The 21st century is a century in which mankind really needs ecological reflections. Rethinking on our relationship with nature, rethinking on our relationship with plants, animals, or microorganisms in the planet's life supporting systems, rethinking on our relationship with damaged mountains-rivers-forests-farmlands-lakes-grasslands, towns and villages in the earth's environment supporting systems. At present, the integrated natural ecosystems in the earth's biosphere are becoming less and less, and the precious buffers for mankind's future survival, development and adaptation to global change are shrinking rapidly. Additionally, the number of the 3D systems (degraded, damaged and destroyed ecosystems) that can be seen everywhere on the earth's surface is increasing dramatically and the most important biodiversity in the supporting system of human life is falling at an unprecedented rate, and the foundation of human survival and development is unstable, so it is urgent for us to start from the concept of ecological protection and explore ecological technological solutions. Based on the scientific connotation of ecology, ecological protection and ecological restoration, and the bibliometric method, this paper searched the related articles and the publications of international mainstream magazines with the theme of ‘ecological protection’, and ‘ecological restoration’ in past 70 years on Web of Science, analyzed the ecosystem degradation mechanism and driving force, and summarized the advanced theories and techniques of ecological protection and ecological restoration abroad, which would provide some theoretical guidance for protection of fragile ecosystems and restoration of degraded ecosystems in China.