Biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES) are the material basis for the sustainable development of human survival and socio-economics, biodiversity loss and ES degradation have become hot global environmental issues following climate change. Biodiversity is a major determining factor for ecosystem productivity, stability, resistance to biological invasions, and nutrient dynamics. ES shows a high-level of quality and stability at high-levels of biodiversity and ecosystem function. We therefore aim to explore the relationships between biodiversity and ES. It is important to clarify the relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem processes, functions, and services. The role that biodiversity plays in ES can be resolved by recognising that different relations exist at the various levels of the ES hierarchy: Biodiversity is the regulator of ecosystem processes and an important factor in consolidating ES, biodiversity is also an ultimate ES and directly contributes to their interests and values at the genetic and species level. Improving the understanding of key relationships between biodiversity and ES provisions will help guide effective management and protection strategies. Research on the tradeoffs and synergies of biodiversity and ES can help managers make favorable decisions for protection, and it is also the basis for planning adaptation strategies to reduce adverse effects of a biodiversity crisis. The link between biodiversity and ES is not constant across different temporal and spatial scales, so it is necessary to jointly determine the spatial patterns of ES and biodiversity for an effective and sustainable plan for ecosystem management. Although there are still many uncertainties in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management, theory should play an important role in managing, conserving, and restoring ecosystems. The issues discussed here should receive further attention in the context of the multiple goals for sustainable management. Lastly, further research was concluded by proposing areas for the fostering of conservation synergies between biodiversity and ES. It is expected to be helpful for future research in related fields.