[Objective] The changes and divergence trends of ecological land use patterns in the Yellow River source area from 2005 to 2020 were explored in order to provide a theoretical basis for identifying key ecological protection areas in the Yellow River source area, for promoting the sustainable development of the ecological environment in the source area, for optimizing the ecological security pattern in the source area, and for achieving the national ecological protection strategic goals. [Methods] Based on four periods of land use data in the Yellow River source area in 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020, a spatial dynamic attitude model, a transfer matrix model, and an ecological status index model were used to analyze the distribution characteristics of different ecological land quantities and structures in time and space. Additionally, changes in the ecological status in the Yellow River source area over the past 16 years were analyzed. [Results] ① The quantity and spatial distribution of different ecological land types in the Yellow River source area varied significantly. The proportion of basic ecological land (89.06%) was the largest, and the proportion of auxiliary ecological land (1.00%) was the smallest. Basic ecological land was widely distributed, sensitive ecological land was mainly located in the east and west, and auxiliary ecological land was mainly located in the northern area. ② There was a clear trend of divergence in the transformation between ecological lands. In the eastern and western regions, the internal transformation of ecological land was the main focus, while in the northern region there was a more mutual transformation of ecological land and non-ecological land, and the overall ecological land function in the source area was developing towards an increasing trend. From a temporal perspective, the ecological status index of the Yellow River source area tended to be stable from 2005 to 2015, and increased precipitously from 2015 to 2020. From a spatial perspective, the western and northern parts of the source area showed a year-to-year increase, while the eastern part showed a year-to-year decrease, but the entire area remained on a year-to-year upward trend. [Conclusion] In general, the ecological land space of the Yellow River source area was spatially scattered, and the non-ecological land space was spatially concentrated. The ecological quality of the source area has been improving during 16 years.