Abstract: Ecosystem health is the aim of soil conservation and ecosystem rehabilitation on the Loess Plateau. In this paper, based on the analysis of the ecosystem health situation and its diagnoses, a set of indictors of eco-economic system in mesoscale was established in loess hilly area. The mean square deviation was used to calculate the weight, and compositive appraisement method of hierarchy multiplayer and the linear weighted function were introduced to build the two levels and integrated indicator of health diagnoses model - the health index. The dynamics of health indicators for its time and space of changes were also analyzed. The results showed that under different re-habilitation practices the watershed ecosystem health had improved from 0.2125 to 0.5188, and were able to develop sustainably. By analysis of limiting degree and the advantage degree, different management approaches were suggested in improving the health situation which provided a scientific base for restoration of watershed ecosystem in this region.

Key words: Loess hilly and gully region, Mesoscale, Health indicators diagnoses, Limiting degree, Ecosystem rehabilitation