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A legeltetés célállatai között viszonylag ritkán fordulnak elő baromfifélék és relatíve kevesen vizsgálták eddig részletekbe menően a baromfilegeltetést, azon belül is a tyúklegeltetés hatását a gyepvegetációra. Munkánk során a Gödöllő melletti GAK Babatvölgyi Biokertészeti Tangazdaság bio almafás kertjében, mobilólas tartás mellett legeltetett ökológiai tojótyúk állomány által előidézett változásokat vizsgáltuk a gyepvegetáció tekintetében. A vizsgálat során 4 mintavételi egység legelt és kontroll részén 8 legeltetési szakaszt vizsgáltunk a legeltetés megkezdése, majd a legeltetés befejezése után. Jelen munkánkban a mobilólhoz legközelebb eső, így bolygatásnak leginkább kitett mintavételi egység adatait elemezzük. Felvételeinket az egyes növényfajok százalékos borításának és a növények fenológiai állapotának feljegyzésével készítettük, majd a vegetáció összetételét vizsgáltuk szociális magatartástípusok, természetvédelmi értékkategóriák és a legeltetési értékek alapján. Előzetes vizsgálataink eredményei azt mutatják, hogy a vizsgált terület vegetációját egy pár éves parlag képe jellemzi. A növényzetet nagyobb részt gyom- és zavarástűrő fajok alkotják, de természetes(ebb) állapotra utaló fajok is jelen vannak. A legelés hatásáról elmondható, hogy amellett, hogy a tojótyúkok elsősorban a könnyebben csipegethető, „lágyabb” növényi részeket legelik le, fenológiai fázistól függetlenül elfogyasztanak mindent, ami zöld növény, még a rostosabb pázsitfű fajokat és a mérgező növényeket is, igaz legkevésbé preferálva ezeket. A legeltetés hatásaival kapcsolatban meg kell még jegyezni, hogy a vizsgált időintervallumban nem volt tettenérhető a tyúklegeltetés érdemi gyomosító hatása, így a tyúkállomány legeltetése, mint rendhagyó módszer sikeresen alkalmazható egy arra alkalmas terület kezelésére.

A globális éghajlatváltozás Magyarország területén is megfigyelhető szélsőségeket eredményez. Jelen tanulmány ennek példáját elemzi az Ipoly-menti gyepterületeket egy 5 évet felölelő vizsgálata útján – ezen belül főként két szélsőséges klimatikus év tavaszi aspektusát hasonlítjuk össze és ennek hatását a tájhasználati szempontból meghatározó legelők vonatkozásában. A műholdfelvételek térhódítása és gyors fejlődése teszi lehetővé az élőhelyek minél pontosabb elemzését és a változások nyomon követését is, amit ezen tanulmányban is alkalmaztunk – a Sentinel-2A műhold adatainak felhasználásával. A műholdképeknek köszönhetően kvantilis információkat szerezhetünk, amelyek segítenek a vegetációs aktivitás kimutatásában – NDVI (Normalizált Vegetációs Index) –, míg a talajfelszínhez közeli rétegek víztelítettségének kimutatásához az MNDVI (Módosított Normalizált Víz Index) indexeket használtuk. A kutatásban a 2017 és 2022 közötti időszakot vizsgáltuk, melyből kiemelhető a 2020-as és a 2021-es, mint szélsőséges két év, aminek a tavaszi állapotát elemeztük részletesen. A műhold adatokat terepi, klasszikus kvadrát módszer felvételeivel egészítettük ki, illetve eredményeivel vettük össze. A vizsgált periódus alatt a csapadék mennyisége jelentősen eltért: 2021 volt a legszárazabb, míg a 2022-es év volt a legcsapadékosabb. A műholdképek alapján szélsőséges klímahatását detektáltuk az Ipoly-mentén található homoki gyepekben. A különböző, mintázott vegetáció egységekben, a mintapontok NDVI és MNDVI adatai között eltérés tapasztalható a vizsgált években, melyek összefüggést mutatnak a növényzetben megjelenő változásokkal. Az alkalmazott indexek a természetes gyepek, homoki gyepek esetben is jól alkalmazhatóak voltak, továbbá az eltérések is kivehetővé, követhetővé váltak. Ezzel párhuzamosan a cönológai felvételek adatai alapján a vegetációban bekövetkezett változások szintén jól indikálták a környezeti változást, elsősorban a nedvességi viszonyokat.

The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of the low level of Schizochytrium limacinum marine algae (daily 5 g per animal) on the milk, cheese, and whey composition; fatty acid profile of milk and cheese; and the sensory profile of goat milk using an e-nose device. Thirty Alpine goats were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (C, n = 15)—fed grass with daily 600 g concentrate and the experimental group (MA, n = 15) who received the same forage and concentrate supplemented with 5 g/head/day marine algae. Animals were kept indoors and the investigation period lasted 52 days, including the first six weeks as the period of adaptation and the last 10 days as the treatment period. During the adaptation period, bulk milk samples from each group were collected once a week (0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 d), while during the treatment period (10 days), bulk milk samples from each group were taken every day, and cheese samples were processed from bulk milk each day from both groups. Marine algae supplementation had no negative effect on milk composition. In contrast, the marine algae inclusion significantly elevated the fat and protein content of whey and the protein content of cheese, as well as the recovery of fat and protein in the curd, while increasing the cheeses’ moisture content on a fat-free basis. The marine algae supplementation significantly increased the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the rumenic acid (CLA c9t11) concentrations and decreased the n-6/n-3 ratio in the milk and cheese. There were no significant differences between the C and the MA group with regard to the sensory profiles of the milk. It can be concluded that the milk obtained from goats given daily supplementation of 5g of MA has a fatty acid profile more beneficial to human health, without any negative effects on the milk’s aromatic components.

In nature conservation today, there is a global problem with the aggressive expansion of invasive plant species and the conservation of valuable grassland vegetation. Based on this, the following question has been formed: Is the domestic water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) appropriate for managing various habitat types? How does grazing by water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) affect on grassland vegetation? This study was carried out in four areas of Hungary. One of the sample areas was in the Mátra Mountains, on dry grassland areas where grazing had been applied for two, four and six years. The other sample areas were in the Zámolyi Basin, where wet fens with a high risk of Solidago gigantea and in a typic Pannonian dry grassland were investigated. In all areas, grazing was carried out with domestic water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). During the study, we carried out a coenological survey, examining the change of cover of plant species, their feed values and the biomass of the grassland. According to the results, both the number and cover of economically important grasses (from 28% to 34.6%) and legumes (from 3.4% to 25.4%) increased in Mátra as well as the high proportion of shrubs (from 41.8% to 4.4%) shifted toward grassland species. In the areas of the Zámolyi Basin, invasive Solidago has been suppressed completely, the pasture has been converted completely (from 16% to 1%) and the dominant species has become Sesleria uliginosa. Thus, we have found that grazing with buffalo is suitable as a habitat management method in both dry grasslands and wet grasslands. Therefore, in addition to its effectiveness in the control of Solidago gigantea, grazing with buffalo is successful in both nature conservation and economic aspects of grassland vegetation.

Vizsgálataink során egy eredetileg legelőből feltöréssel szántóvá alakított, majd ezt követve újra legeltetett terület növényzetét, botanikai összetételét és gyepgazdálkodási értékét vizsgáltuk. A mintaterület a Zámolyi-medencében található ún. ”Szűzföld” 160 ha-os területe Csákvár mellett, amelyen 2009-ben magyar szürke szarvasmarhákkal legeltetés indult el. A terület növényzeti változását 1998-tól kísértük végig, 6 évente végeztünk felvételezéseket (1998, 2015, 2021). Minden gyeptípusban 6-6 cönológia felvételt készítettünk, ahol a mintaterületekben előforduló fajokat, valamint azok borítási értékeit adtuk meg. A vizsgálat során arra kerestük a választ, hogy a feltört területen a legeltetési rendszer kialakításával a növényzet természetvédelmi, cönológia és gyepgazdálkodási szempontból milyen irányban fejlődik. Mennyire volt sikeres a magyar szürke szarvasmarhákkal történő legeltetés?Az eredmények alapján elmondható, hogy a gyep sokkal mozaikosabbá vált, el tudtuk különíteni (2015, 2021) az üdébb és szárazabb fekvésű területek állományfoltjait. A legeltetés előrehaladtával a fajszám nőtt és a diverzitás is emelkedett, és a két elkülönített gyeptípus közül a nedvesebb, üdébb területek diverzitása volt a magasabb.A területen a gyepgazdálkodási szempontból fontos pázsitfüvek mennyisége – a fajszámot és a borítási értékeket is figyelembe véve – nőtt, valamint a pillangósok mennyisége is jelentősebb lett. A szárazabb területek domináns faja a Festuca pseudovina volt, míg az üdébb foltokban az Agrostis tenuis, A. stolonifera vált dominánssá. Az életformák alapján, elsősorban a Pignatti-féle kategóriák szerint a terület nincs túllegeltetve, a kúszó szárú és a tőlevélrózsás növények nem váltak meghatározóvá. A természetvédelmi értékelések alapján a terület növényzetének összetétele jelentősen eltolódott a természetes gyepek fajainak az irányába.A legeltetés során így az egységes kaszáló 1998-ban alapvetően gyomokkal volt jelentősen fedve, ami a vizsgált 23 év alatt nem csak természetvédelmi és gyepgazdálkodási szempontból értékesebb területté vált, hanem ez az állapot stabilizálódott is, amit a diverzitási értékek is megerősítenek.A vizsgált területen a gyepkezelési gyakorlat, a magyar szürke szarvasmarhákkal történő legeltetés mindkét szempontból, természetvédelmi és gazdálkodási szempont szerint is sikeres volt.

The utilization of wastewater in irrigated agriculture is becoming vital in those regions where access to freshwater is low. Wastewater in rice cultivation as an alternative water source can also play significant role in the future. This experiment was conducted in Szarvas, Hungary to evaluate the performance of a Hungarian rice variety (‘Janka’) irrigated with a saline effluent water from an intensive fish farm. Irrigation was carried out both in the form of direct use (I1) of the wastewater and with two additional treatments: I2 - gypsum supplementation, I3 - wastewater dilution with oxbow lake water and gypsum supplementation. Water from the local oxbow lake was set as irrigation control. During the experiment, the quality parameters, grain size and mineral composition (Na, K, Mg, Ca, and P) of rice seeds were measured. The study showed that the application of wastewater and treated wastewater decreased many of these parameters. I1 significantly reduced the thousand grain weight of paddy and cargo seeds. Meanwhile, I2 and I3 had a significant negative effect on the head rice percentage. Grain length, width and ratio were also decreased significantly compared to the control irrigation. Only the mineral content of the grains remained statistically unchanged. The current study showed that the selected rice variety generally reacted negatively to the wastewater and also to the treated wastewater.

A jelen munkában a Dunántúli-középhegység (Tihanyi-félsziget, Bakony, Keszthelyi-hegység) eltérő gazdálkodású gyepeiben folytattunk összehasonlító cönológiai vizsgálatokat. Értékeltük a fajösszetételben és borítási értékekben, elsősorban a gazdasági szempontból értékes fajok esetében végbement változásokat, az esetleges regeneráció vagy degradáció mértékét, illetve azt, hogy a növényzeti eltérések a gyepek takarmányozási értékében hogyan változnak. Felmértük, hogy milyen mértékben jelentek meg vagy tűntek el a fontos pázsitfüvek és pillangósvirágúak, hogyan változott a túllegeltetést elviselő fajok aránya, milyen a legeltetett, illetve a nem legeltetett területek növényi összetétele. Az eredmények alapján a vizsgált gyepekre általában jellemző a kedvezőtlen fajösszetétel, melynek kialakulása visszavezethető a rossz gazdálkodási stratégiára, a technológiai fegyelem hiányára. A vizsgált gyepek közül az összehasonlítási időszak alatt gyepgazdálkodási szempontból értékesebbé vált a Belső-tó melletti zárt gyep, ahol megváltoztatott művelési móddal kaszálóból szürkemarha legelőt alakítottak ki, és a sólyi volt (túl)legeltetett gyepek, valamint a vad-parlagi legelő, ahol felhagytak a legeltetéssel. A legjobb takarmányértékű fajok borítottsága itt is csökkent ugyan, de a gyepek összborítottsága jelentős mértékben növekedett, ezért a takarmányértékük nőtt. A felhagyott gyepekben a kezdeti fajszámnövekedés után viszont megindult a cserjésedés, amely idővel fel fog gyorsulni. Ez indokolja e területek további legeltetését, fenntartását megfelelő terhelés mellett.

The ascomycete fungus Venturia inaequalis causes scab disease, a major problem in apple production. The utilization of resistant cultivars is hindered by emerging new pathogen races, which erode their resistance. Increasing our knowledge on the population genetic processes of the fungus can contribute to the development of resistance gene deployment strategies and more durable resistance. We investigated the effect of four scab race indicator cultivars, ‘Gala’ (no R-gene), ‘Golden Delicious’ (Rvi1), ‘Geneva’ (Rvi3, complex), and OR45t132 (Rvi5), on the V. inaequalis population genetic structure and diversity. Sixty-six monosporic fungal isolates from the four cultivars were genotyped with seven simple sequence repeat primers. Furthermore, the partial resistance of the indicators and the pathogenicity profile of the conidia from each host were assessed. The genetic diversity and structure of the investigated V. inaequalis subpopulations correspond to the partial resistance of the original hosts as well as the subpopulations’ pathogenicity profiles. Indicators carrying Rvi3 and Rvi5 had strongly diverged and specialized V. inaequalis populations on them and fewer symptoms on the field. In line with the complete breakdown of the Rvi1 gene, the population from ‘Golden Delicious’ did not segregate from the susceptible ‘Gala’, and virulence towards Rvi1 was present in all subpopulations.

A fokozottan védett kaszpi haragossikló (Dolichophis caspius) pontos előfordulási helye kevéssé ismert. Előfordulási adatai sokáig csak a Szársomlyó (Villányi-hegység) és a Budai-hegység területeiről álltak fenn, majd a 2000-es években új lelőhelyeket találtak a Duna menti területeken. A Pesthidegkút közelében fekvő Vörös-kővár területén Ina Gros, német herpetológus 2012-ben egy tíz egyedből álló populációt fedezett fel. A természetvédelem kiemelt feladatai közé tartozik a természeti értékek, különösen a védett és fokozottan védett fajok megőrzése, ezért is különösen fontos, hogy a fajnak megfelelő védelmet biztosíthassunk, de ehhez meg kell ismernünk mind az élőhelyét, mind az élőhelyén található vegetációtípusokat. A kutatás célja az volt, hogy távérzékelési és térinformatikai eszközökkel feltérképezzük Vörös-kővár területének vegetációját az Interspect Kft. Nagyfelbontású Repülőgépes Monitoring Hálózat (NRMH) felvételére és módszerére alapozva. A munkánk során a terepen gyűjtött adatokkal töltöttük fel az NRMH mintaterületnek számító Vörös-kővár extrém nagy terepi felbontású háromdimenziós légi felmérésen alapuló folttérképét. Meghatároztuk az egyes vegetáció foltokat a gyepek esetében, és a fásszárú vegetációt egyed, illetve homogén csoport szinten felvételeztük. A körülhatárolt poligonok változatos vegetáció egységeket takarnak, ezen túl a méretük, magasságuk, a szintezettségük rendkívül heterogén és a természetes vagy természetközi élőhely foltok mellett még az antropogén tevékenység, felhagyott gyümölcsös és legeltetés nyomai is megtalálhatók. Az aljnövényzet látszólagosan ritkás, de ennek ellenére mégis fajgazdag és változatos, valamint a homokkő alapkőzetnek köszönhetően savanyúság jelző fajokat tartalmaz. Ezen túl a csupasz homokkő sziklákkal is tarkított erdős-cserjés központi magterületet lejtősztyepp és cserjés mozaikos élőhely sáv övezi, ami a vegetációban rendkívüli változatosságot biztosít.

Festucetum vaginatae Rapaics ex Soó 1929 em. Borhidi 1996 is a characteristic association of the calcareous sandy areas of the Pannonian basin; its dominant grass species is Festuca vaginata. Another typical species of these sandy areas is the newly discovered F. pseudovaginata. The question is whether F. pseudovaginata forms an independent coenotaxa? Our study proved that F. vaginata and F. pseudovaginata populations grow separately and compose different associations. Stands dominated by F. pseudovaginata had a higher species richness and harboured twice as many Festuco-Brometea species compared to the Festucetum vaginatae stands. Diagnostic species of the Festucetum pseudovaginatae association are Festuca pseudovaginata, Colchicum arenarium, Ephedra distachya, Koeleria majoriflora, and Astragalus onobrychis. The number of species, the density of the individuals, and the variability and diversity of the vegetation separated it from the Festucetum vaginatae association; thus, it can be considered an independent endemic association. Festucetum pseudovaginatae has its own differentiating and dominant species: Carex stenophylla, Cynodon dactylon, Eryngium campestre, Kochia laniflora.

Loess vegetations of the Carpathian Basin have been ploughed for a thousand years. Therefore, loess steppes of verges of the Transdanubia have nearly disappeared. Therefore, in Hungary, it is also important to find out the composition of loess vegetation. The aims of our study were to date the age of the sample verges and explore types of verges. Is there a correlation between the types, location, expanse and vegetation types of the verges? Which of the coenologically important species of the genus Festuca occur in the verges and patches of loess grassland? The studies were carried out in three areas. We examined the age of the verges and their natural condition. Floristic and coenological surveys were applied to analyse the diversity of the verges. Inflorescence morphological analysis of the dominant Festuca species in the vegetation was carried out by analysing 25 parameters. Our results showed that not only the age of verges was valuable and natural. Most of the loess species did not appear in old verges. Consequently, we should not rely only on the age of the verges to make hypotheses about its natural condition and vegetation. Based on the coenological data, there were two types of verges, which were the interspaced verge and the border verge. Based on the diversity assessment from the survey, data of the interspaced verge showed the highest diversity value, the diversity value was higher than 4. Among the studied taxa, Festuca pseudovina was separated clearly as a homogeneous group. The morphotaxonomic parameters were not enough for species identification of F. valesiaca and F. callieri, but they were not enough for F. rupicola neither, so the examination of the sclerenchyma is required. Overall, in contrast to the previous hypothesis, the age of the grassland fragments is not the most important factor, but rather their location, size, the number of species and the diversity are adapted to them.

This study is focused on the vegetation of seminatural dry grasslands. These grasslands are valuable with large biodiversity; however, their long-term preservation requires regular conservation management. This report demonstrates the results of a 13-years mowing experiment, designed to suppress the spread of an unpalatable grass species, Calamagrostis epigejos. The study site was located in mid-successional grasslands, in the Western-Cserhát, near Rád, Northern Hungary. The experimental design consisted of eight permanent plots, where mowing was applied twice a year. The vegetation was sampled annually (from 2001 to 2013). The impacts of mowing were tested using repeated–measures analyses of variance (ANOVA). In 2001, Calamagrostis epigejos was the species with the highest cover in both the mown and control sites, with an average cover value of 63%. However, as a result of mowing, a significant difference was detected in the amount of litter and legumes species as well. The number of species showed an increase in both types of treatment, from 15 to 37 in the mowed plots, but also from 18 to 27 in the control plots. We concluded that mowing twice a year proved to be a useful measure for modifying botanical composition of a grassland. It was well suited for agricultural usage, in particular grazing, which can replace the expensive and time-consuming scythe. Mowing can also be a suitable management measure for controlling native invader species such as Calamagrostis epigejos, and can significantly increase the proportion of species with higher forage values.

Jelen tanulmány az Ipoly mente ártéri élőhelyeinek klasszikus és távérzékelési módszerrel készült élőhelytérképeinek összevetésével és alkalmazási lehetőségeivel foglalkozik. A módszer a természetes ökológiai folyamatok bemutatása mellett, az emberi tájhasználat (legeltetés, kaszálás) hatásainak megismerésére is jó példa, komplex volta miatt pedig alkalmas a tájban és a vegetációban bekövetkező változások bemutatására, általánosításra. A kiválasztott mintaterület olyan jellegzetes vegetáció-együttes, aminek a monitorozása a táji szintű változások szempontjából, a szélesebb tájegységre is kiterjeszthető. A vizsgálatban több kérdésre kerestük a választ, minthogy található-e átfedés a Sentinel 2 műholdképek pixel adatai és a terepi térképezés között, ha igen, milyen mértékű, illetve az eltérések mely élőhely kategóriák esetében mutathatók ki? Továbbá a normalizált vegetációs index (NDVI) és a térképezett élőhely kategóriák között kerestük az esetleges összefüggéseket. Az élőhelyfoltok jelölésében az Általános Nemzeti Élőhely-osztályozási Rendszer (ÁNÉR) kategóriarendszerét vettük alapul. A kapott eredmények alapján a vízterek és az urbánus területek jól elkülöníthetők más természetes élőhelyektől. Egyes természetes vegetációtípusoktól is elhatárolást tapasztaltunk, ilyenek többek között a gyepek és a fás vegetációk. A klasszikus élőhelytérképezés foltjai egyezést mutattak a távérzékelési adatokkal, mintegy jó kontrollként is működtek. Ezen túl az egyes foltokon belüli izolált részek is kimutathatók, ami további információval szolgál a területhasznosításról, hiszen a legeltetés szempontjából gyakorlati jelentőséggel is bír.

Quality and quantity of different irrigation water types from conventional and alternative sources have a significant role on the productive parameters and chemical composition of crop plants. Appropriate alternative water sources and the reutilization of agricultural effluents can reduce the impact of rice production and animal husbandry on the natural water bodies. In the present study, influence of four different types of irrigation water was analyzed on the nutrient uptake (P, K, Ca, Mg, Na) of aerobic rice (Oryza sativaL.) in a complex lysimeter experiment in two consecutive years. Early maturing Hungarian rice varieties (M 488 and Janka) were irrigated with traditional river water (RW) and different alternative irrigation sources to evaluate the feasibility of a sodium containing intensive fish farm effluent with (EWG) or without (EW) gypsum supplementation and with the addition of natural river water (EWGR). Significant effects on the mineral content of the aboveground biomass were measured. P uptake by M 488 and Janka decreased after the irrigation with EW in 2017. In case of EW, EWG and EWGR, the Na content increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) in both varieties; however, pre-treatment of salt containing effluent waters can moderate the stress level. As a consequence, the ability of both rice varieties to absorb Na suggests that rice production could be conditionally part of bioremediation of salt-affected soils and water bodies.

This article evaluates the three-year vegetation dynamics of a species rich, protected steppe grassland on loess where no grazing occurred for decades at Bicske, Central Hungary. A detailed coenological survey of vascular vegetation was conducted in four permanent plots of 16 m2 each from 2018 to 2020. Raunkiaer’s life-forms, distribution range, and thousand-seed weight of species were evaluated. Shannon diversity and turnover rates for the species and the vegetation were also determined for each plot. In total, 108 vascular plant species were detected. The results indicate grassland stability when plant traits spectra were based on species presence data, but directional change if species cover values were used to weight trait categories. During the three years of the study, chamaephytes decreased and woody species increased their contribution for the Raunkiaer’s life-forms, while the cosmopolitan group has steadily lost its significance for distribution range types. Shannon diversity varied between 2.46 and 3.18 among plots (based on natural logarithm) and remained statistically unchanged through time. Average species turnover rates were 14.18% for 2018/19 and 17.52% for 2019/20, whereas corresponding values for vegetation turnover rates were 25.83% and 23.28%. Vegetation turnover rate was significantly higher than the species turnover rate.

Our study focused on the compositional changes of Pannonian semi-natural dry grasslands. The preservation of these valuable habitats requires regular management. Our mowing experiment aimed to study the suppression of the native dominant Calamagrostis epigejos L. Roth in mid-successional grasslands. Mowing was applied twice a year in eight permanent plots. The vegetation was sampled annually from 2001 to 2021. The impacts of mowing were tested using repeated–measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). After 10 years, the cover of C. epigejos in the mown plots decreased significantly, from an initial average cover of 56.6 to 5.6%. In 20 years, it declined to 1.3%. Surprisingly, in the control plots, it decreased also from 63.7 to 6.9%. Species richness was affected by mowing: significant differences between mown and control plots were detected from the eighth year of our experiment. However, species richness steadily increased in both treatment types from 15 to 36 in the mown plots and 18 to 25 in the control plots, indicating a combined effect of vegetation succession and treatment. Our results suggest that long-term in situ experiments and comprehensive botanical studies are necessary to provide a basis for multi-objective management and reliable utilization of grasslands.

Due to the threats posed by climate change and landscape alteration, there is an increasing need to better understand using seed banks of continental grasslands as a possible aid to conservation and restoration. Here, the soil seed bank of a wet grassland type, an ecotone and a semi-dry grassland type, all formed along a slope in NE Hungary, were compared from the aspect of recovery potential. For this, a vegetation survey and a seedling emergence examination were performed. The seed banks of the three grassland types differed significantly in terms of density. It was significantly higher in both the wet and the ecotone grassland types than in the semi-dry one. The seed banks of the three grassland types proved to be very similar in terms of diversity. The floristic similarity between the vegetation and the seed banks was much higher in both the wet and the ecotone grassland types than in the semi-dry one. Most of the abundant species of the vegetation had transient seed banks, but more of the characteristic species of the wet and the ecotone grassland types maintained dense and/or persistent seed banks than those of the semi-dry one. In the case of degradation, a complete recovery is not ensured by the seed bank of either studied grassland type; however, compared to that of the semi-dry grassland, the wet grassland’s seed bank better supports an increase in diversity within a limited period. In the case of restoration, within five years after destruction, it could be more rewarding to deal with wet grassland types prior to dry ones.

Organisms with different life histories are able to act as indicators of different characteristics of their environment. Here, we compared the precision of habitat indication by the vegetation and soil microbial communities in four salt-affected pastures: annual open salt sward, Pannonic Puccinellia limosa hollow, Artemisia saline puszta and grassy saline puszta. Dissimilarity of habitats was evaluated by standardized principal component analysis (PCA) based on four different datasets: catabolic profiles of microbial communities in June (a) and September (b), composition of vascular vegetation (c) and physical and chemical properties of the soil (d). Procrustes analysis was used to quantify the resemblance between pairs of PCA ordinations based on soil properties (d) and various biotic communities (a, b, c). PCA ordination based on vegetation most closely matched the soil data-based ordination, thus vegetation appears to better indicate habitat conditions than soil microbial communities do. For microbial communities, a better agreement with the soil data-based ordination was reached in September than in June. Most probably, the long-lived sedentary habit of perennial plants in these communities requires adaptation to long-term average habitat conditions. In contrast, short-lived soil microbes can quickly follow environmental changes, thus the composition of soil microbial communities better reflect actual soil conditions.

Aerial surveys have always significantly contributed to the accurate mapping of certain geographical phenomena. Remote sensing opened up new perspectives in nature monitoring with state-of-the-art technical solutions using modern onboard recording equipment. We developed the technical background and the methodology that supports detailed and cost-effective monitoring of a network of natural areas, thereby detecting temporal changes in the spatial pattern of land cover, species, biodiversity, and other natural features. In this article, we share our experiences of the technical background, geometric accuracy and results of comparisons with selected Copernicus Land Monitoring products and an Ecosystem Map based on the testing of our methodology at 25 sites in Hungary. We combined a high-spatial-resolution aerial remote sensing service with field studies to support an efficient nature conservation monitoring network at 25 permanent sites. By analyzing annually (or more frequently) orthophotos taken with a range of 0.5–5 cm spatial resolution and 3D surface models of aerial surveys, it is possible to map the upper canopy of vegetation species. Furthermore, it allows us to accurately follow the changes in the dynamics at the forest edge and upper canopy, or the changes in species’ dominance in meadows. Additionally, spatial data obtained from aerial surveys and field studies can expand the knowledge base of the High-Resolution Aerial Monitoring Network (HRAMN) and support conservation and restoration management. A well-conducted high-resolution survey can reveal the impacts of land interventions and habitat regeneration. By building the HRAMN network, nature conservation could have an up-to-date database that could prompt legal processes, establish protection designation procedures and make environmental habitat management more cost-effective. Landscape protection could also utilize the services of HRAMN in planning and risk reduction interventions through more reliable inputs to environmental models.

Habitat mapping was carried out on Vésztő-Mágorpuszta Nature Reserve based on the Hungarian National Habitat Classification System. Habitat codes occurring within habitat patches and short description of each patch are given in parallel with a detailed species list (completed with dominance relations). Based on these, a habitat map of the area and habitat-based thematic maps of sodic areas influenced by water were prepared. The central part of the observed area is diverse and valuable from a botanical point of view, part of the area with complex patches is sodic, in between with sporadic lowland swards and some smaller lowland steppes. Possible reason for abandonment of management on these areas could be the influence of water. Rate of areas with higher dominance of weeds is small.

A talajtani és növénytani felvételezések helyszíne a Tihanyi-félszigeten található Belső-tó környéke, ahol 2017. júniusában négy mintaterületet jelöltünk ki. A terepbejárások alkalmával a mintaterületek talaját megmintáztuk (a helyszíni vizsgálatokat követően a minták akkreditált laboratóriumba kerültek), illetve a kijelölt területeken cönológiai vizsgálatokat is végeztünk. A terepbejárások, valamint a részletes talajtani és növénytani elemzés alapján megállapítható, hogy a mintaterületeken a megelőző tájhasználat igen erős degradációt okozott: még mindig jelen vannak a degradációra utaló taxonok. A tájhasználat-váltást követően azonban beindultak a regenerációs folyamatok. A talaj-növény vizsgálatokkal (is) bizonyítható mozaikosság egyik előnye, hogy széleskörű tájhasználatot rejt magában, ami segít a tájat legkevésbé terhelő gazdálkodási mód megválasztásában is. A Tihanyi-félszigeten sok élő és élettelen természeti érték található, amely nem csak a természetes degradációnak van kitéve, de az ember által okozott beavatkozásnak is. A korábbi talajtérképeken ábrázolt sokszínű talajtakaró jelentős részét érintette a területen folytatott legeltetés és a turizmus hatása. A kialakult talajtípusok nem maradtak meg eredeti állapotukban: a réti csernozjom talajokon (Belső-tó) tömődöttséget és a szerkezet szétesését, illetve eróziót eredményezett az emberi beavatkozás. A talajpusztulás (talajkopás) a termőréteg csökkenésével, a szerkezet romlásával, a váz-, kőzethatású és lejtőhordalék talajok arányának növekedésével járt együtt. A vizsgálatok azt igazolták, hogy a legeltetett területeken a magyar szürke szarvasmarha állomány egyedszáma a gyep fenntartása szempontjából ideális. A tájhasznosítás ugyanis abban az esetben tekinthető tájökológiai szempontból megfelelőnek, ha a tájjelleget (tájkaraktert) meghatározó ökoszisztémát, illetőleg a felszínborítást nem módosítja jelentős mértékben, a növényzetben az eredeti vegetációhoz legközelebb állót, míg a talajtani folyamatokban a természeteshez közelieket ismerhetjük fel.

The thousands of kilometers of forest steppes in Eurasia belong to the most threatened ecosystems thanks to habitat loss. We have limited knowledge on the recolonization ability of forest steppe species to date, which is the reason we examined the textural and structural changes in these species during secondary succession in areas of different former land use. The species number, cover, and diversity of forest steppe species, especially those of the Festuco-Brometea group, became significant for all three types in the oldest fallows. The number and proportion of forest steppe species have been steadily increasing in abandoned vineyards and arable land, indicating that forest steppe species are able to rapidly recolonize. The increase in the number and cover of forest steppe species in abandoned grasslands reveals that the replacement of the species pool of these grasslands is not necessarily accompanied by degradation, but also by the appearance and spread of valuable natural species if the habitat is sufficiently patchy. The proportions of habitat categories level off in abandoned vineyards and arable land as abandonment progresses. The cover rates of disturbed habitats species were negligible for all three types for the third decade after abandonment, indicating a change in the quality of the species pool.

The European temperate forest zone has great importance, in terms of maintaining the habitats of not only forests but also anthropogenous grasslands, which were formed as a result of habitat reconstruction. These habitats have great importance, by means of nature conservation, landscape use, economy, and forest and grassland use. The mosaic-like habitat complexes that consist of these grasslands and forest patches help to increase biodiversity and supply the habitat for forest game. In this survey, changes in the vegetation of the temperate forests (Fagetum) of the Mátra Mountains of Hungary were investigated after reconstruction. In 2012, shrub cutting was carried out in the area of Parádóhuta, and then three different management methods (abandoning, mowing, and grazing) were utilized. Our goals were the following: to perform a vegetation survey of the sample areas (i); surveying the natural regeneration of the grassland and analyzing its biodiversity, nature conservation, and economical value (ii); and analyzing the vegetation in terms of nature conservation and valuing its life form spectrum, economy values, and livestock-feeding ability (iii). According to our results, systematic mowing and a less-intensive grazing had a significantly positive effect on biodiversity and the coverage of species, thus increasing the naturalness of the studied grassland habitats, while wild game were able to act as ecological engineers.

Research highlights: In the present survey we examined the sandy grasslands appearing in the steppe-forest-steppe vegetation in the central part of the Carpathian Basin along the Danube. Background and objectives: We aimed to answer the following questions: Is it possible to build a picture of the past form of the vegetation through the examination of these vegetation units based on dominant grass taxa? Is Festuca wagneri an element of open grasslands or steppes? According to our hypothesis, these surveys can help reveal the original or secondary woody, shrubby patches through clarifying dominant taxa. Materials and Methods: We studied the grasslands in terms of coenology, putting great emphasis on the dominant Festuca taxa. Based on our preliminary surveys and literature, three vegetation types can be separated based on one single dominant Festuca taxon in each. The survey was conducted in four different locations in the Carpathian Basin. The cover of dominant grass species was used as an indicator value. The pedological background was also examined. Results: F. vaginata grassland is an open vegetation type based on its coenosystematic composition and ecological values. It grows in very weakly developed calcareous soil with sandy texture, with its lowest and highest organic carbon content ranging from 0.2% to 11.3% (0.2%), and the highest carbonate content (11.3%). Where the grasslands were disturbed, F. pseudovaginata and the recently discovered F. tomanii appeared. These taxa were also found in forest patches. The soil under F. pseudovaginata was more developed, in the surface horizon with higher organic carbon content (1.1%) and lower carbonate content (6.9%). The soil profile under F. wagneri developed the most, as the presence of deep and humus rich soil material from deflation and degradation showed. Conclusions: the dominant Festuca taxa of these vegetation types are good indicators of the changes in the vegetation and their ecological background.

Research Highlights: We examined the vegetation appearing in forest-steppes in the Pannon region. In the present survey taxonomical relations of the dominant Festuca species were examined. Background and Objectives: After deforestation and shrubcutting bare soil patches exposed to anthropogenous effects provided an opportunity for new vegetation to form. Materials and Methods: Inflorescence parameters and micromorphological characters of the leaves were examined in a new taxon and compared with two, presumably closely related, species of the genus Festuca L. Festuca tomanii Korneck &amp, T.Gregor, with silvery leaf surface, Festuca vaginata W. K. and Festuca pseudovaginata Penksza were compared based on 24 traits of the inflorescence and their leaf anatomy studied on leaf cross-sections. Moreover, leaf micromorphological features were compared using a stereomicroscope, a scanning electron microscope completed with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy measurements and phytolith analysis method to establish the taxonomic applications of the micromorphological characters of the epidermis. Results: The awns of the lemma of Festuca tomanii were shown to be longer than those of the two other species. Festuca vaginata and Festuca pseudovaginata specimen showed low variability in inflorescence parameters but inflorescence characters were not uniform because the panicle of Festuca tomanii individuals was found to be bigger in the northern part than the panicles originating from the southern part of the sampled area. The phytolith assemblages of the Festuca pseudovaginata and Festuca tomanii differ from the Festuca vaginata in the abundance of ELONGATE SINUATE phytolith morphotype. Conclusions: we confirmed the appearance of F. vaginata in natural grasslands and discovered new occurrences of F. pseudovaginata and F. tomanii. F. pseudovaginata inhabits only the Pannon region, we found endemic and natural stands of it, but in its secondary habitats it was confirmed as a completely new species. Furthermore, taxa of disturbed vegetations are currently being examined. These habitats are potential hotspots of speciation.

The Ipoly Valley is a natural habitat along the Ipoly River, only slightly affected by water management; therefore, this is an especially sensitive area and reflects well the vegetation changes in the driest (2020) and wettest (2010) years. The study’s aim is to identify natural changes within habitats and the evaluation of habitat types’ boundaries. For the study, a hand-held GPS device was applied on-site. The habitat identification is based on the General National Habitat Classification System (Á-NÉR). In addition to on-site data, Sentinel-2A satellite data were used to compare different extreme years 2020 and 2021—changes in different habitat patches using different vegetation indices. A change in precipitation causes shifts in the vegetation, this is shown on a map. As we predicted, decreasing the precipitation results in a decrease of the area of wet habitat patches. The satellite image shows a more accurate picture of the real location of the associations, which is important for long-term research. In addition, we can get accurate data on the situation of areas (roads and paths) affected by anthropogenic factors.

When an artificial surface (e.g. an asphalt road) reflects strongly and horizontally polarized light as water bodies do in the nature, polarotactic aquatic insects, like the creek-dwelling Ephemera danica mayflies easily become deceived. After swarming above the creek surface, E. danica females begin their upstream compensatory flight and can be deflected at bridges with an asphalt road and continue their flight above the road surface. Thus, the water-mimicking optical signal of the road may deceive water-seeking polarotactic mayflies and lead them to distant, polarized-light-polluting surfaces, which elicit anomalous oviposition. On an asphalt road crossing a creek, we deployed polarizing insect traps at different distances from the bridge. The traps captured E. danica mayflies and their catch numbers indicated that these mayflies originated from the direction of the bridge, proving that they followed the track of the road. Our results suggest that distant polarized-light-polluting objects along an asphalt road can trap mayflies emerging from a creek crossing the road. The combination of an asphalt road and a man-made in situ (local) polarizing surface forms a complex ecological trap, being capable of luring aquatic insects from greater distances. To eliminate the oviposition of dangered polarotactic aquatic insects emerging from a creek onto the asphalt road crossing the creek, we suggest to deploy strongly and horizontally polarizing water-filled black trays along the edge of the road during the swarming period. Thus, the eggs of the deceived insects can be moved back to the creek in order to assist the conservation of the offspring-generation.

Assessing habitat naturalness belongs to the most current issues in conservation biology. It has been recognized that plants are able to indicate the naturalness of their habitat. Thus, species may be given relative naturalness indicator values (i.e. scores on an ordinal scale), reflecting their different tolerances against habitat degradation. In the present study, our first goal was to test whether relative naturalness indicator values are able to reveal known differences in naturalness levels. Our second purpose was to compare four different methodological approaches in order to identify which is the most reliable when analyzing habitat naturalness. We compared near-natural and degraded plots on the bases of (1) unweighted plot means, (2) plot medians, (3) unweighted naturalness indicator value populations, and (4) frequency-weighted naturalness indicator value populations. We found that relative naturalness indicator values performed well in differentiating among near-natural and degraded veg...

In the Palaearctic steppe zone, overgrazing was identified as one of the key drivers of declining grassland biodiversity, which underlines the necessity of the functional evaluation of increased grazing pressure on grassland vegetation. We tested the following hypotheses: (a) The effect of grazing intensity on species and functional diversity is strongly dependent on grassland type. (b) The magnitude of diet selectivity of grazers decreases with increasing grazing intensity. (c) Increasing grazing intensity increases evenness and functional evenness of the subjected grasslands. We analyzed vegetation patterns in four types of grasslands (Dry alkali short‐grass steppes, Dry loess steppes, Non‐alkali wet and Alkali wet grasslands) along an intensity gradient of beef cattle grazing at 73 sites in Hungary. Species richness, Shannon diversity, evenness, and four leaf traits were analyzed. We calculated community‐weighted means for each single trait, and multi‐trait functional richness, functional evenness, and divergence for all leaf traits. All species and functional diversity metrics were significantly affected by the grassland type, except leaf dry matter content. The effect of interaction between grazing intensity and grassland type was also significant for functional richness, functional evenness, community‐weighted means of leaf area, and for species richness and evenness. An upward trend of specific leaf area was detected in all grasslands with the highest scores for the overgrazed sites, but the change was also grassland type dependent. The detected trend suggests that with increased intensity the overall selectivity of grazing decreased. We found that evenness was affected but functional evenness was not affected by grazing intensity. Functional evenness scores were more related to the grassland type than to changes in grazing intensity, and displayed a high variability. We stress that one‐size‐fits‐all strategies cannot be recommended and actions should be fine‐tuned at least at the level of grassland type.

The taxonomic value of phytolith assemblages and their degree of variability within different species of the same genus is still an undervalued issue in the botanical range of phytolith studies. However the understanding of grass phytolith variance and its implications to plant systematics is doubtless.In the present study phytoliths of the lateral shoots (leaves) of nine, globally distributed Poa species (Pooideae – Poaceae) are described. Phytoliths were recovered from Poa specimens by the dry ashing technique. Altogether 6223 disarticulated phytoliths were counted (approximately 500–700 phytoliths per species) in 54 plant samples, which cover six shoots of nine species. Not only the relative frequency of each morphotype was calculated, but measurements were conducted to determine the biogenic silica content of Poa lateral shoots. A phytolith reference collection for the nine selected species of a worldwide importance was also compiled. The description of the most significant phytolith morphotypes and their taxonomic relationships are given here.Results suggest that the biogenic silica content of the Poa lateral shoots was determined to be relatively high within all nine species. Phytolith assemblage data was subjected to multivariate statistical analyses (e.g., CA and PCA) in order to find differences and similarities among the nine Poa species. Results show that the two closely related Poa of the P. pratensis species group, namely the P. pratensis and P. angustifolia, only slightly differ from the other Poa species if we consider their rondel-trapeziform short cells (SC) phytolith frequencies.

Timing of flowering is a critical component of community assembly, but how plant traits respond to heterogeneity of resources has been identified mostly through observations of spatial variations. Thus, we performed a trait-based phenological study in sub-Mediterranean grasslands to assess the importance of temporal variation of resources in the species assemblage processes. We found that early flowering species have traits allowing for slow resource acquisition and storage but rapid growth rate. Instead, mid- and late-flowering species exhibited sets of strategies devoted to minimizing water loss by evapotranspiration or aimed at maximizing the species’ competitive ability, thanks to slow growth rate and more efficient resource acquisition, conservation and use. Our findings were consistent with the fluctuation niche theory. We observed that the amplitude of the environmental fluctuations influences the type and number of strategies positively filtered by the system. In fact, in the most productive grasslands, we observed the highest number of indicator trait states reflecting strategies devoted to the storage of resources and competition for light. Results seem also indicate that temporal variation of resources plays a role in trait differentiation and richness within a plant community, filtering traits composition of grasslands in the same direction, as formerly proved for spatial heterogeneity of resources.

The aim of our study was to reveal the differences in the species composition and soil properties of open sandy grasslands dominated by different Festuca species, Festuca vaginata and F. pseudovaginata. Due to the arid conditions, sandy grasslands are generally covered by xerothermic vegetation in which F. vaginata is a typical dominant species. Festuca pseudovaginata, a species newly described by the authors, can also gain dominance in sandy grasslands. However, species composition and soil properties of grasslands dominated by this recently discovered species are still undiscovered. Based on previous coenological studies, we hypothesised that the grasslands characterised by the endemic F. vaginata are more species-rich than those with F. pseudovaginata. Coenological sampling was carried out in May 2009 at two study sites using the Braun-Blanquet method in quadrats of 2 m × 2 m. Five relevés were sampled in stands dominated by F. vaginata and F. pseudovaginata respectively at two study sites in Central Hungary, resulting in a total of twenty relevés. Analyses were based on the cover scores of vascular plant species and cryptogam crust and values of seven soil properties (pH [KCl], pH [H2O], humus, total N, Ca, P2O5 and K2O) measured in the 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil layers. Soil properties of the grasslands dominated by F. pseudovaginata and F. vaginata (dependent variables) were compared by linear mixed models, where ‘grassland type’ was the fixed factor and ‘site nested in grassland type’ was considered as random factor. Data were analysed by cluster analysis, fusion algorithm was a combinatorial method (minimising increase of variance), and the correlation was used as comparative function. We compared the cover of subordinate species by Mann-Whitney U test. We found that F. pseudovaginata and F. vaginata samples were well separated, and grasslands dominated by F. pseudovaginata had nearly two times more species than those dominated by F. vaginata. Based on the cluster analyses using plant cover and upper 0–15 cm soil layer data, F. pseudovaginata and F. vaginata groups could be well separated. Linear mixed models revealed that F. vaginata grasslands were typical on soils with higher pH, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium contents compared to F. pseudovaginata grasslands, which indicates a tight connection between the properties of the upper soil layer and the vegetation in sandy grasslands.

Cell replication integrates aberrations of cell cycle regulation and diverse upstream pathways which all can contribute to melanoma development and progression. In this study, cell cycle regulatory proteins were detected in situ in benign and malignant melanocytic tumors to allow correlation of major cell cycle fractions (G1, S-G2, and G2-M) with melanoma evolution. Dysplastic nevi expressed early cell cycle markers (cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 2; Cdk2) significantly more (p 0.05) than common nevi. Post-G1 phase markers such as cyclin A, geminin, topoisomerase IIα (peaking at S-G2) and aurora kinase B (peaking at G2-M) were expressed in thin (≤1 mm) melanomas but not in dysplastic nevi, suggesting that dysplastic melanocytes engaged in the cell cycle do not complete replication and remain arrested in G1 phase. In malignant melanomas, the expression of general and post-G1 phase markers correlated well with each other implying negligible cell cycle arrest. Post-G1 phase markers and Ki67 but none of the early markers cyclin D1, Cdk2 or minichromosome maintenance protein 6 (Mcm6) were expressed significantly more often in thick (1 mm) than in thin melanomas. Marker expression did not differ between metastatic melanomas and thick melanomas, with the exception of aurora kinase A of which the expression was higher in metastatic melanomas. Combined detection of cyclin A (post-G1 phase) with Mcm6 (replication licensing) and Ki67 correctly classified thin melanomas and dysplastic nevi in 95.9 % of the original samples and in 93.2 % of cross-validated grouped cases at 89.5 % sensitivity and 92.6 % specificity. Therefore, cell cycle phase marker detection can indicate malignancy in early melanocytic lesions and accelerated cell cycle progression during vertical melanoma growth.

Az Alföldön egykor hatalmas kiterjedésű löszpusztagyepek, a szántóföldek terjeszkedése miatt ma már leginkább csak a mezsgyékben gyakran csupán néhány méter széles, de számos értékes és ritka élőlényt rejtő állományokként maradtak fenn. Elsősorban az ősi, elsődleges mezsgyék értékesek, de az agrárkörnyezetgazdálkodásiprogramoknak köszönhetően nemzetközi szinten is előtérbe kerültek a másodlagosankialakított szegélyek. Az agrár-környezetgazdálkodási programok sikere érdekében Magyarországon is fontos lenne tudnunk, hogy milyen növényzet alakulhat ki a másodlagos mezsgyéken. Munkánk során célul tűztük ki a vizsgált mezsgyék korának minél pontosabb meghatározását, a mezsgyék növényzete és kora közöttiösszefüggések feltárását, valamint azon tényezők meghatározását, amelyek kulcsfontosságúak a természetvédelmi szempontból értékes mezsgyék fennmaradásához, kialakulásához. Eredményeink azt mutatták, hogy nem csak a legősibb mezsgyék állapota volt természetes. Sőt a legjobb értékeket az 1893-ban kijelölt, másodlagos eredetű vasúti mezsgye mutatta. Az elsődleges mezsgyék közül számos degradált állapotú, esetlegegy-két ritka faj jelzi, hogy valaha értékesebb lehetett növényzetük. Jellemzően a széles, szántóföldekkel közvetlenül nem érintkező mezsgyék voltak jó természetességűek. Ebből arra következtethetünk, hogy számostényező együttes jelenléte szükséges a természetes, ősi vegetáció fennmaradásához. Másodlagos mezsgyékesetében a kor mellett rendkívül fontos a megfelelő propagulum forrás is. Éppen ezért fontos, hogy még addig szaporítsuk a szántószegélyek számát és kiterjedését, amíg van honnan visszatelepülniük a természetvédelmiszempontból értékes fajok.

Among the most extended ecosystems of the temperate zone, the seminatural, dry grasslands constitute a substantial proportion in the Carpathian Basin. The aim of our present study was to investigate the short-term effect of extensive fertilization on the species composition and CO2 exchange of loess grassland at community level. The in situ investigation of the latter parameter have not been yet carried out in Pannonian loess grasslands. Most of the parameters studied showed a considerable interannual variation both in the fertilized and in the control stands. As a result of the treatment, the average species number of the fertilized stand decreased by 22%, which was more significant in the autumn (26%) than in the spring. Diversity values, including Shannon index and species richness, increased by nearly 1.5 times in the year with adequate rainfall compared with the initial values. In general, species richness and the ratio of dicots decreased, while the ratio of therophytes, alien competitors, and C4 plants increased with the addition of fertilizers. Significant carbon sequestration potential was only detected during wet periods in the fertilized grass. The rate of CO2 uptake was found to be nearly five times higher in the fertilized stand and nearly three times higher in the control stand during the wet year compared with the previous, extremely dry year. The CO2 uptake potential of the fertilized grassland exceeded that of the control stand by 12% in the year with high rainfall, while the rate of CO2 exchange dropped by 50% in the dry year in the fertilized stand. Our study reinforced the idea that the decline in species richness was not necessarily followed by the reduction of stand level carbon uptake in a short period due to an insignificant change in ecophysiological functional groups.

Questions (i) Which species dominate mid-successional old-fields in Hungary? How does the identity of these species relate to local (patch-scale) diversity and to the progress of succession? (ii) Which species have the strongest negative impact on diversity in spontaneous old-field succession and what generalizations are possible about traits of these species? (iii) Are these species dominant or subordinate components in mature target communities? (iv) Do native or alien species have stronger effects on the diversity and progress of succession? Location Abandoned agricultural fields (abandoned croplands, orchards and vineyards) at various locations throughout Hungary. Methods Vegetation patterns on 112 old-fields, in 25 sites varying in soil and climatic conditions, topography, landscape contexts and land-use histories were sampled. Most old-fields had appropriate seed sources in the immediate vicinity, i.e. natural or semi-natural grasslands (meadows steppes, closed and open sand steppes) as source and target habitats. Age of abandoned fields ranged from 1 to 69 yr, but most sites were between 15 and 60 yr. The cover of vascular plant species (%) was estimated in 2 × 2-m plots. Relationships between diversity, progress of succession (similarity to target communities) and identity of dominants were tested. Results A small portion of successional dominants (eight species) had strong negative impacts on diversity. These species belonged to Poaceae, Asteraceae and Fabaceae. Most of these species were wind-pollinated, and capable of lateral vegetative spread. Dominant species varied in size and had, on average, a low requirement for N but a high requirement for light. With one exception, Solidago gigantea, they were native to the Hungarian flora. Significant differences were found among the impact of successional dominants when dominant species were grouped according to their original role (dominants or subordinates) in natural communities. The overall effect of species identity was also significant. Bothriochloa ischaemum was identified as the species with the strongest negative effect on species diversity. Conclusions Our results suggest that mid-successional dominant species differ in their impact on diversity and progress of succession. Mid-successional plots dominated by alien species, or by native species that were originally subordinate in natural communities, regenerate less successfully and may temporarily arrest succession. Therefore, early colonization of native dominants should be enhanced with restoration measures.

The benefits of low input farming on biodiversity and ecosystem services are already well-established, however most of these studies focus only on the focal field scales. We aimed to study whether these benefits exist at the whole farm scale, to find the main environmental driving effects on biodiversity at the whole farm scale in farms of different grassland grazing intensity, applying three well-known species diversity indicator groups of different ecological traits. Edaphic (earthworms), epigeic (spiders) and flying (bees) taxa were sampled in each identified habitat type within 18 low-input farms in Central Hungary, 2010. The number of habitat types, the number of grassland plots, the cumulative area of grasslands and habitat type had an effect on the species richness and abundance of spiders, while grassland grazing intensity influenced the species richness of bees. Both bees and spiders were sensitive to vegetation and weather conditions, resulting in more bees on flower-rich farms and those having higher temperature; and more spiders on farms with more heterogeneous vegetation structure and in low-wind areas. Relatively few earthworms were found in the whole study, and their abundance was not influenced by any of the farm composition and management variables. We conclude that local field management (grazing intensity of grassland patches) can have a farm scale effect, detectable on species diversity indicators that have high dispersal ability and strong connection to grasslands as important foraging sites (bees). However, other farmland biota (spiders) is also strongly determined by farmland composition and habitat diversity, therefore the maintenance of a mosaic within-farm habitat structure is strongly recommended. The application of earthworms as farmland composition or management indicators is strongly restricted because of their special needs of soil conditions.

Land managers of wetlands face various challenges emerging from climate change. Exploration of these problems is a prerequisite to developing adaptive management of vulnerable areas. Central and Eastern European countries are highly vulnerable to climate change. The Balaton Uplands National Park, an attractive tourist destination with natural values of high national and community importance, has suffered the greatest extremities in precipitation in Hungary during 2010 and 2011. After identification of stakeholder groups, private landowners and land managers as being most likely affected by climate change were interviewed in the national park. A compilation of the most important land use problems that already have influence on the management of protected wetlands was listed. Land managers connect several problems to weather extremities and long-term changes, but take practically no actions in favor of mitigation or adaptation, or strengthening resilience. As there is strong evidence that wet habitats are becoming more sensitive and vulnerable, land managers have to adapt their objectives, strategies and measures to changing climate and be involved in the process of adapting the management measures of protected areas, especially wetlands, to probable effects of climate change.

The manuscript presents maps of internationally important wetlands located in the Kis-Sárrét (Hungary) from 1860 to 2008. The study area is located in south-east Hungary, in the Körös-Maros National Park and covers 8048 ha. For the historic map review, we used digitized data of topographic maps from the period of two military surveys and the Second World War. We also made habitat maps of the area in 2007 and 2008. Data processing, and the establishment of a database of the mapped area, was made using QuantumGIS 1.7.0 and Esri ArcView GIS 3.2. Maps were produced using Esri ArcGIS 10.0 and show where and in what ratio the once extensive wetlands occurred, how they changed and in which part of the area they survived in different mapping periods. They provide a point of reference for the monitoring of wetlands, contributing to the long-term conservation of these valuable habitats. Maps and diagrams show that between 1860 and 1944 wetland extent decreased by half. The ratio of natural, ‘purely’ wet habitats reaches only 4.67% now. Wetlands typically occur in habitat complexes, therefore not ‘purely’ wet habitats (20.77%) also have to be taken into account. Considering this, and a recent habitat reconstruction, the extent of wetlands is more favourable today than it was in 1944. However, to sustain them requires care and well-planned management to which the maps presented here provide an important basis.

Farmland is a major land cover type in Europe and Africa and provides habitat for numerous species. The severe decline in farmland biodiversity of the last decades has been attributed to changes in farming practices, and organic and low-input farming are assumed to mitigate detrimental effects of agricultural intensification on biodiversity. Since the farm enterprise is the primary unit of agricultural decision making, management-related effects at the field scale need to be assessed at the farm level. Therefore, in this study, data were collected on habitat characteristics, vascular plant, earthworm, spider, and bee communities and on the corresponding agricultural management in 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions. In 15 environmental and agricultural homogeneous regions, 6-20 farms with the same farm type (e.g., arable crops, grassland, or specific permanent crops) were selected. If available, an equal number of organic and non-organic farms were randomly selected. Alternatively, farms were sampled along a gradient of management intensity. For all selected farms, the entire farmed area was mapped, which resulted in total in the mapping of 11 338 units attributed to 194 standardized habitat types, provided together with additional descriptors. On each farm, one site per available habitat type was randomly selected for species diversity investigations. Species were sampled on 2115 sites and identified to the species level by expert taxonomists. Species lists and abundance estimates are provided for each site and sampling date (one date for plants and earthworms, three dates for spiders and bees). In addition, farmers provided information about their management practices in face-to-face interviews following a standardized questionnaire. Farm management indicators for each farm are available (e.g., nitrogen input, pesticide applications, or energy input). Analyses revealed a positive effect of unproductive areas and a negative effect of intensive management on biodiversity. Communities of the four taxonomic groups strongly differed in their response to habitat characteristics, agricultural management, and regional circumstances. The data has potential for further insights into interactions of farmland biodiversity and agricultural management at site, farm, and regional scale.

This study investigates how yellow bluestem affects biodiversity in a typical Pannonian grassland. Beta diversity (i.e. the finescale spatial variability of species compositions), was estimated by the realized number of species combinations sampled at various scales. Sampling was performed by a standard protocol. Presences of plant species were recorded along 52.2 m long belt transect of 1044 units of 0.05x0.05 m contiguous microquadrats. According to the results the massive presence of tested C4 grass significantly reduced species richness of the grassland. Beta diversity assessment revealed that 90% of species combinations were lost due to yellow bluestem invasion. Fine-scale spatial pattern analyses showed complete local extinctions of other species from microsites dominated by yellow bluestem. This local extinction is enhanced by the specific clonal architecture of this species and by the accumulation of litter. Other dominant grasses had no effect on fine scale diversity, i.e. they could coexist well with other elements of the local flora. This study presents currently developed microhabitat types, forecasts and also draws attention to the danger that climate warming will probably enhance the spread of this detrimental C4 species.

This study presents habitat maps from two years in which precipitation was extreme – 2000 was one of the driest years while 2010 was one of the wettest years in the Carpathian Basin. The study area is in northern Hungary, beside the River Ipoly, in the municipality of Dregelypalank, with a smaller proportion in Hont and Ipolyvece. Its extent is 621.5 hectares. During the field survey habitat polygons were recorded using a hand-held GPS device, with aerial photographs helping to identify the exact location. Processing of the data, establishment of a database of the mapped area, and editing of maps were performed using ESRI ArcView GIS 3.2 and ESRI ArcGIS 10.0. The maps, at a scale of 1:15,000, show vegetation and habitats of the study area. They display changes occurring within habitats, in habitat types determined by their nature, composition and changes that occurred along their polygon borders. Large vegetation changes caused by the changes in precipitation over the time period can be tracked with the m...

Regeneration of seminatural grasslands are often threatened by the invasion of Calamagrostis epigejos, which can slow down or arrest secondary succession. Here we report the results of a 9-year mowing experiment designed to suppress the spread of C. epigejos in mid-successional grasslands in Hungary. The experimental design consisted of 16 permanent plots of 3 × 3 m. Half of the plots were mowed twice a year (in June and September), the other half was left as control. Vegetation was sampled in 2 × 2 m quadrates before mowing in each year between 2001 and 2009. The effects of mowing were tested using repeated–measure analyses of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey HSD for post hoc tests. Significant decrease of C. epigejos appeared after 2 years of mowing. Species richness increased after 4 years, while diversity after 8 years. By this time the target native species Brachypodium pinnatum become dominant. Similar trends appeared in the control plots during spontaneous succession but at much slower rates. Ou...

As a result it could be stated that the dolomite slope rocky grassland is more sensitive against excess intensive grazing. Ratio of characteristic species has been decreased, giving floor for degradation tolerant species and poisonous or sticky plants not favored by animals. From a nature conservation point of view, a positive change has happened on the once mowed area converted into pasture of Hungarian Grey Cattle breed near the Inner Lake (Tihany peninsula).