Abstract
The paper presents new approaches for assessing the conservation value of plant communities based on the use of quantitative criteria contained in databases and eco-floristic classification of steppe vegetation in the Don basin (Rostov region). The Black Sea and Kazakhstan steppes have significant potential for environmental protection. Analysis of biodiversity levels has been facilitated by descriptions of plant communities and quantitative indicators of major faunal groups of soil invertebrates (macrofauna) in the Tobol-Turgai basin (Kostanay region, Kazakhstan). As the structure of soil invertebrate communities is closely associated with vegetation, its assessment can provide insight into the degree of preservation or the depth of disturbance of ecosystems such as those found in the Black Sea and Kazakhstan steppes.