Molnár V. et al. (2015) Preslia

Molnár V.A., Sonkoly J., Lovas-Kiss A., Fekete R., Takács A., Somlyay L. & Török P. (2015): Seed of the threatened annual legume, Astragalus contortuplicatus, can survive over 130 years of dry storage. – Preslia 87(3): 319–328.

Abstract

Long-term seed viability is of crucial importance for short-lived species, since persistent seed banks can buffer the fluctuations in the establishment of plants from year to year. Temporarily flooded habitats are an unpredictable environment for plants, and for some species the only chance they have of surviving is the formation of persistent seed banks. Astragalus contortuplicatus is an annual species of periodically flooded habitats and is considered an endangered species in Hungary. Altogether 1993 seeds of this species were tested in a germination experiment: 1200 were freshly harvested and 793 were collected from herbarium specimens of various ages. Seed viability was tested using the germination method. The freshly harvested seeds were used for selecting the best out of seven frequently used dormancy-breaking methods for this species. The highest percentage of germination was recorded for the combined treatment of scarification and light. Thus, this method was used to test the viability of the seeds collected from herbarium specimens. The oldest seeds that germinated were 131 years old. Until now there are no records of seeds of herbaceous legumes germinating that are more than 100 years old. This record is the 9th oldest of all the literature records of viable seeds originating from biological collections. All the seeds that germinated developed into healthy, fertile plants, the seeds of which also readily germinated. Fitted linear regression showed a significant negative relationship between seed age and percentage germination. Based on this linear regression the calculated theoretical maximum viability is 309 years. Our results suggest that seeds of A. contortuplicatus stored in collections can be successfully used in this species’ reintroduction for conservation purpose, to areas in which the plants were collected.

Keywords

biological collections, Fabaceae, hard seeds, herbarium, Hungary, physical dormancy, scarification, persistence, seed longevity, seed storage

Király et al. (2013) Preslia

Király G., Trávníček B. & ŽílaV. (2013): Revision of Rubus ser. Micantes occurring in Hungary and re-evaluation of the neglected Rubus balatonicus. Preslia 85: 505–526.

Abstract
Rubus balatonicus Borbás, belonging to ser. Micantes Sudre and a long-neglected apomictic species occurring in Hungary, is herein re-evaluated. This species is a nemophilous bramble occurring in the Transdanubian Mts (central Hungary) and has distinctive morphological features that clearly differ from those of related species. A list of localities and a distribution map are presented in addition to the designation of a lectotype and the description and first complete illustration of this species. As part of a general revision of Rubus ser. Micantes occurring in Hungary, the characteristics, distribution and ecology of three additional species (R. clusii Borbás, R. styriacus Halácsy and R. tabanimontanus Figert) of this series reported from Hungary are also assessed.

Keywords
biogeography, distribution, ecology, Hungary, Rubus, ser. Micantes, taxonomy

Takács A. et al. (2013) Preslia

Takács A., Schmotzer A., Jakab G., Deli T., Mesterházy A., Király G., Lukács B. A., Balázs B., Perić R., Eliáš P. jun., Sramkó G., Tökölyi J. & Molnár V. A. (2013): Key environmental variables affecting the distribution of Elatine hungarica in the Pannonian Basin. – Preslia 85: 193–207.


Abstract
Elatine hungarica Moesz is a small wetland ephemerophyte that occurs and is classified as extinct, data deficient or a very rare and endangered taxon in most countries in eastern and central Europe. Based on literature and herbarium data, supplemented by 160 field records collected between 1998 and 2011, we present the currently known distribution of this species in the Pannonian Basin, which mostly but not exclusively includes Hungary. Within the Pannonian Basin this species is distributed throughout Hungary, with sporadic occurrences in Romania, Serbia and Slovakia. The temporal distribution of floristic records is very uneven. This species was recorded only in 27 years during the last 213 years (1798–2011). When examining presence/absence data for most of the 20th century, we found a significant correlation between the number of records of this species in a given year and two key, but not independent, environmental variables: rainfall and the extent of the area inundated in the same year. In the more intensively documented period between 1998 and 2010, there is only a significant correlation between the numbers of records of this species and the extent of flooding, which is because there is a delay in the effect of an increase in rainfall. The peak occurrence of records in the 1940s and 1950s is associated with extensive rice production in Hungary. Today, most records are for agricultural fields that are subject to flooding and becoming temporary wetlands. The comparison of recent and past distributions of E. hungarica reveals a consistent and marked regional difference; whereas this species is not rare along the Tisza river and its tributaries, it is markedly scattered in similar habitats near the Danube.


Keywords
ephemerophyte, flooding, Hungary, inland water, Isoëto-Nanojuncetea, Elatinaceae, mapping, rainfall, rice weeds, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, temporary ponds

Kurucz et al. (2012) North-Western Journal of Zoology

K. Kurucz, L. Bertalan & J.J. Purger (2012): Survival of blackbird (Turdus merula) clutches in an urban environment: experiment with real and artificial nests. North-Western Journal of Zoology 8 (2): 362-36.


Abstract
During 2009 and 2010 in the city of Pécs (Hungary) 59 active blackbird (Turdus merula) as well as 59 artificial nests were observed. Among the real nests 26 (44%) were successful, 14 (24%) were predated, and 19 (32%) were abandoned by the parent birds. Among the artificial nests 34 (57%) remained intact, but 25 (42%) were predated. Regarding the failure of real nests, if we consider both predation and abandonment during the incubation period, the daily survival rates of real nests (n = 59) DSR (0.952) were significantly lower than the DSR of artificial nests (0.977). If we consider only predation rates (n = 41), the daily survival rates of the two nest types did not differ significantly (real nests 0.976, artificial nest 0.978). Consequently, the daily survival rates of artificial bush nests used by us reflect precisely the predation pressure on real blackbird nests.


Keywords
predation, artificial bush nests, quail eggs, plasticine eggs, Hungary

Kovács (2012) Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae

Kovács, Zs. E. (2012): Dispersal history of an invasive rodent in Hungary – subfossil finds of Rattus rattus. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 58 (4): 379–394.

Abstract
The origins of the black rat Rattus rattus can be placed in the Indian Peninsula and its occurrence in Europe is a result of a westward expansion. Based on archaeozoological finds, this rodent came into the Mediterranean and other parts of Europe before the Roman Period, as a commensal species associated with trade, although it was also introduced in many other parts of the continent during that time. After a depression in the population there is an increase in number of rat finds dating to the 11th century in Europe. The same tendency was observed in Hungary. The earliest rat remains in the country were recovered from sites dated to the Roman period (3–4th century AD) from inside and outside the territory of the Empire as well. Remains outside the limes (the border of the empire running along the right bank of the Danube) indicate that the Danube River did not pose a barrier in the expansion of rats. Records from the Roman period were followed by a gap of ca. 1000 years when the appearance of black rat was detected again at medieval Hungarian sites (from the 14th century onwards) reaching large numbers at sites dated to the Ottoman period (16–17th century).


Keywords
Hungary, archaeozoology, black rat, expansion routes, flotation

Purger et al. (2012) Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae

Purger, J. J., Kurucz, K., Csuka, Sz. and Batáry, P. (2012): Do different plasticine eggs in artificial ground nests influence nest survival? Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 58 (4): 369–378.


Abstract
In order to understand the role of plasticine eggs in nest predation studies, altogether 78 ground nests were monitored in a large wheat field near to Pécs (southern Hungary) in June 2006. Two eggs were placed in each of the artificial nests, comprising, in an alternating sequence, quail + quail, quail + natural colour plasticine, and quail + white lime coloured plasticine eggs. During one week 65.4% of the artificial nests were depredated. When the damage or disappearance of any of the eggs was considered as a predation event, the daily survival rates of nest containing only two quail eggs was higher than of nests with quail and natural plasticine eggs and significantly higher than of nests with quail and white coloured plasticine eggs. When considering predation to real eggs only, the results remained similar, however, the significant difference in survival rates of the two nest types with different plasticine eggs disappeared. Simultaneously with the nest predation experiments, 78 small mammal live traps were set up in the wheat field and operated for 7 nights. The capture success of traps baited with quail egg was 9.9%, with natural plasticine egg 15.4%, and with white coloured plasticine egg 23.1%, but only a marginal significant difference was found between daily survival rates of quail vs. white coloured plasticine eggs. Natural, but especially white coloured plasticine eggs resulted in an increased predation rate, therefore we suggest that in artificial ground nest experiments nest should be considered to be predated only when the real egg is damaged or disappeared.


Keywords
Coturnix coturnix, nest predation, small mammals, live traps, Hungary