[Purpose] Studying the evolutionary mechanisms of ecosystem service trade-offs and synergies is of great significance for promoting high-quality regional economic development. [Method] This study used the Jinghe River Basin, a region with intensive human activities on the Loess Plateau, as the study area. Using the InVEST model and ecosystem service network methods, we analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution of trade-offs and synergies among four key ecosystem services (water yield, habitat quality, soil conservation, and carbon storage) in the basin from 2000 to 2023. The driving mechanisms were analyzed from the perspectives of natural ecology, socio-economics, and landscape pattern. [Results] ① Between 2000 and 2023, water yield and soil retention exhibited an N-shaped trend of increase, decrease, and then increase again. Habitat quality remained stable at approximately 0.69, while carbon storage generally increased with slight fluctuations. Water yield showed a strong trade-off with habitat quality, but a weak trade-off with soil retention and carbon storage. Habitat quality exhibited strong synergistic relationships with both soil retention and carbon storage, with the synergy between habitat quality and carbon storage being the most significant. ②Ecosystem network analysis shows that precipitation significantly promotes water yield and soil conservation, while rising temperatures inhibit habitat quality and carbon storage. Vegetation coverage (NDVI) positively impacts ecological functions. Meanwhile, increases in land use intensity, population density, and GDP negatively impact ecosystem services. High landscape aggregation and large patch patterns contribute to the maintenance of ecological functions, while landscape fragmentation inhibits them. ③ The generalized additive model shows that slope is the dominant factor in the water yield-habitat quality relationship. Population density and slope dominate the water yield-soil retention and water yield-carbon storage relationships, respectively. Land use intensity is the dominant factor in the habitat quality-soil retention relationship. NDVI and land use intensity are key driving factors in the habitat quality-carbon storage and soil retention-carbon storage relationships. [Conclusion]Significant spatiotemporal trade-offs and synergistic relationships exist among ecosystem services in the Jinghe River Basin. These relationships are influenced by natural, social, and landscape pattern factors. Overall, the results indicate that social factors, primarily population density and land use intensity, dominate. The formulation of future watershed sustainable development policies needs to take into account the interaction of three types of factors, attach importance to the role of social factors, and achieve coordinated development of ecology and economy.