Tünde Szabó-Szöllösi

Fungal fairy rings (FFRs) are circular patterns primarily formed by basidiomycete fungi. These structures significantly influence grassland ecosystems by mediating nutrient cycling, altering soil microbial communities, and driving shifts in plant community composition. The present study investigates FFR formed by Agaricus xanthodermus in a Pannonian sandy grassland, with a focus on vegetation structure, productivity, and diversity. Field surveys conducted along transects across FFR quantified plant species cover, height, and additional ecological parameters. The findings demonstrate that FFR alters species dominance, reduces diversity at the ring edge, and based on ecological indicator values of plant species it increases soil nitrogen, and modify the movement of water and nutrients within the soil. Collectively, these results suggest that FFRs function as ecosystem engineers, shaping ecological processes and affecting the agricultural potential of semi-natural grasslands.

In this study, we compare two contrasting years within the 2020–2025 period—one characterized by extreme heat and drought, and another by unusually high precipitation. We used five years of climatic data provided by the Hungarian Meteorological Service (OMSZ), along with vegetation activity indices (NDVI—Normalized Difference Vegetation Index; NDWI—Normalized Difference Water Index) derived from Sentinel-2A satellite imagery. In parallel, during three years of the study period (2020, 2022, and 2025), we collected five phytosociological relevés in each of the five vegetation types subjected to different management regimes. For data analysis, we applied Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA), and the Additive Main Effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) model. Vegetation index patterns were compared with the relative water requirements of the constituent plant species. In the ungrazed dry sandy site, climatic fluctuations did not significantly affect vegetation composition and the habitat remained a stable open sandy grassland. Among the four grazed sites, grazing intensity remained unchanged during the study in three cases (N1, N2, and SZ). Thus, vegetation changes observed in these areas can be attributed to climatic factors. Vegetation composition shifted in N1 and N2, whereas no significant change was detected in the drier SZ site. This indicates higher resistance to grazing in SZ, which can therefore be sustainably used as pasture, while the N1–N2 sites responded sensitively to precipitation variability under identical grazing pressure and are better suited for use as meadows. The most pronounced changes occurred at the P site, which had previously functioned as an animal resting area and began regenerating after abandonment in 2022. Vegetation composition shifted markedly within two years, demonstrating that land-use practices exert a stronger influence on sandy grassland vegetation than climatic fluctuations. Overall, the drier habitats were more resilient to both grazing pressure and climatic variability and are suitable for grazing, whereas the moister vegetation types were more sensitive and should preferably be managed as hay meadows.

Among the narrow-leaved Festuca taxa occurring in the Carpathian Basin, those inhabiting extremely dry lowland habitats are mainly species with a continuous sclerenchyma ring in their leaves, or in which the sclerenchyma becomes ring-shaped by the end of the vegetation period. The most characteristic representative of this group is Festuca vaginata, but recent studies have also confirmed the presence of Festuca pseudovaginata and Festuca tomanii in these habitats.These species are of high importance for grassland management, as they are dominant components of dry steppe vegetation. In this paper, we provide a comparative and critical review of the three taxa, summarizing previous literature and presenting morphological data aimed at identifying the most reliable diagnostic characters for species delimitation. Our results indicate that the position of the fourth spikelet on both the terminal and the longest panicle branches are among the most informative morphological traits for distinguishing the species. Within the spikelets, the length of the outer glume in the second floret proved to be the most consistent and useful character, which is recommended for practical identification purposes as well.

The tasks and objectives of grassland management have changed significantly in recent decades. One of the key elements of adapting to climatic and economic challenges is the optimal use and future sustainability of grasslands. Ferenc Balázs’s plant stand assessment method is a fast, efficient and widely applicable method for evaluating the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of forage in grasslands, as well as the economic value of pastures. This study is based on a three-dimensional coenological survey which is low-cost, does not require technical infrastructure, and empirically considers the species’ preference by livestock. As a result of our extended criteria approach, we assigned modified forage value (k-value) categories to 2310 vascular plant species. Based on our investigations in the presented case study, the Balázs method was proven to be well suited for estimating the yield of grasslands and determining the relative forage value of grasslands with a high degree of confidence in practice. As this method is non-destructive and involves little trampling, it is particularly suitable for monitoring grassland habitats with a high density of protected plant and animal species.

The tasks and objectives of grassland management have changed significantly in recent decades. One of the key elements of adapting to climatic and economic challenges of the present age is the optimal use and future sustainability of grasslands. This need formed the basis for modernising Ferenc Balázs's plant stand assess-ment method to develop a fast, efficient and widely applicable method for evaluation of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of forage in grasslands, as well as the economic value of pastures. The three-dimensional coenological survey technique is low cost, does not require technical infrastructure, and empirically considers the species' preference by livestock. Based on our investigations in the presented case study, the revised Balázs method which combines coenological survey data and plant height measurement is well suited for estimating the yield of grasslands and determining the relative forage value of grasslands. Combining vegetation cover and weight data with ecological and diversity indicators also offers opportunities for nature conservation. As the method is non-destructive and involves little trampling, it is particularly suit-able for monitoring grassland habitats with high density of protected plant and animal species.

(1) The primary objective was to determine whether, within this taxonomically challenging group, the closely related European species and their subspecies exhibit distinct inflorescence characters that allow for unambiguous differentiation. This study focuses on two closely related species within the genus Hierochloë: Hierochloë hirta (Schrank) Borbás and Hierochloë odorata (L.) Beauv. (2) For four subspecies, data were collected from 15 inflorescences each, while for one subspecies, 10 inflorescences were examined. From each inflorescence, six spikelets were selected. The statistical analyses were non-parametric methods, the Kruskal–Wallis test, and principal component analysis. (3) Morphological traits showed consistent patterns within each subspecies, indicating their suitability for taxonomic differentiation. The most reliable diagnostic traits were the length of the outer glume of the first flower and the lengths of the awns. (4) The study concludes that while some subspecies can be clearly distinguished based on inflorescence morphology, no single trait is sufficient to completely separate all taxa. The authors recommend recognizing Hierochloë odorata subsp. praetermissa as a subspecies rather than a distinct species and affirm the validity of the species names Hierochloë hirta and Hierochloë odorata.

Jabbrv-ltwa-all.ldf jabbrv-ltwa-en.ldf Despite high population densities, valuable plant communities persist in various isolated habitat fragments in many cities around the world. These include several sand grasslands in Budapest, which are notable for their species richness and the presence of rare, protected species such as Hippophaë rhamnoides. Since 2006, efforts to restore natural open sandy grassland habitats have been ongoing within the Újpest Sea buckthorn Nature Conservation Area. The objective of these initiatives is to reduce the prevalence of invasive woody species and to preserve the fragmented sandy grassland ecosystems. The objective of our research was to evaluate the efficacy of conserving the habitat of Hippophaë rhamnoides and restoring natural sandy vegetation over a 15-year period. Furthermore, the objective was to ascertain which Festuca species are dominant in the area. The impact of these interventions was evaluated through the analysis of coenological data across 10 quadrats per plot, with each sample plot representing a different year of shrub removal. By employing a systematic approach to habitat management, over 40% of the protected area has been successfully converted into grassland. In the undisturbed central region, where natural open sandy grasslands have always existed, the dominant grass species is Festuca vaginata. However, in areas where shrubs have been eradicated, Festuca pseudovaginata and Festuca tomanii have emerged as the dominant species. Keywords: Festuca pseudovaginata, Festuca vaginata, Festuca tomanii, habitat restoration, Hippophaë rhamnoides, sandy vegetation

This research is part of a Hungarian Research OTKA project that examines the vegetation of sandy grasslands along the Danube. During this study, Festuca wagneri and Festuca tomanii were identified as potentially suitable grass species for urban planting and turf establishment based on preliminary research. Our aim was to determine the germination success of seeds from aesthetically selected individuals and to identify the growing media on which they germinate most effectively. From the collected Festuca individuals, we analyzed 30 specimens of each taxon under garden conditions and selected the individuals for germination. The Festuca tomanii individuals were uniform, so we selected only 5 individuals. The Festuca wagneri individuals were categorized into three groups: leaves and inflorescence densely upright, inflorescence shoots spread out, and low ’dwarf’ form (compact and dense but short in stature). It was assumed that Festuca species seeds would germinate better in sandy soils. To test our hypothesis, seeds from ten Festuca wagneri and five Festuca tomanii individuals, selected based on aesthetic criteria, were sown in six different substrates: a sand–peat mixture, sand, coconut fiber, peat, coconut fiber–sand mixture, and native sandy soil (Calcaric Arenosol). Contrary to our expectations, the growth and germination rates of seeds sown in peat and coconut fiber substrates were higher than those in native sandy soil. These results suggest that Festuca seeds germinate better on substrates resembling dead plant debris with a peat-like structure or on the surface of live mosses rather than on bare sand. Among the examined individuals, the seeds from the spreading Festuca wagneri group exhibited the highest germination rate, making this group particularly suitable for urban environments. Additionally, one of the upright Festuca wagneri individuals showed the highest leaf average length and should also be considered for urban planting. In contrast, despite their uniform appearance, the Festuca tomanii individuals did not demonstrate similar germination trends. In fact, the seeds from two clumps did not germinate at all, indicating that further research is necessary.