Long-term changes of bird species richness revealed historical manor parks as biodiversity hotspots in cities

Abstract Environmental sustainability and resilience of cities is based on the biological diversity of green urban areas. Biodiversity of green infrastructure in dynamic urbanized environments is changing very fast. Understanding these ecological processes (and using them to environmental management of urban ecosystems) supports the application of birds as bioindicators. Although there is a consensus that long-term bird studies are extraordinarily valuable for better understanding of real temporal trends in avian urban diversity changes, these are still very rare. The main aim of this study is the assessment of long-term (30 years) changes in local bird species richness in historic manor parks in Central-European urbanized landscapes. Statistical testing of hypotheses as well as using calculation of faunistic indexes based on nest guild approach revealed high stability in bird diversity of large historic manor parks for comparison between 1994 and 2023 years. Results revealed the role of historic manor parks not only as historical sites but also as important urban biodiversity hotspots, which need specific management practice to maintain biodiversity in environmentally sustainable cities. Results also supported our better understanding of the joining of natural and historical heritage in cities worldwide in the frame of new scientific concept of Biocultural Diversity.