods] From the perspective of natural factors and human factors, the “pressure-state-response” (PSR) model was used to build an evaluation index system. Principal component analysis was combined with the Moran’I index. [Results] ① The ecological vulnerability of the Songnen Plain was dominated by extreme, severe, and moderate vulnerabilities, accounting for 81.72% of the total vulnerability. The overall level of ecological vulnerability showed an upward trend before 2000, and the overall level of ecological vulnerability declined after 2000. ② The ecological vulnerability of the Songnen Plain was dominated by light (62.19%) and moderate (91.30%) vulnerability changes. ③ Changes in ecological vulnerability were due to conversions between grasslands, waters, unused land, construction land, and cultivated land. ④ Spatial autocorrelation existed in ecological vulnerability, and low-low aggregation was mainly located in the forestland area in the western part of the study area. [Conclusion] The ecological vulnerability of Songnen Plain during the past 40 years generally showed a fluctuating and decreasing trend. The spatial ecological vulnerability gradually increased from east to west. Natural factors such as temperature and precipitation, and human factors such as land use had a great impact on ecological vulnerability.