Abstract：Substrate-vegetation system is the primary functional component of eco-engineering for rock slope protection(EERSP)，its structure and function determine the stability and effectively of EERSP. Based on the results of research related to EERSP at home and abroad，and on stability of the structure and function of the substrate-vegetation system，an attempt has been made to establish five types of evaluating indicators including the substrate of system，the structure of vegetation，the protective function，the functions of matter cycling and the landscape cultural functions with a view of systematical engineering by investigations and studies. Further those five types of indicators were marked off the operable sub-indexes that formed the indicator system for evaluating the performance of EERSP. The appraisal standards of the indicator system were divided into five grades，such as excellent，well，general，poor and worse，which reflected rationally the characters and nature of the substrate- vegetation system，also exhibited mutual restriction and interdependent relationship between the structure and function. This relationship could transform each other under some special conditions. The indicators were used to evaluate the performance of two slope sections in EERSP of the Chongqing—Guizhou highway by combined analytical hierarchy process(AHP) with fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. The appraisal results coincided with the in-situ observation，which indicated that the indicator system could objectively reflect the performance and the lasting capacity of function of the substrate-vegetation system.
