Objectives The ecosystem services value (ESV) assessment can reveal natural ecosystems’ crucial role in sustaining a healthy environment, particularly in Ordos. This assessment significantly guided local ecological strategies.

Methods This study employed the per-unit-area value-equivalent factors method. It involved refining standard equivalent values with correction coefficients and constructing three spatiotemporal dynamic adjustment factors for vegetation, precipitation, and soil. These steps resulted in a localized spatiotemporal dynamic equivalent factor table for Ordos. The study calculated ESV for the years 2015－2020 and conducted sensitivity analysis and spatiotemporal dynamic change analysis.

Results Over the six years from 2015 to 2020, the ESV in Ordos exhibited a remarkable increase, surging from 62.04 billion RMB to 83.02 billion RMB, signifying a substantial growth of 33.46%. This noteworthy expansion in ESV underscored the vital contributions of ecosystems in this region. In terms of ecosystem service categories, ESV predominantly manifested in climate regulation, hydrological regulation, and soil conservation, collectively constituting more than 60% of the total ESV value. Moreover, when considering different ecosystem types, it became evident that forests played a pivotal role, with their ESV proportion escalating from 38.75 billion RMB to 49.99 billion RMB, reflecting an impressive growth rate of 29.02%. The results of the sensitivity analysis further confirmed the reliability of the methodology employed. Specifically, sensitivity indices for various land-use types in Ordos during the period from 2015 to 2020 consistently remained below 1, affirming the accuracy of the corrected equivalent factor calculation method. This methodology, bolstered by correction coefficients and dynamic adjustment factors, demonstrated its robust applicability in assessing ESV within localized, small-scale ecosystems.

Conclusions Ordos’ ecological conditions significantly improved due to proactive desertification control, setting an exemplary model for arid regions worldwide. The ESV assessment, rooted in scientific rigor, supports local desertification restoration and ecological conservation zone development. It guided policymakers, land managers, and conservationists, shaping ecological conservation and sustainable development in Ordos and inspiring similar regions.