From local pressures to global priorities: a PSR-guided model for spatial biodiversity conservation

Abstract Biodiversity conservation in socio-ecologically complex regions requires integrative frameworks that account for multi-scalar pressures, ecological conditions, and policy responses. This study proposes a novel application of the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model combined with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and geospatial analysis to systematically identify conservation priorities across a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot. Using 24 environmental, social, and economic criteria, refined through field surveys (2022–2024) and interdisciplinary expert input, we demonstrate that anthropogenic pressures such as land use, transportation infrastructure, and forest fires account for 75% of total stress on biodiversity, while natural drivers like climate and geohazards contribute 25%. Ecosystem-level variables (e.g., climate heterogeneity, topography, and vegetation structure) received higher expert-derived weights than species-level indicators, emphasizing the foundational role of habitat integrity. Education emerged as the most influential response mechanism, surpassing legal and institutional measures, highlighting the need for community-driven strategies. Spatial prioritisation identified nearly 44% of the study region as high to very high priority for conservation action. Our findings offer a replicable, policy-relevant tool for transparent conservation planning and resource allocation, applicable not only to Mediterranean landscapes but also to other global biodiversity hotspots facing similar socio-ecological pressures.