Climate change, land use changes, and the implementation of soil and water conservation projects had a significant impact on the soil erosion process. This study systematically revealed the changing patterns of soil erosion in the Malian River Basin and the mechanism of the effects and contributions of various influencing factors. The MUSLE-IC-SDR framework was constructed, and the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE), the sediment delivery ratio (SDR), the hydrological connectivity index (IC) was used to simulate the temporal and spatial changes of soil erosion and calculate the sediment yield for verification. Geographical detectors, geographical weighted regression, and path analysis models were used to explore the contributions and interactions of each key influencing factor. The results showed that the MUSLE-IC-SDR model can effectively simulate the erosion process. Under the combined influence of various factors, the spatial distribution of soil erosion in the basin showed "higher in the north and lower in the south" pattern in different periods, and the overall trend showed a significant downward trend in time. The soil erosion rates in 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020 were 5965.3, 3144.6, 3946.6, and 1726.0 t center dot km- 2 center dot a- 1, respectively. Rainfall and vegetation coverage are the main factors affecting soil erosion, showed a strong interaction. This study reveals the driving mechanism of soil erosion in the Malian River Basin, providing scientific basis and theoretical support for the implementation of soil erosion prevention and control measures. It is of great significance for controlling soil erosion in the basin and the sustainable utilization of soil resources.