Abstract: Background The water-heat imbalance and soil erosion prevalent in dry-hot valleys make them important targets for soil and water conservation efforts in China. However, human activities and climate change have resulted in the degradation of ecosystem service functions, particularly in water supply and soil conservation in these regions. Previous research has predominantly concentrated on soil conservation at plot or slope scales, overlooking the broader issues of ecosystem service functions across various spatiotemporal scales and their future changes in response to changing conditions. Methods and results This project aims to employ point observation and numerical simulations to monitor the changes in water conservation, soil conservation, and climate regulation functions in dry-hot valleys across Yunnan province, encompassing diverse spatiotemporal scales. By scrutinizing water-soil-sand coupling process and its principal influencers amid human disturbance, the aim is to construct a finely resolved model for integrated assessment of ecosystem service functions. Leveraging the developed model, the project will examine the spatiotemporal patterns and the trends in ecosystem service functions, and investigate their underlying mechanisms propelled by climate change and human activities. Meanwhile, this project will explore how ecosystem service functions fluctuate and adapt to forthcoming environmental changes by utilizing CMIP6 future scenario projections to drive the ecosystem service model. Conclusions Ultimately, the project will propose pathways for enhancing and optimizing ecosystem service functions in Yunnan’s dry-hot valleys, furnishing theoretical and methodological frameworks to bolster the region’s sustainable development and ecological well-being.