This paper provides a systematic review of ecosystem services in the context of karst rocky desertification controls, focusing on valuation methods, spatiotemporal dynamics, driving mechanisms, and governance strategies. Karst rocky desertification, as a typical ecological degradation phenomenon in fragile karst landscapes, disrupts soil structure and hydrological cycles, reduces biodiversity, and severely challenges regional sustainability. In recent years, ecological restoration projects, such as reforestation, soil and water conservation, and agroforestry, have become core governance tools to mitigate desertification and restore ecosystem services. This review highlights the integration of modern technologies such as remote sensing, GIS, and ecological modeling in tracking the dynamic evolution of ecosystem service functions and their nonlinear responses to governance measures. It also examines the effectiveness of ecological compensation mechanisms in incentivizing stakeholder participation and promoting multi-level collaborative governance. Key challenges identified include mismatched multi-scale data, lack of long-term monitoring, and insufficient understanding of trade-offs and thresholds among service functions. To address these challenges, the paper proposes a cross-scale, multi-factor assessment framework and scenario simulation modeling approach to guide adaptive governance and restoration planning. Compared to previous studies, this review emphasizes the role of ecosystem service assessment in optimizing governance outcomes, offering theoretical support and policy insights for sustainable development in karst desertification control regions.