[Objective] The ecological vulnerability of the water resource area in Jingyuan County, southern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, was investigated in order to reveal its spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and provide theoretical support for regional ecological environment protection and construction, as well as the rational development and utilization of ecological resources. [Methods] Small-scale townships and grids were used as research units, and based on the ecological exposure-ecological sensitivity-ecological adaptability(VSD) model, 16 indicator factors were selected in conjunction with the typical ecosystems of the water source area to construct an ecological vulnerability evaluation index system. A combination of subjective and objective methods, specifically the analytic hierarchy process(AHP) and entropy weight method, was applied to evaluate ecological vulnerability using an index calculated from standardized and weighted data. Furthermore, the coefficient of variation, global Moran's I index, and LISA cluster maps were used to quantitatively analyze the distribution patterns of ecological vulnerability changes in water source area of Jingyuan County. [Results]① The ecological vulnerability in the study area exhibited a distribution pattern characterized by ‘low in the east and west, and high in the center', dominated by mild and moderate vulnerability levels.② Over time, the ecological vulnerability index showed a decreasing trend, the coefficient of variation tended to become more balanced, and ecosystem stability increased.③ Ecological vulnerability exhibited significant positive spatial correlation and spatial clustering, with low-low and high-high clusters being the most prominent.④ During the study period, the ecological vulnerability index of all townships decreased, with the primary transformation being from moderate and high vulnerability to mild vulnerability. [Conclusion] The ecological vulnerability index of the study area has shown a decreasing trend from 2011 to 2023, with strong spatial heterogeneity, indicating a gradual improvement in ecological environment quality. Ecological protection and management measures have significant impacts on the ecological vulnerability of the water source area.