## 1 Introduction  
The identification of priority conservation areas that maximize Nature's Contributions to People (NCPs) is crucial for enhancing human well-being [1, 2]. NCPs, central to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) framework, encompass all contributions of living nature to human quality of life, both positive and negative [3, 4]. Focusing predominantly on beneficial aspects like food provision, climate regulation, and biodiversity, researchers have significantly advanced understanding of these contributions [5, 6]. However, previous works have emphasized that as human demand for these services increases, nature's capacity to provide them is diminishing [7; 8]. This discrepancy spotlights the need for strategies to enhance NCPs, aiming to improve human well-being and sustainable development, the research field that remains underexplored in the literature [9; 10]. IPBES categorizes NCPs into three dimensions: material NCPs essential for security, regulating NCPs that maintain the environment, and non-material NCPs providing recreational benefits [11; 12]. Regulating NCPs is especially critical in regions needing ecological conservation due to their role in managing the living environment. This is underscored by the fact that 25% of the global population faces extremely high water stress [13], and 3.6 billion live in areas highly vulnerable to climate change (IPCC AR6). Therefore, the primary research focus should thus be on NCPs related to habitat maintenance, climate, and water regulation. Additionally, factors like climate change, urbanization, population growth, and economic development intensify ecosystem degradation and increase the vulnerability of NCPs [10; 14]. Understanding the importance and vulnerability of Nature's Contributions to People (NCPs) is essential for identifying how nature enhances human well-being and the factors affecting ecological changes [15]. The importance of NCPs is seen in their widespread contributions across various types [16], while their vulnerability indicates how susceptible they are to negative impacts [17]. Despite this, few studies address both the importance and vulnerability of NCPs simultaneously [18]. The concept of NCP emphasizes the non-material aspects of human-nature systems that people derive from nature. This concept is particularly suited for analyzing complex socio-ecological systems closely connected to human-nature interactions [19]. Thus, identifying priority conservation areas based on the assessment of NCPs goes beyond optimizing ecosystem services to maximize their benefits [20]. However, current research in this area is limited, representing a significant gap in the applications of NCPs for ecosystem management [2; 4]. To address this, several methods have gradually been developed to assess the importance and vulnerability of NCPs [6]. For example, the significance of water resources in the context of NCPs can be evaluated using indices such as the average water supply and demand [21], whereas the value of ecosystem services, including water resources, is often measured by aggregating multiple service indicators [22]. Building upon these evaluation methods, vulnerability assessments play a crucial role in advancing the application of NCPs in ecological management. Vulnerability assessments typically use frameworks that differentiate between adaptive capacity and resilience, which help to define how systems respond to stress [23]. Some studies also integrate coupled human-ecological frameworks to assess vulnerability to natural disasters, linking environmental and societal factors [24; 25]. Based on these approaches, assessments of both importance and vulnerability are combined to help identify priority areas for targeted conservation efforts [10; 18]. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) serves as a vital source of food, water, medicine, and biodiversity for its local inhabitants, significantly enhancing their quality of life [22].