A framework for assessing the impact of human pressure on priority core habitats of rare and endangered species

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• Multi-species’ priority core habitats were identified based on cumulative curves. • A framework links priority core habitats with spatiotemporal human pressure trends. • Protected areas failed to mitigate human footprint trends in priority core habitats. • Key drivers of human footprint changes in priority core habitats were identified. Effective conservation of core habitats for terrestrial vertebrates is critical to their survival, while the rapid increase in human pressure has become a major driver of habitat degradation, loss, and fragmentation. Currently, challenges remain in the quantitative identification of species’ priority core habitats (PCHs) and the dynamic assessment of their responses to human pressure. To address this, we developed an integrated framework for assessing the impact of human pressure on PCHs of rare and endangered species. Taking the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China as a case study, we identified PCHs of 48 rare and endangered terrestrial vertebrates based on habitat suitability maps, and applied a random forest model to reveal the driving factors and mechanisms underlying human footprint trends within PCHs. The results showed that 36.75 % of PCHs exhibited a significant decreasing trend in human footprint from 2001 to 2020 (p < 0.05, slope < 0), while 29.42 % of the areas showed a significant increasing trend (p < 0.05, slope > 0). The slope of human footprint change inside protected areas (median = 0.018) within PCHs was significantly higher than outside protected areas (median = -0.020) (p < 0.05), suggesting that protected areas have not effectively mitigated the rising human pressure. Nighttime light intensity was identified as the most important driver of human footprint changes within PCHs, whereas management intensity contributed the least explanatory power. This study provides a scientific basis and technical support for the identification and dynamic management of species’ PCHs under human pressure, offering valuable insights for optimizing biodiversity conservation strategies.