Pannonian Biogeographic Region Research Articles

Salinity and depth as structuring factors of cryptic divergence in Moina brachiata (Crustacea: Cladocera)

Microcrustacean taxa in temporary waters are important contributors to aquatic biodiversity on the landscape scale even though much of the diversity at the molecular level is still undiscovered. Cladoceran species other than Daphnia are not frequently targeted in molecular investigations. We used nuclear allozyme polymorphisms as well as DNA sequence variation in mitochondrial 16 S and COI gene regions to reveal patterns of genetic differentiation among populations of a cladoceran species ? Moina brachiata ? that typically inhabits temporary aquatic habitats. Samples originated from 20 temporary to semi-permanent waterbodies in the Hungarian Great Plain of the Pannonian biogeographic region. We observed strong genetic differentiation in the phylogenetic analyses of the concatenated 16 S and COI genes, based on which M. brachiata was found to represent a complex of four cryptic lineages (A, B, C and D) with, however, one of these (lineage D) detected based on only one individual. Regarding the nuclear markers, diagnostic alleles of the PGM and MDH enzyme loci in complete linkage disequilibrium were observed separating the 'B' lineage from the rest. In addition, indirect evidence was provided by the AAT locus, where the AAT1 allele was found to be potentially diagnostic for lineage 'C'. The three phylogenetically defined lineages ('A', 'B', 'C') could be separated from each other along the first canonical axis of a multivariate analysis of occurrence, and this first axis was strongly correlated with depth and salinity of the ponds. There is a strong association between habitat depth and the occurrence of the 'B' lineage. Our results indicate that habitat depth and associated ecological characteristics driven by differences in hydroperiod likely are responsible for the present distribution of the lineages.

Population trends of common breeding and wintering birds in Hungary, decline of longdistance migrant and farmland birds during 1999–2012

Abstract Based on the Hungarian common bird monitoring scheme (MMM), which is the longest running country-wide monitoring using formal sampling design with representative data for the main habitats in Central-Eastern Europe, we investigated the population trends of common breeding and wintering species. Habitat preference and occupancy of the common breeders, migration strategies and relationships among these characteristics could act behind the population trends. We pointed out that long distance migrant bird species had strong decreasing trends in Hungary and very probably in the entire Pannonian biogeographical region, whereas the partial and short migrant species has increasing trends. Farmland birds had declining trend, which trend became more obvious since the joining of Hungary to the EU. The negative changes in the farmland habitat could influence bird species nesting/foraging mainly in this habitat independently from their migration strategies. Our investigations let us to develop indicators on the basis of migration strategy and habitat usage of common birds to provide regular information about condition of groups of species and their habitats in Hungary and the Pannonian region. The MMM database provide unique opportunity for further investigations of several species, habitats and area specific in a part of Europe where this kind of information is rare yet.

Abandonment status and long-term monitoring of strict forest reserves in the Pannonian biogeographical region

The Pannonian region is situated in the Carpathian basin where forests have been used intensively for centuries. The article shows a map and a tabular overview of the forest reserves featured as forests “left for free development” of the region, and presents the most important stand structural characteristics of beech, mesophytic and thermophilous deciduous forests surveyed recently. The sampling points of six sites were selected to provide preliminary descriptive statistics according to the main types and abandonment status groups (recently managed, long abandoned and old-growth or primary stands) of these forests. In old-growth and primary stands the composition (list and mixture ratio of tree species) and stand structure characteristics [gap class distribution, stem density, distribution of relative crown classes and broad diameter at breast height (at 130 cm) classes, density of thick snags, and the amount of lying dead wood] proved to be similar to other European deciduous natural forests, while the abandoned and recently managed stands indicate that these forests are in a transitional stage towards natural ones.

Fishes protected of Natura 2000 system in Slovakia

The timely and effective establishment of Natura 2000 network is one of the greatest environmental challenges for the new Member States of the European Union. Slovak Republic is facing this challenge now. By the June 2005, the Government in our country must prepare a list of sites to be included in the Natura network, according to the criteria set up in the Habitat Directive. Natura 2000 sites, according to the specificEUDirectivesconsistofSpecialAreasofConservation(SACs),andSpecialProtectionAreas(SPAs).TheSPAsandtheSACs, the latter selected as Sites of Community Importance (SCIs), will be incorporated into the Natura 2000 network. The problems of proclaiming the system of protected areas of European importance for the Natura 2000 have been one of the major topics of the ichthyological activities in our country in recent years.For 3 lampreys and 20 fishspeciestheterritoryofpotentialsiteofcommunityinterest(pSCI)hasbeenlimitedandproposed.Theselection of localities and examinations of population state in individual species of fishespresentedintheAnnex(II.,IVandV.)totheCouncilDirective No. 92/43/EEC were carried out in 2003/2004. In total 179 pSCI localities for fishandlampreysinthealpinebiogeographicregion (83) and in the pannonian biogeographic region (96) pSCI in the Slovak republic were selected and limited. The number of pSCI localities selected for individual species is different regards to their distribution within the river net of Slovakia. For example, for species of general distribution, 30 localities pSCI (Misgurnus fossilis, Rhodeus sericeus, Gobio albipinnatus, Barbus barbus) or 35 localities pSCI (Cobitis elongatoides, Barbus peloponnesius), have been proposed, on the contrary, in several species of exclusive distribution as Lampetra planeri - 8, Gobio uranoscopus - 9 and Zingel zingel -12 localities.The pSCI territory for individual species of the ichthyofauna presented here represents the firststageintheprocessofcreatingtheprotected territory system of European interest Natura 2000 in the territory of the Slovakia for this group of aquatic vertebrates. The list of proposal sites will have to be submitted to the European Commission by the date of Accession.

Capperia fusca (Hofmann, 1898) is a new species in Hungary (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae)

The author announces the presence of Capperia fusca (Hofmann, 1898) in Hungary, the first record of the taxon in the Pannonian biogeographical Region. He describes the habitat and gives a photograph of the species, drawing of the genitalia and distribution map. With S figures.

Habitat preference studies of some species of the genus Isophya Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae) in the western part of the Carpathian Basin

Species of the tettigoniid genus Isophya are indicators of biogeographical history and also measures of the state of nature conservation in the Carpathian Basin and in Europe. We surveyed the occurrence and habitat preference of five species (I. camptoxypha, I. costata, I. kraussii, I. modesta, I. modestior) living in the Transdanubian region (the western part of the Pannonian biogeographical region) to determine the potential for the preservation of the insects and their habitats. Statistical analysis shows the optimal habitats of I. camptoxypha are patches of herbaceous plants and lower shrub layers within natural forests dominated by tall or medium-height broad-leafed (mainly dicotyledonous) mesophytic forest species. For I. camptoxypha smaller clearings, and the forest ecotones containing the aforementioned plant species are suboptimal, and populations of the insect species occur there at a significantly lower density. Present-day I. costata find optimal conditions in highly natural, loess grasslands or mesophytic hayfields and steppe grassland–hayfield transitions rich in plant species. This same Isophya species at a lower density can be found in grasslands having suboptimal conditions, but with a similar habitat physiognomy, adjoining the abovementioned grasslands or developing through their slight degradation. Based on a critical literature review and our own sampling, we also comment on the habitat choice of a further three species (I. kraussii, I. modesta, I. modestior).