Great Plain Research Articles

Military Activity Impact on Vegetation in Pannonian Dry Sandy Grasslands

The conservation of dry sandy grasslands is a global issue because of the restoration and conservation of endangered ecosystems to provide a sufficient amount of forage under warming and drying climatic conditions. Our aim was to explore the impact of military activity on sandy grasslands in Hungary. The sample areas chosen were the Little Hungarian Plain (I. and II.) and the Great Hungarian Plain (III.), consisting abandoned, restored areas; still-active military exercise fields; and shooting ranges. In each sample area, six to ten coenological surveys were made. Based on our survey, the closed natural sandy grassland was documented only in the Little Hungarian Plain and were found rich in species. The open sandy grassland was described in all studied sites, Festuca vaginata appeared in all of them, while Festuca pseudovaginata was observed only in the Great Hungarian Plain. In the open sandy grassland, the natural vegetation had the highest cover value (78.8%), the sowed grassland area had the least cover value (53.3%), while the III. sample area was also poor in coverage (56.5%) but consisted of a natural species composition favorable for restoration. Our results confirmed the indirect role of military activity in the successful habitat conservation of Pannonian dry sandy grassland ecosystems.

Joint interpretation and modeling of potential field data for mapping groundwater potential zones around Debrecen area, Eastern Hungary

The Debrecen area, as part of the Great Hungarian Plain (GHP), is associated with a multi-aquifer system that is overly exploited to fulfill the development plans. This research aims to jointly interpret and model gravity and magnetic data to map the subsurface geology and structures that govern groundwater occurrence. Various potential field techniques, including spectral analysis, anomaly derivatives, analytical signal, and Euler deconvolution were employed to map the distribution and depth of the buried geological structures. The combination of the potential field techniques enabled the construction of a detailed lineament map, providing valuable insights into the distribution of the subsurface structural features. It was indicated that the main structural trend is NW–SE and NE–SW, that coincides with the main structural trends in Hungary. Subsequently, a lineament density map is derived, indicating that the eastern, central, and northwestern parts of the area form the most promising zones for groundwater prospection. The joint inversion of gravity and magnetic data has further enhanced the understanding of subsurface geology. The depth to the basement rock varied between 1.18 and 2.2 km. The highest depth to the basement meets with thick sedimentary sequences bounded by normal faults forming graben and horst structures. Moreover, the distribution of these sediments is investigated using lithological logs indicating the thickness of the main hydrostratigraphic units in the Debrecen area. These units include Nagyalföld Aquifer, Algyő Aquitard, Endrőd Aquitard, and Miocene Badenian Aquifer units, which mainly consist of sand, silt, marl, and gravel. The recent study demonstrated the effectiveness of the joint interpretation in enhancing the knowledge of lithology and geological structures. However, a detailed geophysical survey is recommended to characterize the hydrostratigraphic units in the Debrecen area.

A multi-scenario multi-model analysis of regional climate projections in a Central–Eastern European agricultural region: assessing shallow groundwater table responses using an aggregated vertical hydrological model

The 2022 drought highlighted Hungary's vulnerability to climate change, especially the Great Hungarian Plain. Soil moisture, which is crucial for agriculture, depends on the position of the shallow groundwater table. This study investigated the effects of climate change on groundwater table fluctuations in more than 500 wells on the plain. An integrated vertical hydrological model, assuming negligible horizontal subsurface flows, employed the Dunay–Varga-Haszonits methodology for evaporation and Kovács approach for the water retention curve. Verified with two meteorological databases, the model was accepted for 463 wells based on NSE > 0.4 and RMSE < 0.5 m criteria. The FORESEE HUN v1.0 dataset proved suitable after spatial consistency tests. Examining 28 bias- and discontinuity-corrected climate model projections on these wells revealed a general decline in the groundwater table. Differences between trends to 2050 and 2100 suggested lower groundwater levels by mid-century. This research highlights climate change impacts in a crucial Central-European agricultural region in the Carpathian Basin and emphasizes the importance of modeling climate change-induced changes in shallow groundwater levels in water resources management.

On the Human Thermal Load in Fog

We characterized the thermal load of a person walking and/or standing in the fog by analyzing the thermal resistance of clothing, rcl, and operative temperature, To. The rcl–To model applies to individuals using weather data. The body mass index and basal metabolic flux density values of the person analyzed in this study are 25 kg m−2 and 40 W m−2, respectively. Weather data are taken from the nearest automatic weather station. We observed 146 fog events in the period 2017–2024 in Martonvásár (Hungary’s Great Plain region, Central Europe). The main results are as follows: (1) The rcl and To values were mostly between 2 and 0.5 clo and −4 and 16 °C during fog events, respectively. (2) The largest and smallest rcl and To values were around 2.5 and 0 clo and −7 and 22 °C, respectively. (3) The rcl differences resulting from interpersonal and wind speed variability are comparable, with a maximum value of around 0.5–0.7 clo. (4) Finally, rcl values are significantly different for standing and walking persons. At the very end, we can emphasize that the thermal load of the fog depends noticeably on the person’s activity and anthropometric characteristics.

The Impacts of CAP Subsidies on the Financial Risk and Resilience of Hungarian Farms, 2014–2021

The present paper empirically analyzes the efficiency of European Union (EU) subsidies for farms in the Southern Great Plain region of Hungary between 2014 and 2021. The aim of this analysis was to explore whether the subsidies increased the resilience of farms, enhancing their profitability, liquidity and solvency, and economic efficiency, measured by the usual financial indicators of farm performance. The analysis also evaluated the ability of farm businesses to create and retain jobs, i.e., to increase employment in the rural environment, focusing on differences between the subsidized and non-subsidized farms. The research analyzed all agricultural companies of the selected region. The methodology was a non-parametric statistical analysis (Kruskal–Wallis test, Dunnett’s T3 test) for identifying significant differences between subsidized and non-subsidized farms in the 8-year period. Results show that subsidies significantly improved the financial stability, resilience and efficiency of subsidized farms only in the micro size category, and the employment indicators deteriorated more in subsidized farms than in non-subsidized ones. Thus, the intended purpose of the subsidies was not entirely realized, and positive impacts were noticeable only in the micro enterprises. This might imply that subsidies contributed to the survival of non-viable enterprises instead of enhancing their competitiveness.

A Step from Vulnerability to Resilience: Restoring the Landscape Water-Storage Capacity of the Great Hungarian Plain—An Assessment and a Proposal

The extreme drought in Europe in 2022 also hit hard the Great Hungarian Plain. In this short overview article, we summarize the natural environmental conditions of the region and the impact of river control works on the water-retention capacity of the landscape. In this respect, we also review the impact of intensive agricultural cultivation on soil structure and on soil moisture in light of the meteorological elements of the 2022 drought. The most important change is that the soil stores much less moisture than in the natural state; therefore, under the meteorological conditions of summer 2022, the evapotranspiration capacity was reduced. As a result, the low humidity in the air layers above the ground is not sufficient to trigger summer showers and thunderstorms associated with weather fronts and local heat convection anymore. Our proposed solution is to restore about one-fifth of the area to the original land types and usage before large-field agriculture. Low-lying areas should be transformed into a mosaic-like landscape with good water supply and evapotranspiration capacity to humidify the lower air layers. Furthermore, the unfavorable soil structure that has resulted from intensive agriculture should also be converted into more permeable soil to enhance infiltration.

Együttműködések szükségessége a gyógyszeripari, biotechnológiai fejlesztési folyamatokban az Észak-alföldi régióban

One of the leading sectors of the Hungarian Northern Great Plain region - a high capital-intensive, long-return, "high risk - high benefit" industry such as red biotechnology – was examined to see what impact its development might have and what expectations the various cooperation opportunities set for the value chain at different points. It can be stated that the industry has serious, decades-long roots in the region. At the same time, following the spiral of the "biotech industry" also comes with new challenges, and a modern, innovative university background is essential for the expansion of the sector and its establishment at all. In the 2020s, new competitors arrived, such as the vehicle and battery industries, which are also high value-added and innovation-intensive industries. In all these areas, industry clusters have been formed, with universities of the region as intellectual hubs. Along these lines, the innovation mechanisms and collaborations of the respective disciplines (biotechnology in this publication) have been renewed, modernised and strengthened, which is also important for managing risks.

Types and spatial characteristics of traffic offences committed by road hauliers and carriers in the North Great Plain region, Hungary

This study examines the spatial distribution and structure of traffic offences in the Northern Great Plain region. The research is unique in that it examines a specific area through the lens of geography. The research shows and demonstrates that the research area of crime and transport geography is much broader than previous researches has shown. At the beginning of the study, the authors clarified the conceptual framework, as the terms “violation” and “offence” are often confused even in technical materials. The research shows which routes are the most frequently used by road hauliers in the regions under study and what type of checks have been carried out on these routes by the Transport Authorities of the Government Offices. The type of administrative penalty detected and the nationality breakdown of the infringements are described. The study typifies the infringements involving administrative fines by nationality category.

Parkinson W.A., Gyucha, A., and Yerkes, R.W. (Eds.): Bikeri. Two Copper Age Villages on the Great Hungarian Plain

Parkinson W.A., Gyucha, A., and Yerkes, R.W. (Eds.): Bikeri. Two Copper Age Villages on the Great Hungarian Plain

Effects of management complexity on the composition, plant functional dominance relationships and physiognomy of high nature value grasslands

A significant proportion of Europe’s species-rich grasslands are semi-natural habitats. They have a long history of traditional management. Several studies have been carried out to conserve them, resulting in the establishment of subsidised conservation management schemes. On the other hand, many of these conservation management schemes have failed to provide locally adaptive solutions to maintain the diversity and functional status of species-rich grasslands. In addition, few studies have compared the conservation effectiveness of different levels of management complexity. The levels of management complexity in our study are based on how different management types (e.g. grazing and mowing etc.) and how different herbage removal intensities (e.g. lower and higher grazing intensities) are combined within and between years. To investigate this, we compared the overall effects of management complexity, herbage removal intensity and management type on plant diversity, plant functional type dominance relationships and plant physiognomy. Our field sampling was carried out in the sandy meso-xeric grasslands of the Turján Region of the Great Hungarian Plain (Central Hungary). We sampled nine 2 m × 2 m plots per grassland site (n = 12), recorded all the rooted plant species and estimated their percentage cover in each plot. High level of management complexity had significant positive effects on plant diversity, grazing had positive effects on plant diversity and phanerophyte density, while the studied levels of herbage removal intensity had no effect on diversity, plant functional types or plant physiognomy. In parallel, mowing and/or low levels of management complexity had some negative effects on conservation value (e.g. lower Shannon and Simpson diversity). In this landscape, the dominance of grazing and the more complex management is more optimal than relatively homogeneous mechanical mowing. The choice of management type and intensity is an important tool in the conservation management system of this landscape, but so too is its appropriate application in space and time. Through a detailed analysis of the effects of management complexity levels compared to management types and herbage removal intensity levels, we provide a new opportunity to make grassland management practices more effective for conserving biodiversity in this region, but it would be important to investigate these in different landscapes and conditions.

Maps of Quaternary sediments and features in Austria and neighbouring countries at the scales of 1:500 000 and 1:1 500 000

Abstract Today’s landscape and morphology of Austria is markedly affected by erosional and sedimentary processes active during the Quaternary. Particularly, large glaciers have shaped the landscape of the Eastern Alps. The presented maps at the scales of 1:500 000 and 1:1 500 000 aim to visualise areas, where deposition or erosion in different stages of the Quaternary prevailed. The maps (free download available) were generated with ArcGIS software using available map sheets at larger scales (1:50 000, 1:200 000). No additional field work has been conducted. The most obvious observation is that an extensive cover of Quaternary sediments predominantly occurs in the northern Alpine foreland, especially outside of Austria. The maps show that large glacier tongues of the Middle to Late Pleistocene glaciations (Günz, Mindel, Riss and Würm) existed in the northern and southeastern alpine foreland. In the east, hardly any signs of glacial coverage are visible due to later fluvial cannibalisation of features partly deposited in narrow valleys. Bordering terminal moraines, extensive, terraced fluvial deposits occur within and around the Alps showing that river courses partly changed during the Pleistocene. Aeolian sediments often accompany these sediments, but also cover huge areas in the Vienna and Tulln Basin and the Little Hungarian plain. The distribution of large rockslide events shows that they mainly formed in glacially covered areas as a result of rock destabilisation after glacier retreat. Additionally, the map shows that the alpine foreland is subject of inhomogeneous uplift since the Neogene. For example, between Salzburg and Munich, wide areas are covered by Pleistocene deposits, whereas to the west of Munich and in Upper Austria, recent rivers incised deeper into Neogene sediments.

Cultural renewal in Kisújszállás: A path to sustainability of a Hungarian small town?

The aim of this study is to analyse the social, demographic (and wealth) problems and sustainability issues of a small town in the Hungarian lowlands (Great Plain), Kisújszállás, in the 21st century, and to present the town’s search for a place, especially its attempt to respond and renew itself based on culture. In identifying “lowland” and “Cumanian” characteristics, in addition to (and beyond) the geographical environment and the (still) strongly linked economy, the focus was primarily on the local (for decades declining and ageing) society. In the course of the research, we observed a particular mentality and identity that today increasingly bears the hallmarks of disharmony in the small town society of the lowlands and the region of Greater Cumania. In examining the resilience of the town, we found that while Kisújszállás has the right anchors, it is not enough to think in terms of point capabilities; we should plan for the future in processes. The town sees culture as a key breakout point and a possible response to the pressing socio-economic sustainability challenges. Respondents to our questionnaire survey of local opinion leaders were most concerned about the low level of cultural demand among locals, but also felt that PR and marketing activities related to culture were not satisfactory. In the case of municipal management, under-financing, a lack of decentralization, and networking were highlighted, while in the case of the economy, the lack of industrial parks and incubators and a low level of innovative local entrepreneurial mentality were highlighted. It can be seen that the town is facing the multifaceted problems of a shrinking, ageing society. The situation assessment underlines the social need for change in a (suffering) municipality stuck in an “old lowland” agricultural structure. In the case of Kisújszállás, renewal and identity building based on culture can be seen as a horizontal concept supporting existing development alternatives.

The formation of the architectural landscape of Szeged, Hungary. 1872-1930.

The article, written during the implementation of the international Russian-Hungarian project, is of an overview nature. The author's goal is to expand the understanding of Russian colleagues about the Hungarian architecture of the late XIX – first third of the XX centuries. Szeged was chosen as an example of a large-scale reconstruction: the city, almost completely destroyed by the flood of 1879, was rebuilt in a short period and became the "southern capital" of Hungary. Based on field research in 2022, three layers of the architectural and spatial landscape of Szeged are considered: "imperial" (borderless classicism and historicism), "national" (Magyar secession) and interwar (Art Deco). The article is illustrated with photographs of the Hungarian participant of the project G. Csonadi. The object of the study is the city of Szeged, located 169 km south of Budapest, near today's Hungarian-Romanian and Hungarian-Serbian borders, at the confluence of the Tisza and Maros rivers. It is the second most important city in Hungary, the most important point on the "mental map" of the country, the capital of the Hungarian plain and a symbol of the revival of the national spirit. The subject of the study is the process of constructing an architectural "image of the Motherland". In our work, we use an interdisciplinary approach, combining elements of history, architecture, cultural studies and social geography. This allows us to explore and analyze architectural heritage more deeply, its impact on the formation of the cultural landscape and social processes. Using the example of the southern Hungarian city of Szeged, the process of constructing the "image of the Motherland" developed in a time perspective is considered. We have identified several layers in the architectural landscape of Szeged: regular-imperial (Biedermeier, neo-Baroque, borderless classicism), national-romantic (from historicism in the spirit of the French Renaissance to the Magyar secession), interwar (Art Deco based on neo-Romanticism). We see that the "spirit of the times" and the "image of the Motherland" are not static and are embodied in various forms. The image of "little Vienna", resurrected according to the patterns of the Enlightenment era on the far periphery of the Empire, is being transformed under the onslaught of the nationally oriented bourgeoisie. Bizarre and eccentric architectural experiments sponsored by private original customers are replaced by monumental pathos ensembles that help citizens jointly survive the deepest collective psychotrauma. The Synagogue, the Cathedral, the University and the "sunny houses" embody different facets of the Hungarian identity.

Examining competences affecting financial success among micro-enterprises in the Southern Great Plain : Results of a pilot study

In micro-enterprises, financial decision-making is typically concentrated in the hands of one person, therefore the competences of the leading financial decisionmaker significantly determine the financial success of the enterprise. In our pilot study, we examined the impact of three competences (financial literacy, digital and entrepreneurial competences), on financial success among micro-enterprises in the Southern Great Plain region, in a 92-item sample, using PLS path analysis. The results showed that the most important factors in financial decision-making are the behaviour and acquired practices of the decision-makers, and we proved that the combination of the three competences has a positive effect on the financial success of enterprises.

Sports habits of hearing impaired people in the Northern Great Plain region of Hungary

Although hearing impaired people represent a significant group of handicapped people, only a few studies examine their physical activities. This study was performed in the Spring of 2019 in Debrecen, Hungary by recruiting 86 hearing impaired people. Here the frequency and type of their physical activity as well as their motivation was examined. Average age of the subjects was 42.0±16.9 years, 41.9% of them performs regular physical activity. Out of them 54.1% excercises twice a week, the rest even more often. Soccer, jogging, and cycling were the most preferred sports. Percentage of hearing impaired people performing regular physical activity was about the same as it was for people with normal hearing. Reason for motivation – it makes them happy and they feel better due to the physical activity – or staying at home – their health condition limits them and they have little free time – was also similar in both groups. However, 80% of the people with impaired hearing preferred to do physicial activity together other hearing impaired.

On the ‘pseudo-ditch’ system of the Late Neolithic Öcsöd-Kováshalom settlement complex on the Great Hungarian Plain

The well-known Late Neolithic tell-like settlement of Öcsöd-Kováshalom on the Great Hungarian Plain gained a completely new context when a triple enclosure consisting of segments (hence the name ‘pseudo-ditch’) was discovered in 2018. Followed by two small excavation campaigns, this paper gives account of the construction stages, various digging and filling actions, of the chronology and of the structured deposits that marked the closing event of these long-lasting communal activities. A comparison with European Neolithic enclosures supports the interpretation on the diversity of the numerous ditch systems, and do not allow any generalizing views – it rather speaks for the freedom of local communities in their choices within their respective cultural frameworks.

Multiclavula mucida (Basidiomycota) and other cryptogamic taxa in the Hungarian flora

The paper deals with the species found during cryptogamic flora mapping in 2023 that are remarkable from a floristic, taxonomic or conservational point of view. We present data from the Bükk Mts of two Trapeliopsis species which appear to be rare in Hungary. Multiclavula mucida, which is ap­parently a rare basidiomycete lichen species in Europe that prefers humid, montane habitats was dis­covered in the Mecsek Mts as a new species for the Hungarian flora. Of the knothole moss, Anacampto­don splachnoides, which is now thought to be entomophilic, we communicate the only extant popula­tion from Southern Transdanubia. We report the first occurrence of the atlantic-mediterranean Lepto­don smithii from the Hungarian side of the Great Hungarian Plain. Numerous data of the corticole Neck­era pennata indicate that in Hungary the distributional centre of this species is situated in the county of Baranya in the lowlands. New data from the Bükk Mts underline that in the Pannonian region Buxbaumia viridis is primarily a terricole species of acidophilous beech forests. We communicate the first occurrence from the lowlands of the alien lignicolous Sematophyllum adnatum which is danger­ous­ly spreading in Europe, at the same time one of the most vigorous populations in the Pannonian region. The third Hungarian occurrence of Callicladium haldanianum, a species that seems to spread in bogs, as well as the second occurrence of Racomitrium lanuginosum, growing abundantly on an ande­site boulder scree in Mátra Mts, are also reported here. Of Phegopteris connectilis we present in photo­graphic docu­mentation the first extant population from Southern Transdanubia, and we discuss whether the first publication from Mecsek Mts is correct or exact. In addition to listing the floristic data, we also briefly discuss the (mis)use of distribution data in the context of climate change, the difficulties of distinguish­ing the microtaxa of some pteridophytes, e.g. Asplenium adiantum-nigrum agg. and Dryop­teris affinis agg., and we correct one of our previously published, erroneous Hedwigia stellata data. Some interest­ing data of other taxa (such as Leucobryum glaucum, Palustriella commutata, Tetraphis pellucida, Gym­nocarpium robertianum, Ophioglossum vulgatum) are also mentioned in the paper.

The Ugly Duckling: Understanding the Making of an Early Copper Age Atypical Ceramic Vessel from the Great Hungarian Plain

Abstract The present study focuses on an Early Copper Age (4500–4000/3900 cal BC) atypical ceramic bowl from Tiszagyenda-Vágott-halom (Eastern Hungary). At first glance, the bowl was strikingly different from the other well-executed, often richly decorated bowls known from the site. Although such vessels can be found sporadically in other Early Copper Age sites, they have never been studied to see exactly how they differ from typical pottery. The aim of the present study is to understand the ideas, intentions, decisions, knowledge, and skills of the potter who made this vessel by reconstructing the chaîne opératoire of the making of the bowl. Technological and stylistic analyses suggest that the atypical pot was probably made by a beginner potter. The stylistic elements (form and decoration) are common in the pottery repertoire of the site and are not considered exceptional, apart from the quality of the execution. The deviation from the usual pottery-making techniques, however, suggests that the potter had probably not acquired all the pottery-making traditions of the community.

Degradation degree evolution under different grassland management

The objective of this manuscript is to clarify the changes in vegetation structure of an extensively managed grassland association under different land use practices. In the grasslands of the Hungarian Great Plain, the westernmost part of the Eurasian steppe, the largely decreasing grazing livestock numbers and the almost disappearing pastoral grazing make the topic very topical. We analysed the last 4 years of the study period 2009-2020 and found that the lowest degradation rates were measured in the meadow utilisation management, with values ranging from 0.277-0.463 in the 11th year of the experiment. And the highest degradation values were measured in the treatment with the overgrazing mode, with degradation degrees 3.43-5.0 in the 11th year of the experiment. In the treatment demonstrating the effect of overgrazing, we measured a high increase in the cover value of the weed Hordenum murinum, which is very dangerous for sheep, between 2017 and 2020, with an average of 107.6%.

The feed preference of roe deer in different habitats

The roe deer, widely distributed across Europe and our homeland, has a significant economic and hunting value. Our research aims to understand the diet and food choice of deer in the lowland (Great Hungarian Plain, Hódmezővásárhely) and mid-mountain (North Hungarian Mountains, Salgótarján) habitats. To determine their diet, we conducted a sample collection of roe deer and analysed their droppings using epidermal analysis. Descriptive statistics were employed to determine the proportions of ingested plants, revealing Petroselium spp. (6.5-8.3%) and Beta spp. leaves (4.3-9.1%) as the most commonly consumed plants in Hódmezővásárhely. In Salgótarján, the roe deer population consumed significant amounts of Robinia pseudoacacia (47.8%). These findings have implications for wildlife management and conservation, particularly in areas where roe deer are the predominant big game species, such as the Great Hungarian Plain, providing ample opportunities for hunting and economic benefits.