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Fortunately severe weather extremes do not occur in my BioArea. However, one can feel that summers (esp. July, August) are much hotter and drier than used to be earlier. Winter are somewat milder: the number of days with very cold, frosty weather and snow are less. Coldest month is January.

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Most protected species in my BioArea, Merzse Marshland, are listed as least concerned. (E.g. red and grey herons, great  egret, bittern, little grebe, hazel  dormouse, marsh harrier, woodpecker  and trush species.)

The mud-minnow, that  existed here some decades ago, has isolated populations in the country and the Carpathian Basin wher it is an endemic and relict  species. It is vulnerable on IUCN list.
An orchid species sporadically present  throughout Hungary (Epipactis tallosii) is listed as endangered.

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Actually, in my examples a combination of  overexploitation and habitat degradation has contributed to the population decline of the given species:
Merzse marshland, both the small and the large marsh basin had a much more expanded water surface until cca. the mid 20th cetury. Local people, especially the least better-of, regularly collected wheather fish (Misgurnus fossilis, plenty at  the time) in the bog for making a dish of traditional cuisine. Well, I'm not sure about the extent of its exploitation, but along with habitat degradation resulted in the decrease (and vanish) of local population.

Grey partridge (Perdix perdix), a game fowl, once abundant in the fields throughout  the country, lived in the site, as well.  The population  has been heavily exploited by hunting. Also, partridge reacted sensitively to the use of agrochemicals (chicks need insect food), number of specimens declined. Recovery is slow. Breeding of partridge is less successful than that of pheasant, another gamefowl, for (mass) hunting.  Therefore, conservation projects were set  up by the Game Management Institute, University of Sopron.

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Last autumn I had a chance to  accompany a fish researcher, Balázs Szendőfi, at work. It was fish rescue action (mud-minnow, weather fish and crucian carp) from a small pit full of rubbish. Escaped fish were released to nearby protectes saline lake, Kolon-tó, within the Kiskunság National Park. The reseracher needs different, special permissions for these kind of actions and to keep some speciemens  at home for observation and to  shoot nature films.  Speciamnes of invsaive fish species (like bullhead or the Prussian carp - Carassius auratus) are not allowed to release neither tothe original water of cathing nor anywehere else. This researcher akes nature fils on Hungarian fish in the wild, won already prizes. It's an awareness raising activity, too.

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Common milkweed Asclepias syriaca infected large part of the meadows around woodlands and between the two marshes. Eradication is almost impossible.

White locust tree, Robinia pseudoacacia is a useful, multipurpose tree (wood and honey), originates from America, planted widely in the country, but it produces upgrowths quickly even where it  should not be present.

Brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), a predatory fish may occur in the swamp. We need to carry out a faunistic survey still.

Koi fish (Cyprinus carpio) has recently been observed in the Great Merzse marsh.
Released by aquarists, presumably.

Red-eared slider ((Trachemys scripta elegans) poses potential threat: it has been released by terrarists to  other wetlands, e.g. a nearby reservoir lake (Naplás-tó), where they outcompete European pond turtle inbasking places, food, etc.

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The former extended marsland has been fragmented many decades ago. The two isolated water bodies are connected with each other only by a thin ditch (canal). Intensified agricultural production and drainage of arable land contributed to the lowering of water table in the ground. The marshes began to dry out.
Originally runoff water coming from the settled hills across the railway line, main road and arable fields woud provide water supply to the small marsh. However, later the ditch carrying water accross the fields has been diverted and thus it could not feed the marsh. Last year local conservationists redirected the ditch by cutting through a low earth dam at an Y junction. Since then the small marsh was gradually refilled with water. The ditch connecting the two marsh sites takes the overflowing water towards the larger water body. Some other drainage ditches needs to be cleaned of earth and rubbish and be levelled so as to let groundwater from the ditch side in as well as carry rain water without risking neighbouring arable fields from excess water.
Now drier but originally wet meadows adjacent to the marshes will hopefully also get a higher water table by time. Lately disappeared orchids and autumn chrocus maybe able to recover. It also  should be encouraged by cleaning these meadows of thick layers of organic debris, open up places from shrubs, reed and bulrush.
Overgrown bulrush decreased the open water surface in the large marsh. Cutting back bulrush helped. Also an earthplug was made in the ditch leading off excess water from the marsh in order to hold water in the basin.

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Theme 2/ The ecological  niche of two characteristic animals

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Theme 2/ The ecological  niche of two characteristic animals

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1) Marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus) nests in the reedbeds of the marsh. It hunts over the reedbeds and arable fields, as well. It favours the common vole as a prey. In a gradation year it can reach 70-95 % of its diet. In other cases vole is supplemented by the chicks of song birds and waterfowl and lizzards, and less frequently small game. This is a migratory raptor.
Source: http://greenfo.hu/hirek/2012/10/21/a-barna-retiheja-nem-konkurense-a-vadaszoknak

2) Hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) is a small, nocturnal mammal. Native to northern Europe and Asia Minor. It is particularly associated with deciduous woodland but also inhabits hedgerows and scrub. Dormice seldom travel more than 100 m from their nest. Average size of its homerange is 2000 m2. Seeks for food mainly in the bushes, feeds on seeds, fruits, buds, springtime also on insect larvae. In winter (Oct/Nov), the hazel dormouse will hibernate in nests on the ground, in the base of old coppiced trees or hazel stools, under piles of leaves. For breeding, it builds another nest, mainly in hollow trees. In summer it often moves in birds’ nest boxes and goes into torpor (an energy saving status of reduced body temperature and metabolic rate) either in extreme hot weather or when its cold, rainy and food is scarce. Therefore, spends a large proportion of its life sleeping. Main predator: Tawny owl (Strix aluco).
Hazel dormouse (photo Zoe Helene Kindermann)

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Consumer 5. grey heron (Ardea cinerea)
Consumer 4. grass snake (Natrix natrix)
Consumer 3. Crucian carp  (Carassius carassius)
Consumer 2. great diving  beetle (Dytisum marginalis)
Consumer 1. tadpole (e.g. Bombina bombina)
Producers: pondweed (e.g. Ceratophyllum demersum)

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Theme 2 / Niche partitioning - two organisms that share the same food and the way that they manage it

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Theme 2 / Niche partitioning - two organisms that share the same food and the way that they manage it

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Two large, long-legged heron species, connected to wetlands, feeding mostly on aquatic prey, but - except fish - not exactly the same. Though may overlap, their niches have spatial and temporal differences (water edge vs. deep in the reeds and, respectively, migration).

1) Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) is  a predatory wading bird. A resident bird of wetland areas. Preys on fish, frogs, snakes, lizzards, chiks of other watrefowl and even young hare in arable fields or grasslands . It catches prey after standing stationary beside or in the water or stalking it through the shallows. Breeds in  colonies mostly on trees or reed beds. Well accustomed to urban environment.

2) Purple heron (Ardea purpurea) inhabits similarly wetlands with large reedbeds and shallow water. Migratory species. It is thinner than the grey heron. Feeds mainly on insects, fish, amphibians. Much more elusive than the other and prefers dense reedbeds. Rarely seen at lake shore /marsh edges.

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Raptors (birds of prey)  and rodents:
1) Marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus)  - common vole (Microtus arvalis) >> two diurnal species
2) Tawny owl (Strix aluco) - hazel dormouse  (Muscardinus avellanarius) >> two nocturnal species

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Theme 2/Erdős Renée Ház local museum and exhibition hall

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Theme 2/Erdős Renée Ház local museum and exhibition hall

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Connected to the ethnograpical exhibition on local communities it houses a diorama showcasing the flora and fauna of Merzse Marshland Nature Reserve. Last november an additional exhibition was held here titled "Water and Life -Water and Spirit" (the waters of Rákosmente) telling the story of how local people used sustainably local natural resources.
The weatherfish, still abundant in the marsh till about the mid-1990's, was a popular food for the less wealthy rural people.

(http://www.erdosreneehaz.hu/)

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Theme 2 / Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest

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Theme 2 / Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest

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http://www.nhmus.hu/hu
The exhibition on spring buds sounds interesting and is a good practice in surveying the woody vegetation in my BioArea

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1) Common mistletoe (Viscum album) forms globular bushes of 60–100 cm in diameter on poplar trees (Populus sp.). In the Merzse Marshland it is most frequent on old poplar specimens.

2) Ticks (Ixodidae) are less host specific, blood sucking ectoparasytes. In addition to mammals and birds, it infects also, mainly the larvae, reptiles. In snakes it hides usually underneath the scales or in the nose, in lizzards in the nose or around the anus, while in pond turtles - oh, poor boy! - it prefers the soft skin covering the feet under the shell or the anus.
Tick
(photo André Karwath)

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Reasons for the decision to reintroduce grey wolves into the Yellowstone National Park:

The wolves were brought in because the increased elk population was overgrazing the deciduous, woody species such as aspen and cottonwood.

See detailed explanation why does aspen have an important ecologial role in the American West.

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Celebrating Wildflowers is events, wildflower viewing areas, wildflower photos, native plant information, pollinators, just for kids, coloring pages, teacher resources, ferns, rare plants, plant of the week, pollinator of the month, invasive plants, and wildflower links.

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Beaver's role

Beaver also feeds on aspen and builds dams made of aspen. Dams in turn causes flooding. However, plant species intolerant to the too wet conditions will be replaced in the course of time. Consequently, beaver  may change the entire plant community, and even the landscape.

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United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service
Aspen grows in a wide range of environmental conditions, and is tolerant of wide variations in climate. The aspen ecosystem is rich in number and species of animals, especially in comparison to associated coniferous forest types. All this features of aspen contributes to an increased structural and functional diversity of communities where aspen grows.