A5027389056- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Agriculture and Biological Studies
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Plant and animal studies
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
- Entomological Studies and Ecology
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Plant tissue culture and regeneration
Kiskunság National Park
2022-2024
University of Debrecen
2015-2024
Danube Research Institute
2019-2024
Centre for Ecological Research
2020-2024
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
2019-2023
Meadow vipers (Vipera ursinii-renardi complex) are small-bodied snakes that live in either lowland grasslands or montane subalpine-alpine meadows spanning a distribution from France to western China. This complex has previously been the focus of several taxonomic studies which were based mainly on morphological, allozyme immunological characters and did not clearly resolve relationships between various taxa. Recent mitochondrial DNA analyses found unexpected within had taxonomical...
Abstract The designation of taxonomic units has important implications for the understanding and conservation biodiversity. Eurasian vipers are a monophyletic group viperid snakes (Serpentes, Viperinae), currently comprising four genera ( Daboia , Macrovipera Montivipera Vipera ) up to 40 species. Taxonomic have been described using wide variety methods criteria, consequently, considerable controversy still surrounds validity some listed In order promote consensus- evidence-based taxonomy...
Abstract Cryptic phylogeographic diversifications provide unique models to examine the role of phylogenetic divergence on evolution reproductive isolation, without extrinsic factors such as ecological and behavioural differentiation. Yet, date very few comparative studies have been attempted within radiations. Here, we characterize a new speciation continuum in group widespread Eurasian amphibians, Pelobates spadefoot toads, by conducting multilocus (restriction site associated DNA...
Vipera ursinii graeca is a restricted-range, endemic snake of the Pindos mountain range in southwestern Balkans. The subspecies was previously reported from eight localities Greece and one locality southern Albania. We used species distribution modelling based on climate data known to estimate potential subspecies. model predicted suitable areas for eleven mountains Albania, which we visited ten field expeditions four years. Based 78 live individuals 33 shed skins, validated presence...
(1) Bioclimatic factors have a proven effect on species distributions in terrestrial, marine, or freshwater ecosystems. Because of anthropogenic effects, the changes these variables are accelerated; thus, knowledge impact has great importance from conservation point view. Two endemic dragonflies, Balkan Goldenring (Cordulegaster heros) and Two-Toothed (C. bidentata), confined to hilly mountainous regions Europe, classified as "Near Threatened" according IUCN Red List. (2) Modeling potential...
The genus Pelophylax (water frogs) includes relatively common, widely distributed, and even invasive species, but also endemic taxa with small ranges limited knowledge concerning their ecology evolution. Among poorly studied species belong endemics of the southwestern Balkans, namely shqipericus , P. epeiroticus kurtmuelleri . In this study, we focused on genetic variability these aiming to reveal phylogeographic patterns Quaternary history. We used 1,088 published newly obtained sequences...
Ecosystem restoration implies focusing on multiple trophic levels and ecosystem functioning, yet higher levels, that is, animals, are less frequently targeted by than plants. Habitat diversity, the spatial heterogeneity between within habitat patches in a landscape, is well‐known driver of species offers possible ways to increase diversity at levels. We argue central whole‐ecosystem as we review its importance, provide practical definition for components, propose target it restoration....
Abstract Grassland ecosystems are among the most threatened biomes, and their restoration has become common in nature conservation. Yet is rarely applied specifically for reptiles, which vertebrates. The Meadow Viper ( Vipera ursinii ) extinct of lowland Europe, an endangered subspecies rakosiensis been a target habitat captive breeding Hungary since 2004. We quantified vegetation properties density reptiles that either spontaneously colonised (three species) or were reintroduced V....
Abstract The slow-worm lizards ( Anguis ) comprise five species occurring throughout most of the Western Palearctic. Although these are relatively uniform morphologically – with exception A. cephallonica , which exhibits a quite unique morphology they genetically deeply divergent. Here, we provide detailed distribution maps for each and discuss their biogeography conservation based on updated genetic data robust database. We pay particular attention to so called ‘grey zone’, typically...
In some cases, species’ distributions have not been accurate and geographical areas were accounted for in the New Atlas of Amphibians Reptiles Europe (NA2RE), a project performed by Mapping Committee Societas Europaea Herpetologica (SEH). The distribution species within Vipera ursinii-renardi group presented jointly as single taxon (“Vipera ursinii/renardi”), without differentiation between meadow viper V. ursinii, steppe renardi, recently described Greek graeca. Here we present revised...
Understanding predator-prey relationships is fundamental in many areas of ecology and conservation. In reptiles, basking time often increases the risk predation one way to minimise this reduce activity stay within a refuge. However, implies costs lost opportunities for foraging, reproduction, thermoregulation. We aimed determine main potential observed predators Vipera graeca, infer pressure by estimating incidence body length sex distribution events based on injuries, assess whether how V....
Species delimitation is a powerful approach to assist taxonomic decisions in challenging taxa where species boundaries are hard establish. European of the blind mole rats (genus Nannospalax) display small morphological differences and complex chromosomal evolution at shallow evolutionary divergence level. Previous analyses led recognition 25 'forms' their distribution area. We provide comprehensive framework improve knowledge on history revise taxonomy based samples from all but three forms....
Although Albania has a rich reptile fauna, efforts to reveal its diversity have so far been limited. To fill this gap, we collected available published and unpublished (museum collections, online sources) records of occurrences conducted several expeditions search for reptiles in areas with few or no previous records. Our georeferenced database contains 3731 40 species from between 1918 2015. Based on comprehensive dataset, prepared distribution maps each the country. Applying spatial...
Abstract High‐quality information on predator–prey relationships is fundamental in understanding food webs, community assembly and ecosystem functioning. Recent analytical advances have made it possible to develop new trait‐based approaches study trophic evaluate trait matching between predators prey. Here, we a novel approach based generalized linear mixed‐effects models (GLMM) test the importance of prey availability identify set traits that best explain occurrence number predator's diet....
Animal populations are regulated by multiple factors, e.g. resource availability, diseases and predators. However, these factors can be significantly influenced anthropogenic effects (e.g. biological invasions, mesopredator release) either subserve or push them towards local extinction. The Hungarian meadow viper Vipera ursinii rakosiensis is an endangered reptile, with only a few surviving following recent alterations fragmentation of their habitats. In Hungary, all documented located...
Road mortality can be a serious threat to different animals, including snakes. However, patterns vary between species, intraspecific groups, locations and time. We compared the number of road-killed individuals (carcasses) two semiaquatic water snakes ( Natrix natrix N. tessellata ) on 58 km road sections bordered by an active floodplain flood-protected former one side mountainous areas other in NE Hungary based surveys conducted once every weeks three non-consecutive years. The results...
Albania is part of the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot. Yet its amphibian fauna poorly known due to little scientific exploration during long political isolation country. To fill this gap, we constructed a georeferenced database with occurrences all species based on records from published sources and personal data collected expeditions areas. Our includes 1097 16 between 1920 2017. Based aggregated records, analysed richness patterns amphibians in 10 × km grid cells as function altitude,...
A new population of blind mole rat (genus Nannospalax) was discovered near the town Albertirsa in north-central Hungary. We used newly designed primers to specifically amplify whole mitochondrial cytochrome-b region and two nuclear DNA regions. Based on most comprehensive taxonomic sampling date, we compared this with several other European mole-rat taxa. The results from both regions have unequivocally placed into monophyletic group Vojvodina (N. (leucodon) montanosyrmiensis), which turned...
Abstract Spatial prioritization in systematic conservation planning has traditionally been developed for several to many species and/or habitats, and single-species applications are rare. We a novel spatial model based on accurate estimates of remotely-sensed data maps threats potentially affecting long-term persistence. used this approach identify priority areas the Endangered Greek meadow viper Vipera graeca , cold-adapted inhabiting mountaintops Pindos Mountains Greece Albania....
The decline of farmland bird populations starting in the 1980s has induced intense research on biodiversity conservation Europe. Although many studies assessing effectiveness agri-environmental schemes have concentrated birds, surprisingly, not yet been targeted directly by permanent, landscape-scale restoration grassland ecosystems former croplands We compared responses to grass sowing, alfalfa sowing followed spontaneous recovery, and hay transfer (impact sites) with extensive,...