Assessing the potential natural habitat losses caused by future urban expansion is important for understanding the cascading effect of urbanization on the environment and improving urban landscape sustainability. However, few studies have assessed the indirect loss of natural habitat resulting from urban expansion. Taking the transnational area of Changbai Mountain (TACM) as study area, we evaluated the potential loss of natural habitat caused by urban expansion during 2015–2050. We first quantified the spatial pattern of natural habitat. Second, urban expansion was simulated by using the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) and the zoned Land Use Scenario Dynamics-urban (LUSD-urban) model. Finally, direct and indirect losses of natural habitat were calculated and compared. The results indicated that 56.97–153.90 km² of natural habitat will be lost directly caused by urban expansion during 2015–2050, while 77.76–318.78 km² will be lost resulting from cropland displacement. The indirect loss will be 1.36–2.12 times higher than the direct loss. Furthermore, the indirect loss of natural habitat will be 2.21–3.15 times greater than the direct loss on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) side. To promote regional sustainable development, effective policies and measures should be enacted to balance urban expansion, cropland displacement, and natural habitat conservation.

评估未来城市扩张可能造成的自然栖息地丧失，对于理解城市化对环境的连锁效应和改善城市景观的可持续性至关重要。但是，很少有研究评估城市扩张造成的自然栖息地的间接丧失。以长白山（TACM）的跨国区域为研究区域，我们评估了2015-2050年城市扩张导致自然栖息地的潜在丧失。我们首先量化了自然栖息地的空间格局。其次，通过使用共享社会经济途径（SSP）和土地使用情景动态城市模型（LUSD-urban），模拟了城市扩张。最后，计算并比较了自然栖息地的直接和间接损失。结果表明56.97-153。在2015-2050年期间，城市扩张将直接造成90km²的自然栖息地丧失，而由于农田流离失所将导致77.76–318.78km²的自然栖息地丧失。间接损失将是直接损失的1.36-2.12倍。此外，自然栖息地的间接损失将比朝鲜民主主义人民共和国（DPRK）方面的直接损失大2.21-3.15倍。为了促进区域可持续发展，应制定有效的政策和措施，以平衡城市扩张，农田流离失所和自然栖息地保护。比朝鲜民主主义人民共和国（DPRK）一方的直接损失大15倍。为了促进区域可持续发展，应制定有效的政策和措施，以平衡城市扩张，农田流离失所和自然栖息地保护。比朝鲜民主主义人民共和国（DPRK）一方的直接损失大15倍。为了促进区域可持续发展，应制定有效的政策和措施，以平衡城市扩张，农田流离失所和自然栖息地保护。