Analyzing the movement of an ecosystem's centroid has proven to be a powerful tool for assessing and monitoring its spatial variation. However, since centroid analysis is used as a simple indicator of change in economics or sociology, or as a minor part of studies of landscape pattern distribution and change, the importance of analyzing ecosystem centroids is often overlooked in the field of ecology. This study summarizes the applications of calculating ecosystem centroids from studies from around the world, in order to understand its global trends in correlation studies better, and to identify the application potential based on its basic concept and connotations. The centroid theory has been applied in various fields, for example in social and economic development, agriculture, ecological monitoring, and mapping. In this study, we applied the centroid theory to analyze the temporal and spatial distribution of the ecosystem centroid in Lugu Lake, where its distinct boundary was collectively determined by Yunnan Province and Sichuan Province, and its surrounding areas. We also determined how the centroids changed from 1990 to 2005(e.g., their positions, movement directions, and movement distances). The results showed each ecosystem had a relatively independent and stable centroid in the region. This was caused by the effective conservation efforts of local governments and organizations and, particularly, the effective policies and measures that have been implemented in recent years. Compared with forest, grassland, and wetland ecosystems, built-up land and cropland ecosystems changed more profoundly. As for the extent and direction of centroid changes, the centroids of forest, grassland, and wetland ecosystems moved continuously back and forth in a relatively small area, indicating that these ecosystems were in a relatively dynamic equilibrium. The centroids of built-up land and cropland generally moved from northwest to southeast, and they continuously got closer to the water to utilize the water resource more conveniently. In addition, the centroids of built-up land and cropland to some extent move back in the opposite direction in 2005. The latter was caused by the government's effective policy interventions in 2003, which regulate ecological patterns and coordinate conflicts between the environment and development. Furthermore, increased human-induced disturbances, especially tourism developments, can be a trigger for ecosystem centroids to move towards Lugu Lake, whereas national ecological protection policies lead to movements in the opposite direction of Lugu Lake. Additionally we found that currently, ecosystem centroid analyses are often conducted in two dimensions, without accounting for the third dimension of altitude due to the complexity of vertical space. However, in regions with complex terrain, like Lugu Lake, the terrain factors should not be ignored in the process of regional ecosystem changes. Therefore, the blank centroid theory in vertical dimension should be developed further, and the corresponding research methods completed urgently, in order to continuously expand and improve the applications of ecosystem centroids.