## 4 Discussion  
In the context of this research, the hotspots for habitat quality, carbon storage, water yield, and soil conservation services are predominantly situated within the Western Carpathian Region (WCR). This distribution pattern is largely attributed to the eastern region's extensive forest cover, which accounts for about 40% of the watershed's total land area. The dense vegetation and forests play a crucial role in sequestering carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen, preserving soil, and preventing erosion. Consequently, eastern Liaoning Province exhibits higher levels of carbon storage and soil conservation. This observation corroborates the findings of [PERSON] et al., who noted that areas with greater vegetation coverage tend to have enhanced carbon sequestration and soil conservation capabilities [57]. The bivariate local spatial autocorrelation analysis reveals that soil conservation, habitat quality, carbon storage, and water yield exhibit synergistic relationships when examined in pairs at a local scale. This finding is consistent with numerous previously published studies [58; 59]. The global ecosystem service regions predominantly display strong and weak trade-off effects, with low trade-off effects being less common and high synergistic effects being the least prevalent. This pattern is consistent with existing research findings [29; 60]. Under optimal conditions, a significant body of research suggests that \"high synergy\" or \"positive synergy\" among all ecosystem services within a single ecosystem signifies the maximization of benefits, embodying the ultimate aim of ecosystem management. However, in the current reality, only certain regions, and often a minority, can attain this ideal state. The majority exhibit a predominant \"trade-off\" dynamic, often involving one or two services, and in some cases, an \"underperforming synergy\" where ecosystem services are not optimally balanced. In these circumstances, through deliberate human intervention and the establishment of appropriate management regulations, transforming ecosystems primarily characterized by \"low synergy\" relationships into those with a dominant \"strong trade-off\" dynamic centered around one or two service functions can serve as a practical, short-term goal. In Liaoning Province, the synergistic effects between pairs of local ecosystem services surpass the trade-offs. However, from a global perspective, areas characterized by low synergy account for 29.09% of the study region, with adjacent areas being in a state where ecosystem services are far from optimal. Transitioning from low synergy to strong trade-offs can effectively ameliorate the least desirable conditions in these regions. According to the classification of global ecosystem service trade-offs and strategies in this study, improving the relationship from low synergy to strong trade-offs is not particularly challenging; it merely requires elevating one \"medium\" or \"low\" ecosystem service to a \"high\" state. During this adjustment process, the optimal approach is to align the type of ecosystem service being enhanced with the functional orientation of the ecological restoration distribution. This alignment not only facilitates the transition of ecosystem service relationships from low synergy to strong trade-offs but also harmonizes with the local ecological function zone's positioning, thereby achieving a mutually beneficial outcome. This study delved into the local ecosystem service dynamics, establishing an analytical framework that spans from a global to a localized perspective. At the global level, the predominant dynamics are characterized by strong and weak trade-offs, alongside minimal synergies, with areas of high synergy representing a mere 2.24% of the study region. Viewed from the local scope, the spatial extent of synergistic relationships among ecosystem service pairs is greater than that of trade-offs, presenting a marked difference from the global perspective.