Biodiversity Research Articles

Animal board invited review: A biocultural perspective of animal farming systems in Europe.

Europe's landscapes have evolved through the intricate interplay of natural processes and human activities, one of which is animal farming; thus, historically creating biocultural landscapes rich in biological and cultural diversity. However, agricultural intensification has neglected and altered the role of animals within landscapes, and undermines the potential of more extensive animal farming systems to create sustainable landscapes, as an alternative to highly industrialised and high-density animal production, which is responsible for a wide range of environmental trade-offs. We present a biocultural diversity (BCD) framework to emphasise the contributions of animal farming systems to landscape sustainability from a social-ecological perspective. By applying a biocultural lens across three European case studies -peatland restoration in Germany, wildfire control in the Mediterranean, and hay milk production in the Alpine region- we demonstrate how animal farming systems can contribute to biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and cultural values. We discuss the need for evolving scientific approaches using a BCD Framework to shift the perception of animal farming from a threat to a solution for sustainability. Our cases highlight how a biocultural approach allows for a comprehensive evaluation of human-nature relationships, promoting sustainable practices and addressing environmental challenges. Benefits include creating multifunctional landscapes, conserving biodiversity, enhancing genetic diversity, and preserving traditional knowledge and cultural heritage. However, a decline in traditional practices jeopardises these benefits. To unlock the potential of animal farming systems within landscapes in Europe and beyond, we call for more integrated and transdisciplinary approaches in animal sciences. Biocultural-grounded assessments can inform the transformation of animal farming systems towards animal-based solutions for achieving landscape sustainability on a global scale.

Afforestation as a tool for environmental improvement and its restoration

Traditional Indian societies have existed in nature. The sun was our God and the earth was our mother. We worshipped the rivers, the trees, and the four directions. The animals and birds found eulogy in our prayers and poems. Much of philosophy, culture, and science evolved in our forest based 'ashrams'. In fact, the Indian culture was called 'aranya sanskriti' or forest culture. In the Rigveda the forest, described as Aranyani, the mother goddess who takes care of wildlife and ensures food availability to man. The forest provided us with intellectual impetus and met our maternal conservation education, it was because we practiced conservation as a way of life. Several centuries of alien domination have decimated out material wealth but was what worse, they snapped umbilical link between man and nature. Now we too are patterning our lives and plans on the western model that is based on the consumption of resources rather than on their cyclic creation, added to this, the worrying growth rate of our population. We must battle all out to preserve the biological diversity of our regions and complex relationships in nature. Conservation education then becomes a very important means for regaining the lost ground. There is a general conflict between protected areas and people arising from the latter fight for survival. However, a general ignorance about the values of conservation has also contributed to the conflict. But a general conservation education is now being considered an important tool that will not only help eliminate such ignorance but also motivate people to cooperate and participate in the conservation of the biodiversity. This motivation of the local community and others for involvement in the restoration, etc. of the existing resources is crucial for the success of any protected conservation programme.. KEYWORDS :Afforestation, Environmental improvement, Restoration.

High individual variability in space use by translocated, imperiled New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis)

Translocations are an established element of restoration plans for threatened species, but success in establishing new populations is often limited, highlighting the need for careful evaluation of translocation efforts. Variation among individuals may contribute to poorly placed translocations, particularly when there is variation in the spatial ecology of target species. As a test of this we investigated the spatial ecology of imperiled New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis Bangs, 1895) in Rhode Island, USA. We combined telemetry data with remotely-sensed vegetation data to evaluate the home ranges, resource selection, and survival of translocated cottontails at three sites, including one where we also tracked resident cottontails. Despite instances of alignment among individuals, we found a wide span of home range estimates and high individual variability on resource selection. Both of these results suggest that population-level inferences of translocated individuals may fail to capture important aspects of animal ecology at the individual level. Further, we found lower survival compared to residents at one of our sites and literature values for other resident populations. Our results suggest that there are benefits to considering variation among individuals when designing management plans to support translocations.

Exploring metrics of biological diversity to better predict and respond to emerging diseases.

The emergence of infectious diseases is largely driven by spillover events from animal communities into human populations, with zoonotic pathogens accounting for 75% of novel infectious agents. In recent years, incidence and prevalence of these pathogens is on the rise and efforts to understand the underlying ecological principles responsible for the reported increase have highlighted the role of biodiversity loss as a major contributing factor. Despite its role in pathogen emergence, how biodiversity is measured can differ drastically and may underlie variability in study results, making the impacts of biodiversity on pathogen behavior difficult to untangle. Here, we first examine how landscape parameters affect disease transmission and then evaluate metrics used in various disease systems to discuss the ways that different aspects of biodiversity, such as functional, phylogenetic, and trophic diversity, can provide novel insight into the relationship between host communities and disease emergence and transmission. We focus on the tick-borne pathogen that causes Lyme disease in this review and discuss how functional, trophic, and phylogenetic diversity can improve our understanding of the relationship between host community structure and disease transmission. The growing public health burden of tick-borne diseases necessitates holistic thinking to inform actions to decrease the risk of disease to humans and protect natural communities.

Espeletia llanadaensis (Asteraceae): A new species from the Northeastern Colombian Andes, Santander

A new species of Espeletia has been discovered in the La Llanada Reserve, located in Paramo del Almorzadero in the northern Colombian Andes. Espeletia is a genus widely distributed along the north of the Andes mountain range; it is one of the most representative genera of paramo ecosystems and showcases a great morphological and ecological variability. The new species has an average density of 4360 individuals per hectare and a gregarious distribution pattern, resulting from a limited ability to disperse seeds over long distances, which is also a specialized adaptation to tolerate low temperatures. The plant is characterized by caulirrhosettes up to 5 m tall and obovate-lanceolate coriaceous leaves. The axillary inflorescences can reach up to 147 cm in length during the flowering period, each capitulum is 15–17 mm in diameter, and the corollas are 5.5–7.0 mm in length. Espeletia llanadaensis sp. nov., is subject to disturbances such as fire and grazing, which may vary at small and temporary spatial scales. Furthermore, there is no comprehensive conservation plan in the Paramo del Almorzadero to prevent local or regional extinctions of various native, endemic and threatened species.

Body size, not habitat or sex, best explains the extent of ultraviolet fluorescence in African dwarf chameleons (Bradypodion)

AbstractIt has been hypothesized that biofluorescence is a trait linked to intraspecific signaling in many taxa, especially those with enhanced modes of conspecific signaling in complex habitats. Chameleons possess bone‐based fluorescent tubercles (FTs) on their head ornaments that purportedly facilitate intraspecific signaling. We investigated the hypothesis that dwarf chameleons (Bradypodion) use biofluorescence for signaling by testing if the number of FTs associated with their ornaments can be explained by sexual dimorphism or ecological variation in five species from various habitats (i.e. fynbos, Afrotemperate forest, and shrublands). If the trait is used for signaling, we would expect males to have more FTs than females due to sexual selection, and/or forest species/populations to have more FTs than open‐habitat species/populations via natural selection because forests are expected to be the most conducive terrestrial environment for fluorescent signals. Our results revealed that the number of FTs was greater for the larger sex (regardless of the direction of size dimorphism) but was not significantly different between sexes when adjusted for body size or head area. Forest species had more FTs than smaller‐bodied fynbos species but fewer than the large‐bodied shrublands species in absolute number, but there were no differences in FTs across species from different habitats when corrected for size and phylogeny. Moreover, there were no differences in FTs between natural and urban populations when correcting for body or head size. These findings suggest that larger‐bodied species have more FTs than smaller‐bodied species regardless of the conduciveness of their habitats toward facilitating biofluorescence. Therefore, FT trait magnitude is likely explained best by chameleon size rather than natural or sexual selection for increased signaling capability between sexes, species, or populations. We interpret these findings to suggest that it is unlikely that Bradypodion use biofluorescence as a signaling mechanism.

Information support for the assessment of the state and protection of the «Yalta Mountain-Forest» state nature reserve of the republic of Crimea based on the application of remote sensing methods and GIS technologies

This work investigates the problems of creating an information base of a specially protected area for the operational management of the territory, its protection and spatial development. By example of the “Yalta Mountain-Forest” State Nature Reserve of the Republic of Crimea in the Russian Federation, the natural resources of the Reserve, its landscapes and soils, as well as the current use of the Reserve’s territory were studied in this work. The investigation widely used materials received from multispectral space surveys Landsat 8 and the tools of the Qgis geoinformation system. When developing and implementing the information database, the main goal was to analyze the problems of the impact of natural and anthropogenic factors on unique natural complexes and their biological diversity. In the course of the work, the natural conditions and factors that have a negative impact on the Reserve, including the impact of human activity were identified. The authors developed a methodology for forming a database based on an original approach to using data on the state and use of the Reserve’s territory. Moreover, using multispectral space photography Landsat 8 and the Qgis geoinformation system, the most environmentally vulnerable areas and their boundaries were established. Also, the authors carried out environmental zoning and compiled the corresponding maps, after that made the proposals for the prevention and elimination of negative consequences, as well as proposals for the spatial development of this territory in the future.

Bluetongue's New Frontier-Are Dogs at Risk?

Bluetongue virus (BTV), traditionally considered a pathogen of ruminants, has recently been documented in dogs, challenging conventional understanding of its epidemiology. This narrative review synthesizes emerging evidence regarding BTV infections in domestic and wild carnivores, examining transmission dynamics, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic challenges. Carnivores can become infected through vector transmission and oral ingestion of infected material. While some infected carnivores remain subclinical, others develop severe clinical manifestations including hemorrhagic syndromes. BTV infection in carnivores is likely underdiagnosed due to limited awareness, nonspecific clinical signs, and absence of established diagnostic protocols for non-ruminant species. The potential role of carnivores in BTV epidemiology remains largely unexplored, raising questions about their function as reservoirs or dead-end hosts. Additionally, carnivores may contribute to alternative transmission pathways and overwintering mechanisms that impact disease ecology. Current biosecurity frameworks and surveillance systems, primarily focused on ruminants, require expansion to incorporate carnivores in viral maintenance and transmission. This review identifies significant knowledge gaps regarding BTV in carnivores and proposes future research directions, including serological surveys, transmission studies, and investigation of viral tropism in carnivore tissues. A comprehensive One Health approach integrating diverse host species, vector ecology, human interference, and environmental factors is crucial for effective BTV control and impact mitigation on human, animals, and environment.

Carbon Isotope and Sterane Records of Biological Diversity in the Fortunian Stage of the Early Cambrian Tarim Basin, Northwest China

Carbon isotope of the kerogen (δ13Corg), steranes/hopanes (S/H), and C28/C29 sterane ratios in the source rocks from the SARK section at the Early Cambrian Yurtus Formation in the Fortunian Stage in the Tarim Basin of Northwest China reveal a positive excursion that is associated with biological diversity. The enrichment of vanadium/(vanadium + nickel) (V/(V + Ni)) ratios (0.64~0.99, averaging 0.87) for the Yurtus Formation of the Fortunian Stage provide evidence for predominant anoxic bottom water conditions. A sharply decreased V/(V + Ni) ratio in the middle Yurtus Formation suggests enhanced oxygen content of the water column in this interval. However, the total organic carbon (TOC) values in the sedimentary rocks show a marked increase in the middle Yurtus Formation, which is due to the enhanced productivity suggested by a positive δ13Corg increase of ~2.0‰ and enhanced S/H and C28/C29 sterane ratios. We suggest that the enhanced oxygen content may have contributed to the biological diversity during the Fortunian Stage in the Tarim Basin. The δ13Corg excursion first reported here associated with biological diversity can be correlated with that in South China and possibly elsewhere in this interval.

Issues of conservation of steppe phytocoenosis of the arid territory of Stavropol

Relevance. Conservation of steppe vegetation and its biological diversity is one of the unresolved problems in southern Russia.The purpose of this work is to study and evaluate the current state of vegetation of steppe phytocoenosis of eastern Stavropol, including preserved zonal grass stands for further active reproduction of their bioresource potential.Methods. The object of the study is the steppe plant communities of the eastern Stavropol region. The year of the study is 2024. The study of steppe herbages was carried out at 55 accounting sites (each measuring 10 x 10 m) according to the O. Trude system with a mark of abundance of species and projective coverage. The aboveground phytomass was taken into account by 0.5 ml by the sloping method in a fourfold repetition.Results. The steppe communities of the arid territory of the Stavropol Territory have been studied. It was found that the vegetation of degraded steppe phytocoenosis is monotonous in floral composition (on average — 12 species / 100 m²), low-growing (25–30 cm on average), alternating in places with foci of desertification and open sands. The type of economic use of the herbage is pasture. The projective coverage of the soil surface by plants varies from 10 to 80%. The degree of degradation of vegetation cover is shown — from weakly and moderately degraded to strongly and very strongly degraded. Fragments of zonal steppes have been identified. They are floristically rich, contain valuable plant species — up to 26 pieces / 100 m². In these areas, as they mature, seeds of wild herbs are harvested for laying the testis. Based on the agrosteppe method, the seed material will be sown in the spring in the prepared soil. The created grass stand can later serve as a source of seed material for the restoration of subsequent areas of degraded steppe grass stand.

The Judiciary's Contribution to Preventing Protected Area Downgrading, Downsizing, and Degazettement: Mining and Environmental Justice Community of South Africa v MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development Land and Environmental Affairs (1322/2021) [2024] ZAMPMBHC 48 (18 July 2024)

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed to by parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2022, commits all countries to ensure that by 2030, 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine areas are effectively and equitably conserved and managed in protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures. This is a weighty ambition given current global and domestic coverage statistics, and countries can ill afford to lose existing areas through protected areas downgrading, downsizing and degazettement (PADDD). The concept of PADDD has received growing international attention, with calls to implement an array of measures to prevent and track its prevalence. Within the South African context, studies on PADDD are few and far between, but this does not mean that events of this nature are not present. Efforts to establish a coal mine in the Mabola Protected Environment (MPE) in Mpumalanga provide a perfect example of downgrading and downsizing events in action, and the judiciary has been called upon on numerous occasions to intervene to halt these events. This note considers the most recent of these judicial interventions, namely that in Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa v MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs (1322/2021) [2024] ZAMPMBHC 48 (18 July 2024). It critically traverses the array of review grounds invoked by the applicants to set aside a decision of the relevant provincial minister to remove certain properties situated within the MPE from its borders, to facilitate the establishment of the coal mine. It reflects on several apparent frailties in the court's decision relating to most of these review grounds. It concludes by proposing certain simple legislative reforms to the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act 57 of 2003, to improve the regulation of future PADDD events in South Africa, and thereby potentially preclude the necessity of disputes of this nature being brought before the judiciary in the future.

From Farm to Fallout: Agriculture’s Role in America’s Environmental Crisis

Agriculture is still an essential component of the U.S. economy, feeding Americans and serving as a source of employment and economic security for many other Americans. But the modernisation of agricultural techniques throughout the last century has brought major environmental - and often regrettable - results. This footprint is large and growing: from generalized soil erosion due to intensive tillage to water pollution from field runoff, the environmental impacts of American agriculture are many and significant. Farmers are also among the biggest contributors to climate change and release high amounts of carbon storing content in the soil through mining and burning of fossil fuels and converting natural ecosystems to farmlands results in unprecedented losses in biological diversity. These are the related threats to which not only ecosystems, but also the future sustainability of agricultural production itself are exposed (Yaqub, 2019). This paper examines the complex links between US agricultural development and environmental destruction, to show how the weight of history, economics and public policy have created today's bind. The overall intellectual sources, as well as lessons, about the future of humanity. In addition, the article emphasizes that sustainable farming systems including regenerative agriculture, precision farming, and conservation policies need to be implemented, to reduce negative impacts on the environment, and guarantee food security for coming generations. By recognizing the critical importance of agriculture to current (and potential) environmental crises as it looks to the future, the country can move toward a more resilient, productive and ecologically sound U.S. agriculture system. Solution of these problems guarantees the long-term viability of U.S. agriculture and environmental health.

Aligning regional and international biodiversity conventions to benefit butterfly conservation in Africa: A review

African butterflies play vital ecological roles but face numerous threats. Their protection requires aligning biodiversity conventions with butterfly-specific conservation goals. This review examines how to optimize regional and international conventions for enhanced African butterfly conservation. Through systematic assessment of relevant conventions, their provisions, success stories, and implementation effectiveness, I identify strategies to strengthen conservation outcomes. A comprehensive search of academic databases and official convention resources, using rigorous selection criteria, revealed that international frameworks support butterfly conservation through diverse mechanisms. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) provides a foundational framework for biodiversity protection, including population monitoring and conservation. The African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (ACCNNR) supports butterfly conservation indirectly through sustainable resource use and habitat protection. While climate change remains a significant threat, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) offers mitigation tools. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) regulates butterfly trade, with potential for greater impact through expanded species coverage and aligned strategies. The Ramsar Convention’s wetland focus benefits butterflies when butterfly species are recognized as bioindicators in site management plans, while the World Heritage Convention protects critical habitats. Collectively, these conventions advance butterfly conservation through habitat protection, sustainable practices, awareness-raising, and international cooperation. However, their effectiveness is constrained by resource limitations and data deficiencies. To address these challenges, three key recommendations are proposed: (1) integrating butterfly-specific targets into national biodiversity strategies, (2) strengthening research capacity and enforcement mechanisms, and (3) creating a Pan-African conservation network for coordinated regional action. Additionally, promoting the use of butterflies as bioindicators in climate and land-use policies would simultaneously enhance conservation efforts and support broader ecosystem protection objectives.

Environmental degradation and its consequences for biological diversity in urban streams of the Southwestern Amazon

Environmental degradation and its consequences for biological diversity in urban streams of the Southwestern Amazon

Beyond Logging: The Need for Victoria’s State Forests to Contribute to Australia’s 30 × 30 Protection Target

In recognition of the declining state of biodiversity, the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, signed in late 2022, committed countries to the protection of 30% of the Earth’s terrestrial and inland water areas and coastal and marine areas by 2030. Australia has committed to this target at a national level. The majority of public protected areas (e.g., national parks) in Australia are designated and managed by state and territory governments. The state of Victoria in southeastern Australia has a long history of regional assessments of public land to balance conservation (such as the declaration of protected areas), production of natural resources (e.g., timber harvesting, mineral extraction), and recreation, amongst other uses. The decision to phase out native forest timber harvesting on public land in Victoria presents the greatest opportunity in the state’s history to meet its statewide commitments, national commitments, and international targets, by establishing a comprehensive, adequate, and representative protected area system. We critique Victoria’s reliance on non-binding protections, such as Special Protection Zones in state forests over recent decades, and outline the principles and rationale for the expansion of the protected area system in state forests, recognizing that protected areas are part of a broader suite of future land uses for these public forests.

Homo- and Hetero-Multinuclear Iridium(III) Complexes with Cytotoxic Activity

Towards the efforts to expand the bioactivity and to reduce toxic and adverse properties of known metal-based drugs, various multinuclear complexes have recently been studied. They have shown enhancement of target specificity and selectivity. Different from small organic compounds and traditional metal-based complexes with anticancer activity, iridium(III) multinuclear or heteronuclear metallodrugs have confirmed potential advantages due to their unique biological and chemical diversities, better activity and different anticancer mechanisms. Ir(III) coordination compounds, similar to most Pt group compounds, are of excessive interest because of their potential cytotoxic activity, effective cellular uptake and tolerance by healthy cells. Although mononuclear Ir(III) complex compounds have been extensively studied as promising candidates for antitumor application, the research on the antineoplastic potential of homo- or hetero-multinuclear iridium(III) complexes is not as abundant; nevertheless, intensive investigations have been conducted in the recent years towards developing complexes that are anticipated to have improved therapeutic potential and biotarget selectivity. Multimetallic iridium(III) frameworks have offered interesting possibilities for designing new antitumor agents by exploiting the action of different metal cations at the same time. This method was very successful in the design of homo- and hetero-multinuclear cyclometalated and half-sandwich organometallic Ir(III) compounds. In the described background, many homonuclear and heteronuclear Ir(III) complexes have been estimated and have exposed promising advantages in cancer therapy. This review intends to summarize newly reported innovative and promising multinuclear Ir(III)-based complexes and to afford a wide-ranging overview of current development and perspectives for the practical impact of these complexes in the tumor therapy field. It is anticipated that this analysis will provide significant direction for the further progress of active homonuclear and heteronuclear iridium-based anticancer agents.

Morphotypes of chrysophycean stomatocysts from four peatlands in the Changbai Mountains, northeastern China

The Changbai Mountains, recognized as one of the global biodiversity hotspots, remain underexplored in terms of chrysophycean stomatocysts, despite their rich biological diversity. This study investigated the diversity of chrysophycean stomatocysts in fifteen surface Sphagnum samples and thirteen peat core samples collected from Hani, Jinchuan, Gushantun and Yuanchi Peatlands of the Changbai Mountains, northeastern China. Sixty-eight morphotypes of stomatocysts were identified and described according to the International Statospore Working Group, with five new morphotypes. This is the first record of chrysophycean stomatocysts in the Changbai Mountains, highlighting rich morphotypes of stomatocysts in these temperate peatlands, and hence the results can improve our knowledge on the diversity of stomatocysts in the temperate monsoon regions and create a taxonomical basis for further stomatocyst-based environmental monitoring and paleoenvironmental studies.

Экологический мониторинг ведения хозяйственной деятельности на территории южно-таежного района

As is known, the conservation of biological diversity is the maintenance of the regulatory mechanisms of nature that ensure the smooth functioning and sustainable development of biogeocenoses and the biosphere as a whole. Forest ecosystems are among the most productive types of ecosystems on planet Earth, and possess some of the greatest degrees of biological diversity, including woody, shrubby, herbaceous plants, microorganisms, and elements of the animal world. The high productivity of forest ecosystems is largely due to the rich biological diversity of the elements of wildlife forming the biogeocenosis. That is, the conservation of the biological diversity of the forest environment is a necessary element of the conservation of the forest environment. This is evidenced by a number of regulatory documents, including the Federal Laws "On Environmental Protection" and "On Wildlife", the Forest Code of the Russian Federation and other regulatory legal acts. This article examines the expediency of allocating and preserving key biotopes in the issue of forestry activities in the rental bases of logging enterprises in the South Taiga region. The research was carried out on forest plots in the rental bases of logging enterprises in logging areas after continuous logging with measures taken to preserve key biotopes and elements of biological diversity. The methodological approaches included 4 consecutive stages: preparatory, desk, field and analytical. As a result of the conducted surveys, based on the data obtained (assessment of forest growing conditions, sanitary and living condition of the stand), the expediency of isolating and preserving key biotopes and elements of biological diversity in the process of logging operations was determined, which is confirmed by the sufficiently high stability of key biotopes in such areas.

Divergent evolution of colony-level metabolic scaling in ants.

Metabolic scaling-the relationship between organismal metabolic rate (R) and body mass (M)-is an important property of life. In general, this relationship has been summarized by the scaling function, R = aMb. Both the scaling elevation (a) and the scaling exponent (b) have been shown to diverge among taxa and ecological groups. However, it is unclear whether this ecological divergence observed in unitary organisms also occurs at higher levels of biological organization, such as eusocial colonies. We used the published literature to assemble the estimates of the metabolic rate of active colonies and their mass for 51 species of ants, along with three ecologically important traits with available data: trophic level (herbivorous to predaceous), foraging coordination level (solitary to trunk trail) and caste polymorphism (polymorphic vs. monomorphic). Interspecific colony metabolic scaling was steeper (higher b) in species occupying higher trophic levels and in species with polymorphic versus monomorphic workers. Species occupying higher trophic levels also had a higher metabolic level (higher a). These findings are consistent with divergent selection on colony-level metabolic scaling. We conclude that the ecological dependence of metabolic scaling has evolved across levels of biological organization and should be explicitly considered by both metabolic and social evolution theories.

Ботанико-географический анализ флоры старинных усадеб Воронежской области

Old manors are unique ecosystems in which plants from different bioclimatic zones coexist under conditions of high recreational load and anthropogenic pressure. The relevance of the study is due to the need to study the current state of the plant cover and the conservation of manor complexes of the Voronezh region. The purpose of the study was a botanical and geographical analysis of the flora of ancient estates in the Voronezh region. Research objectives: 1) to reveal the peculiarities of the flora of old homesteads in the Voronezh region; 2) to make a botanical and geographical analysis of the flora of old homesteads in the Voronezh region. In order to assess the current state of flora and vegetation, the floristic composition and characteristic plant communities of the territories of 59 homestead complexes were studied. The work is based on the geobotanical description of plant communities at the key sites. Botanical and geographical analysis of tree and shrub flora allowed to determine the origin of species composition. Inventory of tree and shrub flora of ancient parks of the Voronezh region showed that the number of species in them is uneven, depending on landscape and environmental conditions, degree of moisture, confinement to the types of terrain and morphostructure of the territory. The European (22.7%) and American groups (22.7%) make the largest contribution to the tree and shrub flora of homestead parks, with 17 species each; the Asian 12 (16.0%) and Mediterranean 3 (4.0%) geoelements are the least common. The protection of the biodiversity of manor complexes is of key importance for the preservation of cultural and natural heritage, as well as for maintaining the ecological sustainability of landscapes that serve as important reservoirs of biological diversity. One of the ways to preserve the species diversity of the flora of the Voronezh region's manor parks is the development of environmental projects aimed at the protection of rare plants of old manor parks, as well as the evaluation of the prospects of their use in the "green" construction.