PREMISES. University of West Hungary Green University. Education

Transcription

1 PREMISES University of West Hungary Green University Education 1991 postgraduate program in Nature Conservation Engineering 2003 graduate program in Nature Conservation Engineering (2006 BSc) 2007 MSc program in Nature Conservation Engineering (full-time and correspondent courses) 2008 Ph.D. program in Nature Conservation 2010 MSc program in Nature Conservation Engineer Teacher (in process)

2 PREMISES Research Numerous researches in the topic of nature conservation Most considerable researches: 1. Survey and comparative evaluation of the natural vegetation heritage of Hungary, NKFP 2. Preliminary studies on establishment of Őrségi National Park , KAC 3. Research of Forest Reserves, from 1998, KvVM 4. Research of European gallery forest ecosystems, , IUFRO 5. Conservation of Otis tarda in Hungary, LIFE Nature project, PARTNERS Partner Departments Faculty of Forestry: Department of Botany and Nature Conservation Department of Wildlife Management and Vertebrate Zoology Department of Sylviculture and Forest Protection Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences Department of Forest Resource Management and Rural Development Faculty of Nature Sciences: Department of Biology

3 PARTNERS Further partner institutions I. Fertő-Hanság National Park Directorate Őrségi National Park Directorate Balaton-felvidék National Park Directorate Savaria Museum, Szombathely Bakony Museum of Nature Science, Zirc Forestry Scientific Institute Tanulmányi Forestry Management Ltd. PARTNERS Further partner institutions II. Kisalföldi Forestry Management Ltd. Szombathelyi Forestry Management Ltd. Zalaerdő Forestry Management Ltd. Bakonyerdő Forestry Management Ltd. Lajta-Hanság Ltd. North Transdanubian Environment and Water Management Directorate Hungarian Danube Research Station Biological Research Centre Neusiedler See, Illmitz

4 AIMS of the SUBPROJECT: Basic researches: survey of botanical and zoological values (protected/endangered/rare species) of West Transdanubia. Organize them into database and represent on maps. analyse and map occurrences of invasive plant and animal species. analyse interactions of living organism s life communities in nature-like habitats from conservation biological point of view. AIMS of the SUBPROJECT: Applied researches: study on effects of continuous forest cover management on economy, forest policy, forest protection and sylviculture. work out the management of valuable dry grasslands. monitor nature conservation management in agricultural lands. study on restoration of wetland habitats in West Transdanubian region. risk assessment of biological invasion in the region. evaluation and monitor of Natura 2000 and protected areas. evolve nature conservation evaluation methods and their practical use.

5 PART PROJECTS 1. Monitoring of naturalness in forests, monitoring and selecting of indicators for nature conservation sylviculture and near nature forestry, evaluation system for measure naturalness state of treeless habitats (Part project leader: Prof. Dr. Dénes Bartha DSc) creating evaluation method of forest naturalness based on National Forest Database for forestry practice which contains 58 indicators and usable for measuring of forest disturbance too determination of features which help to evaluate the nature conservation importance of grasslands and wet habitats and creating evaluation method of treeless habitat naturalness our aim to help for near natural forest and grassland nature conservation practice with the new naturalness evaluation methods

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7 PART PROJECTS 2. Study on role of spontaneous shrublands and woodlands in nature conservation and forestry, study on possibilities of reservation and reconstruction of valuable dry grasslands in Hungary, Possibilities of active protection of rare / endangered arable weed species (Part project leader: Dr. Ágnes Csiszár PhD)

8 Secondary habitats, semi-natural grasslands, spontaneous shrublands and woodlands can provide refuge for valuable elements of natural vegetation. Studies on regeneration and succession of these habitats have special importance from botanical and nature conservational point of view. 142 quadrates have been studied by analysis of social behaviour types ecological demands coenological groups seed bank type seed dispersal type vegetative propagation categories 60,0 50,0 % 40,0 30,0 20,0 Zavart társulások fajai - D Gyeptársulások fajai - G Erdőközeli cserjések fajai - S Erdei fajok - F Indifferens fajok - I n. a. 10,0 0,0 2. csop. 3. csop. 4. csop. 5. csop 6. csop.

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10 Conclusion Shrublands and open spontaneous forests contain a lot of forest- and grassland species at the same time. Spontaneous regeneration is faster and more successful in warm, dry, eroded hillsides than in places which are in better condition. The success of regeneration was influenced significantly by the former cultivation, the time of the abandonment, the current disturbance, the vegetation nearness and the ecological characteristics of habitats.

11 In the frame of this project we have restarted the arable weed conservation programme in Őrség National Park. Rare weed species have been multiplied in separated garden. Seeds have been collected and will be sowed on the new field reservation area. PART PROJECTS 3. Hungarian Flora Mapping Programme (Part project leader: Prof. Dr. Dénes Bartha DSc)

12 in frame of this part project have been being surveyed of presence of 2400 vascular plant species in 2852 quadrates covering territory of Hungary by about 150 field botanists the results of survey have been being recorded in database which contains data records and the occurrence of plant species can be displayed on maps which based on this database

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14 PART PROJECTS 4. Invasion of plant and animal species: current and potential risk assessment and genetic investigations in the North-West Transdanubian Region (Part project leader: Dr. Ágnes Csiszár PhD and Prof. Dr. Ferenc Lakatos CSc) Study on allelopathic potential of alien plant species Juglone index of fourteen alien woody- and twenty alien herbaceous plant species were determined by the method of Szabó (1999) Results have proven a more or less expressed allelopathic potential in case of all species

15 Publication about the most important invasive and potentially invasive plant species. Taxonomy, morphology, life cycle, distribution, habitat preference, importance in economy and nature conservation of 75 alien species have been presented the catalog of invasive forest insect species which have been introduced intentionally or accidentally in Hungary is prepared and for some model species Pest Risk Assessment (PRA) is prepared too population genetic study of invasive insect species is in proceed as well

16 PART PROJECTS 5. Interrelations between sylvicultural regimes and site conditions, wild game management and economics of forests (Part project leader: Dr. Endre Schiberna PhD and Prof. Dr. András Náhlik PhD) identification of management, organising and economic problems of forestry in various sylvicultural system, namely single tree selection forests, conversion forests and even-aged forests survey of nutriment availability of various forest types from point of view of wild animal and developing of new techniques to prevent forest damage by wild animal developing of measurement of standing timber volume in unevenaged forests and studying the profitability of various sylvicultural systems

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18 PART PROJECTS 6. The complex system of forest protection: interactions of the host plant - herbivore - natural enemy relationships. Molecular mechanisms of pathogenic fungi infecting native, protected and endangered plant species (Part project leader: Prof. Dr. Ferenc Lakatos CSc) analysing the basic ecological interactions between the host plants (mostly woody plants) and their natural enemies identification of herbivore insect communities of poplar species and their hybrids determination of mortality rate and health condition of specimens of Chrysomela populi analysis of the interrelation between occurrence of wood damaging mushroom Chalara fraxinea and annual quantity of rain study of mushroom species Phytophthora living in root zone of Castanea sativa showing symptoms of illness

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20 PART PROJECTS 7. Population genetic studies of protected and / or endangered animal and plant species. Insects in protected forests (forest reserves, and Natura2000) (Part project leader: Prof. Dr. Ferenc Lakatos CSc)

21 gaining detailed knowledge on insect species occurring in protected forests, especially those which are linked to dead wood analysing the relation between the size (different size categories: small twigs, thick branches, trunk), and the degradation phase (from freshly killed/felled to mostly decomposed) on the species diversity giving practical guidance based on the results of subproject both for forest owners and nature conservation professionals

22 PART PROJECTS 8. Survey on the process of impacts of opencast mining (Part project leader: Dr. József Pájer CSc)

23 identifying the impact area of the opencast mining, exploring the factors that influence the impact range of the impact factors, preservation of the natural environment the research took place on 20 allocated sampling areas the survey is based on a 5 years of returning monitoring, of which frame we use aerial photos about mining areas and collect local data s

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25 PART PROJECTS 9. Complex ecological researches in an intensive agricultural habitat (LAJTA Project, West Hungary) (Part project leader: Prof. Dr. Sándor Faragó DSc) the area of LAJTA project extend over roughly 120 ha for Grey Partridge, Great Bustard and other important bird populations total population assessment with a mapping method is used during weekly records in the case of birds of prey, Red Fox and European Badger nests and burrows have been mapped to get the number of birds of prey population assessment have been carried out every two weeks and monthly average have been calculated too the habitat have been recorded/mapped in each month on 15th day and the habitat improvement have been mapped too

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27 PART PROJECTS 10. Different monitoring works of breeding and migratory birds in West Hungary (Part project leader: Prof. Dr. Sándor Faragó DSc)

28 mapping of the breeding bird species in West Hungary, in 3 counties (Győr-Moson-Sopron, Vas and Zala counties) investigation of wind farm places in two-week periods since November 2010, checked up the flying altitude, the flying direction and the feeding places of birds investigation of the migratory patterns of birds in three different places: waterbirds in Fertő-Hanság region, songbirds in a forest and a reed habitat in the migratory season in West Hungary

29 RESULTS BOOKS and OTHER RESULTS Invasive Plant Species and Insects (in two different volumes), Atlas of Rare Tree- and Shrub Species of Hungary (Kossuth publisher), Nature Conservation Botany (Mezőgazda publisher), Grid Map Atlas of Nesting Bird Species in West-transdanubia, Twenty Years Researches Results of Lajta project, Economical Features of Continuous Cover Forest Management, in the area of Őrség National Park a weed reservation were established, the database of vascular plants in Hungary were built up, the evaluation system of forest and grassland naturalness were progressed and gene conservation programme were available also.

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31 RESULTS FURTHER EXPECTABLE RESULTS increasing our conservation biology knowledge construction and utilization of nature conservation databases compilation of experiences in basic and applied nature conservation research feedback of our results in nature conservation activities build in of results in nature conservation education establishing and operating of independent nature conservation research group forming of cooperation with native and abroad institutions and organizations