Our results contribute to the understanding of how climate change impacts the terestrial and aquatic ecosystems, how biological proxies from lake and mire sediments can be used for quantitative climate reconstruction, with special focus on the last 2000 years. The project aims to compare climate model based climate reconstructions with proxy based reconstructions, and by pointing out the differences and similarities helps refining climate models that are also used to predict future climate change.
1) Climate and landscape changes in the past and its impacts on communities
1.1 Paleolimnological and paleoecological analyses of lakes and mires in the Carpathian Basin based on chironomid and pollen remains
Our results contribute to the understanding of how climate change impacts the terestrial and aquatic ecosystems, how biological proxies from lake and mire sediments can be used for quantitative climate reconstruction, with special focus on the last 2000 years. The project aims to compare climate model based climate reconstructions with proxy based reconstructions, and by pointing out the differences and similarities helps refining climate models that are also used to predict future climate change.
Szabó, Z., K. Buczkó, A. Haliuc, I. Pál, J.L. Korponai, R.Cs. Begy, D. Veres, T.P. Luoto, A.R. Zsigmond, E.K. Magyari (2020) Ecosystem shift of a mountain lake under climate and human pressure: A move out from the safe operating space. Science of the Total Environment 743: 140584
Toth, M, M van Hardenbroek, N Bleicher & O Heiri (2019) Pronounced early human impact on lakeshore environments documented by aquatic invertebrate remains in waterlogged Neolithic settlement deposits. Quaternary Science Reviews 205: 126-142
Magyari, Enikő, Ildikó Vincze, Ildikó Orbán, Tamás Bíró & Ilona Pál (2018) Timing of major forest compositional changes and tree expansions in the Retezat Mts during the last 16,000 years. QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL 477: pp. 40-58.
Tóth, M. et al. ... (2017) Limnological changes in South Carpathian glacier-formed lakes (Retezat Mountains, Romania) during the Late Glacial and the Holocene: a synthesis. Quaternary International, In press, available on-line
Vincze, I. ... M. Tóth, ... E. K. Magyari (2017) Holocene treeline and timberline changes in the South Carpathians (Romania): Climatic and anthropogenic drivers on the southern slopes of the Retezat Mountains. The Holocene, First Published April 20, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683617702227
1.2 Historical landscape ecology and vegetation changes
We study landscape changes, especially vegetation changes from 1783 based on historical maps, aerial photos and satellite images at 5000 randonly selected points and in 120 study areas. Oral historical intervies will be made with local stakeholders to understand better relevant driving forces.
Biró, M., Molnár, Zs., Öllerer, K., Lengyel, A., Ulicsni, V., Szabados, K., Kiš, A., Perić, R., Demeter, L., Babai, D. (2020) Conservation and herding co-benefit from traditional extensive wetland grazing. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 300:106983 First Online
Biró, M., J. Bölöni & Zs. Molnár (2018) Use of long‐term data to evaluate loss and endangerment status of Natura 2000 habitats and effects of protected areas. Conservation Biology 32(3): 660-671.
Mihók, B. et al. ... (2017) Biodiversity on the waves of history: conservation in a changing social and institutional environment in Hungary, a post-soviet EU member state. Biological Conservation 211: 67-75
1.3 Long-term change of the structure and quantity of the phytoplankton in the River Danube in relation with the climate change and the land use
We investigate the long-term changes in the composition, biomass of the phytoplankton, we reveal connections between climatic and anthropogenic effects and the variations occurred in the size, composition and quantity of the phytoplankton.
Bolgovics, Á. et al. ... (2017) Phytoplankton of rhithral rivers: Its origin, diversity and possible use for quality-assessment. Ecological Indicators 81:587-596
1.4 Effect of environmental factors on the functional and phylogenetic diversity of phytoplankton communities
The main focus of the research is to determine how changes in the environment (climate change, nutrient loading, landscape management) are manifested in the spatiotemporal pattern of functional composition in planktonic algal (phytoplankton) communities. The analysis of available long-term datasets can provide a more in-depth understanding of the relationships between dominant processes in the aquatic environment, algal communities and water quality.
