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The role of clothing in antropochorous seed dispersal
77-86Views:151Humans play an increasing role in seed dispersal. Through human help, seeds can bridge distances which otherwise would not be possible. The most important human-mediated dispersal types are: the spread on clothing, shoes and vehicles. The effect of these dispersal types can be combined in many cases. During dispersal with clothing, the seeds attach to cloths, but its probability depends on whether the seeds or other parts of the plant have morphological characteristics which make the attachment possible (e.g. hooks, hairs, spikes) and on the adhesion characteristics of the clothing (cotton/nylon, drill/cotton). This way, cloth-dispersal can be considered analogous to epizoochory. In our review, we evaluated the publications about human-mediated seed dispersal on cloths. In total we have found twelve experimental and field studies on the topic. So far, seeds of 449 species have been documented to be able to spread on clothing worldwide, out of the 449 species, 262 occur in Hungary. With future studies, these numbers will be increasing considerably. The average dispersal distance of the seeds was estimated between 150 and 5000 m, but the distance could be significantly increased, if means of transport are used during the dispersion. According to the results, the seeds of weed and invasive plants are dispersed most frequently on clothing (87% of all species, 26% of species occurring in Hungary). These cause serious damage worldwide. We emphasise that people should pay attention to the type of clothing, when they are visiting remote and unique nature reserves. For instance, waterrepellent foot wears could significantly reduce the adhesion of the seeds therefore it can prevent unintended seed dispersal. Further investigations are needed to find solutions to these problems, especially in regions with lack of these studies, such as in Europe, South America, Asia and Africa.
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Lajos Felföldy: a prominent Hungarian botanist and hydrobiologist
3–25Views:190Lajos Felföldy (1920–2016) was one of the most versatile and open-minded Hungarian biologists. He began his scientific career as a student of Prof. Rezső Soó. Between 1938 and 1946 he participated in geobotanical studies in University of Debrecen and Kolozsvár (Cluj-Napoca, Romania). He contributed with important achievements to the development of several biological disciplines. His pioneering study on the effects of air pollution on epiphytic lichens (1942) was among the firsts in the world. He described Hemitherophyte life-form as a discrete unit within Raunkiaer's plant life-form system (1942). He was a pioneer in the cytological (caryological) study of wild vascular plant species in Hungary (1947–1949). His results regarding to primary production of freshwater algae and algal culture (1958–1960) were in leading edge. In 1972 he founded and until 1990 edited the Hungarian series entitled ‘Vízűgyi Hidrobiológia’. Books of this series aimed to publish identification keys of freshwater taxa. These books were proved to be decisive and useful tools for Hungarian hydrobiologists in biological classification of brooks, streams, rivers and different types of stagnant waters. Between 1934 and 2009 he collected more than ten thousand herbarium sheets. After his retirement, he dealt with the revision of the herbarium material of Department of Botany in Hungarian Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden of Eötvös University (Budapest). He participated in the preparation of the New Hungarian Herbal. His scientific work was characterised by deep humility for nature, which was founded on strong theoretical and practical background.
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Salutation of Professor László Almádi on his 80th birthday
3–15Views:149László Almádi, the 80 years old professor at the Georgikon Faculty of Keszthely University, has a several decades long history in teaching. During this period, he taught a large number of students in agriculture with an up-to-date agrobotanical knowledge, and launched the career of or had a great impact on many field botanists working in nature conservation. His ability to identify plants is excellent, and he did pass this knowledge on. Besides his huge fascination for plants, his precision, broad and well-founded knowledge serve exemplary for us. Professor Almádi’s rich life is presented in this tribute paper based on his personal stories and written publications, and is supplemented with our own memories, experiences. We cordially greet our Professor on the occasion of his birthday!