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The effect of grazing of various cattle breeds on botanical composition of low-lying pasture in Hortobágy
57-63Views:161Coenological surveys were conducted in the Hortobágy National Park (Pap-ere and Zám-puszta) in May 2015 and 2016. During the tests,a total of 40 permanent plots were analyzed on grasslands grazed by extensive cattle (Hungarian Grey) and mixed genotype intensive cattle. The presence of plant species, percentages of total coverage of species and vegetation cover were recorded. Two habitat types were chosen according to their moisture content: wet salt marsh meadow (Bolboschoenetum maritimi) and drier salt meadows (Beckmannion eruciformis).
We compared the impact of increased number of animals (2016 years) and the low number of animals (2015 years, initial state) and the grazing exclusion on vegetations.
We tested: (i) what is the impact of grazing on the vegetation, (ii) how do species composition and vegetation charachteristics differ in the two habitat types (iii) and is there a difference in the impact of different cattle breeds (Hungarian gray, intensive beef cattle) grazing on the grasslands species composition? During the investigation we found, (i) that the greatest number of species was recorded in 2015, on the area that received moderate to intensive grazing (14.3 species per m2). Somewhat the number of species was reduced in 2016 due to more intensive grazing. The control group had the lowest number of species (11.7 species per m2). The undergrass and legumes cover significantly increased on intensive grazed lands. (ii) Our results indicate that the effects of different grazing differ in the two studied habitat types. On the drier grasslands greater number of species were found (16.2 species per m2), oppositely to the wet grassland (11.2 species per m2). The cover of the undergrasses was higher in the drier habitat than in the wet. (iii) The extensive beef cattle left a bigger number of species (16 species per m2) than the intensive beef cattle (11.4 species per m2). The grass cover was more intense on areas grazed by intensive cattle. The absolute and potential weeds cover showed a higher value on areas grazed by Hungarian Grey. Our two-year results suggest that grazing by both extensive and intensive cattle breeds can be a proper tool for the conservation management of alkali grasslands. -
Pest species of Macrolepidoptera in the Game Reserve of Velyka Dobron’ (Transcarpathia, Ukraine)
58-64Views:212The Game Reserve of Nagydobrony extends on a marginal area of a former peatland and is covered with extended hardwood gallery forests and oak-hornbeam forests and is surrounded by a mosaic-like agricultural landscape. Due to its richness of nature-like and semi-natural habitats it supports a diverse insect assemblage. By light and bait trapping 383 species of macro-moths were recorded from which larvae of 85 species are feeding either on forest trees and scrubs or on cultivated plants thus these can be considered as potential pest species. Thirteen species (mostly Geometridae and Erebidae: Lymantriinae) have a special significance for forestry due to defoliating activity in gradation periods. Considering the habitat connections, the composition of moth assemblage is dominated by generalist species with broad spectrum of ecological tolerance but the species connected with humid forested habitats are also richly represented. The bulk of species consists of widely distributed Euro-Siberian species, but also some Holo-Mediterranean species with more southern character and Mediterranean-Subtropical migrant species were registered. The bait trapping provided significant results on the phenology of the dominant species. The faunistically significant and/or protected species were observed in a low number of individuals only, thus the applied trapping methods did not damage the faunal composition.
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The character of the Bódva by the composition of the fishassociations
37-44Views:77The Bódva is one of our rivers that flow outside the Hungarian borders and arrive to the country across the frontier.The Bódva is approximately 110 kilometres long, its upper course is mountaneous- like in its springfield in Slovakia and it reaches the Sajó by flowing among the lower hilly region. The river wall is ravine-like in more places, the river itself is devious, and the water basin is rather variable as in the underlay muddy segments and heavily shingly beds can also be found.
By its fish fauna and physico-chemical characteristics, the Bódva is such aliving water that-after Borne and others (Nowicki, Thienemann) river zone system- can be regarded as an almost uniform typical Barbel zone.
According to our research program (2001-2005) and literature resources we estimated the fish fauna of the Bódva on both the Slovakian and Hungarian course. From some four decades to the wide ecofaunistic examinations of the near past we surveyed the quondam and present fish species of the Bódva River. According to our survey some 40 species compose the recent fish fauna of this river.
In the fish fauna of the Bódva those fish species that presently own a tight ecospectrum, sensitive to the changes of the environment thus so called indicator species, can also be found just like the less sensitive, invasive, aggressively reproducing species. By examining the changes in the fishfauna, the complex of those biogen and abiogen processes that affect the river can be indicated well. It can be stated that the fishfauna of the Bódva is rather rich with a countrywide measure also, and maintain a lot of rare, regressive protected and worth while protection species.
In the last period of the construction, the racial and quantitive composition of the fishfauna of the upper course of the Bódva has changed significantly. Certain species (in the Hungarian course) has vanished almost totally or at least their number declined not ably. Among the vanishing species there are not only a few substantial, protected species of the fauna (e.g. Barbus pelononnesius petényi, Leucaspius delineatus, Zingel sterber, Barbatula barbatula), but the number of the once mass species also decreased appreciably (e.g. Rhodeus sericeus, Alburnoides bipunctatus, Cobitis elongatoides). With the above mentioned changes the number of other animals also decreased in the course that we examined (e.g. mussels, crabs). We examine the cause of these changes in the pollution of the river and according to that in the decrease of the food source and the negative changes of the physico-chemical parameters of the water. -
The Evaluation of Grazed Grasslands on the Hortobágy
50-54Views:111The sward composition of different grasslands on Puszta Hortobágy has been developed according to prevailing abiotic and biotic factors. The abiotic conditions have been more or less constans for long periods of time, and the abiotic factors are determined by ecological conditions (climate, soil, topography). Among biotic factors grazing of herbivores was important in the development of Hortobágy grasslands for centuries (Sipos and Varga, 1993). Result of three-year investigations on the sward composition of grasslands utilised in different ways are presented. Data on ground cover, number of plant species, representation of different plant groups (grasses, sedge and bent-grass, herbs, legumes) and weeds are reported from six different grazed grassland types from Puszta Hortobágy.
In 1999-2001 a sward composition survey was conducted. Sample areas of 2x2 m2 were marked out in three replicates: on temporarily waterlogged grassland grazed by cattle (A), on dry grassland grazed by cattle (B), on dry grassland grazed by sheep (C), on dry grassland grazed by buffaloes (D), on dry grassland grazed by buffaloes and geese (E), on dry grassland cut for hay in May then grazed by geese (F). On the sample areas sward composition of grasslands was estimated according to Balázs (1949).
The average ground cover of different grasslands ranged between 60 and 100% (Table 2). The lowest value was found for grasslands C and E, which are grazed by sheep (C) and buffaloes and geese alternately (E). In these grasslands were some open spaces, on the other grasslands completely closed swards covers were observed.
The species diversity of these natural grasslands are high (Table 2). The grassland F, which were cut for hay in May had the lowest diversity (17-21). The highest number of species was found on grassland A and B (32-51), on other grazed grasslands (C, D, E) had 29-48 species.
The different plant groups had different representation in the total ground cover (Table 3). The number of herbs was always higher then that of grasses, but the cover of herbs was lower then that of grasses. The legumes and the sedge and bent grasses were present in high abundance in grassland A, but in the other grasslands were not.
The composition of herbs should be a warning for future utilisation systems on some grasslands of Hortobágy. Some species of herbs, e.g. Achillea millefolium, Artemisia vulgaris, Carduus acanthoides, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium vulgare Eryngium campestre, Galium mollugo, Galium verum, Ononis spinosa, Rumex crispus, Verbascum phlomoideus, Phragmites australis can be invasive on short grasslands. -
Data on the Orthoptera fauna of characteristic agricultural landscape in the Carpathian Lowland
25-34Views:145Orthoptera fauna and assemblages of natural and semi-natural grasslands of the Hungarian Lowland are well-known, however, little is known about assemblages living in agricultural and anthropogenic habitats such as arable lands, roadsides, hedges, and riverbanks. Due to climate change, intensification of agriculture, and change of habitat use, these habitat types become increasingly important.
To collect data on these mainly unknown habitat types, a three-year study was carried out on the Orthoptera fauna and assemblages of the firth region of the Tisza and Sajó rivers. This area was mainly unknown, and our research contributes to increasing knowledge and provides a base for further investigations.
In the 40 sampling sites of the studied region, an occurrence of 30 Orthoptera species was recorded based on 2241 sampled individuals. In this study, we provide 540 new distribution data records of orthopterans that means an almost eightfold increase of the known data. Orthoptera assemblages of different agricultural habitat types showed significant differences considering both species richness and composition. Data suggested that non-cultivated habitat patches of dirt-roads, roadsides and stubble fields and even extensively used pastures, hayfields and alfalfa, red clover, and even wheat fields can preserve relatively species-rich Orthoptera assemblages. Contrary weedy sites of these cultivars and intensively used arable lands (maize, sunflower and rape fields) showed extremely low species diversity.
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Review on the fatty acid profile and free fatty acid of common carp (Cyprinus carpio)
99-105Views:77Carp or ponty in Hungarian, is considered commercial freshwater fish, which is an adaptable species in both wild and cultured conditions. Carp has high nutritional value content, favorable taste, it is rich in protein, and low in saturated fat. The nutritional content in fish is composed of many chemical constituents and influenced by many factors. One of the components that its content may be different due to internal and external factors is fatty acids, which may vary depending on endogenous and exogenous factors. The endogenous or internal factors include the genetic, size, sexual maturity, and life cycle phase. While microclimate, water quality, quality of food or diet habit, and the amount of available food or starvation are considered as exogenous or environmental factors. Freshwater fish has the ability to convert essential fatty acid into long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid like AA, EPA, and DHA. Most results showed that palmitic acid and oleic acid were the dominant SFA and MUFA in carp both for wild and farmed carp in all seasons. The PUFA for wild carp was mainly dominated by DHA, while on farmed carp by LA. It confirmed that high LA content in farmed carp was related to the diet habit. The amount of lipid and FA were changed in line with the season. Even the statistical analysis showed no significant difference, but some studies showed a contrasting result. Moreover, most obtained results acknowledged that FA tends to decrease during the spawning period. The amount and composition of FA were affected by the total lipid content. The lipid must be broken down into simpler compounds such as FA or FFA for the metabolism of fish. The result of metabolism then transported into the utilising tissue and used as energy.
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Features of forming an invertebrate fauna in technogen environment (Kriviy Rig, Ukraine)
53-56Views:128The features of invertebrate fauna forming in conditions of technogen pressure (Kriviy Rig, Ukraine) were studied. The taxonomic composition, dominance structure and correlation of soil invertebrates’ functional groups in the large industrial enterprises were examined. It had been found that a small thickness of the soil layer as a habitat for ground animals causes the depletion of taxonomic composition, species richness and decrease the total number of soil invertebrates. Gastropoda molluscs in conditions of technogen pressure are the most adapted to stresses group of invertebrates.
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Describing Fusarium diseases on maize in 2013 using data from several production sites
60-64Views:137As in other parts of the world, the frequency of weather extremes has increased greatly in Hungary in recent years. This means that maize production is faced with greater risks from all aspects: nutrient replacement, irrigation, plant protection. This is especially true of fusarium diseases. In a continental climate, the pathogens causing the most serious problems are species belonging to the Fusarium genus. They infect the ears, which – besides reducing the yield – poses considerable risk to both human and animal health due to the mycotoxins produced by them. Depending on which Fusarium species are dominant at a given location, changes can be expected in the level of infection and in the quality deterioration caused by the mycotoxins they produce. Fusarium spp. not only damages the maize ears but when pathogen attacks the stalk, the plant dies earlier, reducing grain filling and resulting in small, light ears. In addition, the stalks break or lodge, resulting in further yield losses from ears that cannot be harvested. The degree of infection is fundamentally determined by the resistance traits of the maize hybrids, but also a great role in that region Fusarium species composition as well.
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Comparative study of wold and lowland situated small watercourses from fishbiological aspect
54-59Views:55Fishbiological research was held on 10 small watercourses, especially on the streams of woldy region of the southern foot of the Bükk-mountains and on the creeks of the lowland Borsodi-Mezőség in 2004. 7475 specimens of 34 species were caught as the result of our surveys on 28 sampling sites. Significant differences were found between fish stocks living in wold and lowland situated sampling sites.Nevertheless on the border of the hilly and lowland regions continous transition observed in the composition of fishstocks. Using Ind Val 2.0 statistical software indicator species appointed of the stocks of wold situated samling sites in “natural” and in “disturbed” states, and of the lowland situated sampling sites.
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Ecological value of wood energy plantations in the support of some animal groups
143-148Views:23Today, some environmental problems have reached such severe proportions that it is no longer enough to recognise them, but environmentally friendly solutions must be used to reduce them. The reduction in the area of natural forests of native species is causing problems in several ways.
This research aimed to highlight how environmental, conservation and economic interests can be reconciled. In addition to natural forests, wood energy plantations are becoming increasingly important. Energy import dependency is a problem for most countries, for which wood energy plantations can partly offer an alternative. Native forests can be protected, and their area increased where possible. Meanwhile, energy plantations can be established in areas with low agricultural productivity.
In this experiment, I studied a plantation of Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur), a Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and a Paulownia (Paulownia Shan Tong). I selected burrowing birds and ground-dwelling arthropods as indicator groups. I did this by establishing a nesting colony and soil trapping. I wanted to demonstrate that, in addition to natural forests, wood energy plantations have a role not only in economic terms but also in maintaining certain animal groups. Soil trapping tests were carried out in all three tree plantations.
The obtained results showed that in the Paulownia plantation, the occupancy rate of nest boxes was almost 100%, while in the Black Locust plantation it was around 30%. Among the species that occupied the nesting sites, the Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and the Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) were more abundant, while Great Tit (Parus major) was present in the Black Locust plantation. These are opportunistic species for which nesting opportunity is the most important factor, since their feeding area (in the case of the Common Starling and the Eurasian Tree Sparrow) is not typical of the nesting area. The soil trap investigations show that there are no significant differences in the composition of the arthropod group (beetles, spiders) in the study areas.
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Coenological and grassland management studie in different planted and renewed grasslands
55-58Views:215We studied the vegetation of a 260 ha Hungarian Grey Cattle pasture near Páskom, which can be found in Zámoly basin. We carried out our surveyes in May 2012. The pasture can be divided into five parts. One part, approximately the half of the area (150.83 ha), is an old-field grassland, which was overseeded 20 years ago. The other half of the pasture was restored (109.17 ha) in 4 different ways in 2009 and then was mowed until 2011. Seven relevés were made in each part of the pasture (the occurence of species and their cover value were recorded). The aim of our study was to compare the effects of the different restoration methods and mowing on the botanical composition of the pasture.
The results showed, that the grassland restored with hay transfer method was the most similar to the natural conditions. The greatest number of species was recorded in that part and the species of natural grasslands become dominant. The directly sowed and the spontaneous grassland parts separated chiefly from the semi-natural 20 years old grassland.
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The action of bed-slope the fish community’s composition of the watercorses on the Zagyva-Tarna watersystem
45-53Views:57Between 2003 and 2005 faunistic survey was completed in the sections of the low- and highland watercourses of the water-regime of the Zagyva and Tarna rivers. On the basis of bed-slope, dominance and frequency of the fish species the following sections can be divided in the examined streams:
1./ Upper-chub-zone: the bed-slope is above 15 m/km. The typical species of this zone – the frequency of these is more then 50%, the dominance is more than 5% – is the Barbatula barbatula, but in the case of bigger streams Leuciscus cephalus is also characteristic.
2./ Middle-chub-zone: the bed-slope is between 5-15 m/km. The typical fishspecies–besides the Barbatula barbatula and Leuciscus cephalus – is the Gobio gobio.
3./ Down-chub-zone: in the case of larger watercourses (Zagyva and Tarna rivers) the bed-slope is 1,2-5 m/km, at smaller streamlets it is 1,7-5m/km. The typical fishspecies–besides the 3 above mentioned species–are the Cobitis elongatoides, the Alburnus alburnus and in the watersystem of Tarna the Alburnoides bipunctatus.
4./ Top-perch-zone: the bed-slope is 0,3-1,2 m/km, or at smaller streamlets it is 0,3-1,7 m/km. The typical fishspecies–besidestheCobitis elongatoides, the Alburnus alburnus and the Alburnoides bipunctatus - are the Rutilus rutilus, the Gobio albipinnatus ant the Rhodeus sericeus. -
Examination of the main parameters of roe deer feed compound on two territories
13-16Views:99It is widespread that roe deer are very choosy. He needs this sorting because the micro organizms, which help the digestion of high fibre plants, are missing in his stomack, that is why they are mostly called „concentrate selectors” Hoffmann, 1985, 1988, 1989).
These animals should mostly eat easily digestable plants with high nutrition level (pulses, buds, sprouts and flowers), and they are able to do this sorting because of their small mouth size. In winter there is a lack of these plants, so the high selectivity occurs only when the feed is in abundance.
Examining the amount and quality of vegetation available on the habitat of roe deer we can identify the species which can satisfy their feed demand. It is known, that roe deer as other large ruminants, from the plant abundance prefer certain plants and plant parts while there are others which are avoided. The identification of the eaten species and the rate of their occurance in the feed is the first step to become acquainted with the interaction between animal and the surroundings. -
Analysis of the main parameters of spring and summer food compound of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) on the two hunting grounds of the Alföld plain
7-10Views:92It is widespread that roe deer are very choosy. It needs this sorting because the micro organisms, which help the digestion of high fibre plants, are missing in its stomach that is why they are mostly called „concentrate selectors” (Hoffmann, 1985, 1988, 1989).
These animals should mostly eat easily digestible plants with high nutrition level (pulses, buds, sprouts and flowers), and they are able to do this sorting because of their small mouth size. In winter there is a lack of these plants, so the high selectivity occurs only when the feed is in abundance.
Examining the amount and quality of vegetation available on the habitat of roe deer we can identify the species which can satisfy their feed demand. It is known, that roe deer as other large ruminants, from the plant abundance prefer certain plants and plant parts while there are others which are avoided. The identification of the eaten species and the rate of their occurrence in the feed is the first step to become acquainted with the
interaction between animal and the surroundings. -
Element Content of Herbaceous Plants in the Floodplain Meadows
55-58Views:93Animals require well-balanced nutrition. The elemental content of the vegetation of meadows is influenced by as many factors such as heat, rainfall, irrigation, soil type and nutrients, meadow types, species, aspects of the vegetation period and cultivation.
Natural meadows used extensively are common sights on river floodplains. Since chemicals are banned and the species number is high, measuring the elemental composition of plants on these meadows is beneficial. Cenological survey and element content measurements were held on the rich flora of four natural meadows in the year 2001.
Weeds, in a wider sense, are plants not directly involved in growing, although their nutritional values make them important costituents of feed. Meadows are enriched by their relatively high microelement content.
On the sampling sites, the ratio deviated from the ideal 2/3 parts monocotyledon and 1/3 part dicotyledon, but this did not mean a Mn deficiency as it would have been assumed. -
The examination of roe deer feeding on agricultural and woody habitats in winter
23-26Views:105sorting because the micro organisms, which help the digestion of high fibre plants, are missing in his stomack, that is why they are mostly called „concentrate selectors” (Hoffmann, 1985, 1988, 1989).
These animals should mostly eat easily digestable plants with high nutrition level (pulses, buds, sprouts and flowers), and they are able to do this sorting because of their mouth size. In winter there is a lack of these plants, so the high selectivity occurs only when the feed is in abbundance.
Examining the amount and quality of vegetation available on the habitat of roe deer we can identify the species which can satisfy their feed demand. It is known, that roe deer as other large ruminants, from the plant abundance prefer certain plants and plant parts while there are others which are avoided. The identification of the eaten species and the rate of their occurrence in the feed is the first step to become acquainted with the interaction between animal and the surroundings.
On the examined territories there was significant difference between the disembowelled body masses. The does which come from the hunt Nagyszénás weighed 4-5 kilos more than the does from the Csongrád territory. The main feed components were present in different rate in the samples of the territories, in the Nagyszénás samples grain, dicotyledonous herbacous plants were dominant, and were eaten more. The high level of grain in the feed result in better condition and larger body mass. -
Composition and role of hoverfly (Diptera: Syrphidae) communities in an organic apple orchard
57-61Views:84The use of hoverfly (Syrphidae) larvae in biological control is gaining more attention where the damage by their prey, aphids is significant, especially in agricultural fields and orchards, where they lower the number of aphids. The present study focuses on one hand on faunistics, on the other hand on testing the different available collecting methods for later research. Collecting in an organic apple orchard near Debrecen yielded 525 specimens of Syrphidae mostly by netting but also with white tray traps. Collected species are differentiated according to their feeding (94.1% aphidophagous). The three species found in greatest numbers are Sphaerophoria scripta (Linnaeus, 1758), Melanostoma mellinum (Linnaeus, 1758) and Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776). The available information on their biology is reviewed and their potential value of hoverflies in biological control is discussed.
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Investigation of the effects of biggame-preserves on forests with different species composition
21-24Views:120Hungary is well known for its high level game management. In order to develop a concentrated and more profitable gamemanagement new game preserves were established in the last few years. According to the law, in the game-preserves the game bearing capacity is not the most important parameter, because in these areas the feeding is continuous. In practice it means that in gamepreserves we find a much higher density of games than in nature. This causes a relative big loading of the area (of the herbaceous and arboreal), where the game-preserves are located.
Our aim is to study the ecological and management issues of forest- and game resources. The scene of these work is a gamepreserves related to the Nyírerdő Corporation (Nyíregyháza). We made forest structure survey to determine the main stand-forming tree species in the area of the game preserves as well as to estimate the number of the measuring points. -
Volume of Paulownia Shan Tong (Paulownia fortunei × Paulownia tomentosa) plantation in Eastern Hungary: a case study
43-46Views:123Volume tables for tree plantations are not unknown in international practice. In many places, this is due to the uniqueness of the species or variety composition of the plantations and the cultivation technology used. In most cases, this is also justified by specific soil (ecological) conditions. In Hungary, publications on Paulownia have not yet included a volume table. This is the first one we are publishing, thus it can be considered as a gap-filler. The research was conducted in Monostorpályi, a 1.8 hectare, 8-year-old municipal plantation. 8 trees were selected randomly and their parameters were studied.
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Leaf protein analyses in order to utilise the leaf shoot of artichoke
43-47Views:129The constat growth of the Earth’s population brings with itself a higher demand for food and protein not only in human nutrition but also for the feeding of livestock. Currently, the feed industry is mainly built onseed-based protein, wherethebaseplant is soybean, which is large lycovered by imports in Hungary, similar toother European countries. However, the long-term economically sustainable lifestock breeding demandschanges which has also worked out strategies. An alternative protein sources could be green leafy plants.
In current work the Jerusalem artichokes as an alternative source of protein was studied, compared to alfalfa as a valuable protein plant. Our results indicate that fiber fraction ofJerusalem artichoke shootswas 34 to 37% after pressing in the autumn period while alfalfa slightly lower values were obtained (30%). On the other hand extracted green leaf protein concentration was higher in alfalfa than in Jerusalem artichoke. Along with this higher protein content could be measured from the leaf protein concentration of alfalfa and almost each amino acids were more, as well comparing to Jerusalem artichoke.
Overall, the alfalfa proved to be advantageous as expected both in leaf protein extraction efficiency, both regarding the content of the protein in the Jerusalem artichoke. However, considering aminoacid composition and green biomass production, Jerusalem artichokecould be a promisingplant species asplant protein sourceinthefuture.