Ecosystem Supporting Services Can Directly and Indirectly Affect the Well-Being of Ethnic Minority Rural Residents: A Case Study in the Oasis Region of Western China

Understanding ecosystem services (ES) and human well-being interactions is vital for sustainability, yet the impact of supporting services is often overlooked or considered to be insignificant. This study focused on the oasis region along the northern slopes of the Kunlun Mountains, where a survey was conducted among 986 ethnic minority rural households on the subjective perception of ecosystem services and rural residents’ well-being. We used structural equation modeling to identify the impact of ecosystem services on the well-being of rural residents from ethnic minorities. The results indicate the following: (1) Provisioning (score: 3.57) and regulating (score: 3.52) services are highly perceived; material well-being satisfaction (score: 3.588) exceeds non-material well-being satisfaction (score: 3.451). (2) The personal characteristics of the respondents, including gender, age, education level, family income, and residential location, affect their perceived importance of ecosystem services and their satisfaction with well-being. (3) Provisioning, regulating, and cultural services have a synergistic relationship, with regulating services significantly enhancing provisioning services. (4) Supporting services directly and indirectly boost well-being via provisioning, regulating, and cultural services. To improve rural residents’ well-being, it is essential to raise their awareness of ecosystem services and promote the collaborative governance of these services.