Possibilities for habitat evaluation in South-East Hungary and in the Veresegyház region on the basis of indicators on the state of naturalness

Abstract

Authors deal with studies on habitats in South-East Hungary and in the Veresegyház region (Central Hungary). Habitats easy to outline. Habitat types were determined according to Á-NÉR (General Hungarian Habitat Evaluating System) and list of species were prepared and described according to rate of weeds and natural conditions. Surveyed areas were evaluated by using naturalness indicators of the species. A state-of- naturalness value system was created with 10 subcategories and thematic maps as well. Authors’ system takes all the naturalness indicators into consideration and it gives an expressive picture of the naturalness condition with representing it on a map. Based on the analyses of the surveyed areas and the naturalness condition-maps, the following can be emphasized: areas in South-East Hungary affected by agri- or silvicultural activities are in the same proportion as close to natural areas. Difference, however, is appearing in the fragmentation of these areas: in the Hortobágy-Berettyó region, natural and unnatural surfaces developed contiguously, in the Ecsegpuszta region they form smaller mosaics in the landscape. Close to natural areas are in good condition are represented in a high proportion and in both South-East Hungarian regions. The Veresegyház region is dominated by agri- and silvicultural areas. The small proportion – approx. a quarter of the whole region – of nearly natural areas are, however, in an extremely good condition. Beyond the possibility of comparison of landscapes the maps on the state of naturalness of the surveyed areas have important role in the monitoring of changes and help finding the appropriate land use structure that fits into the landscape.