change and simultaneously focused on the necessary changes in conservation
management and land use in the designated protected areas. The main aim of our
adaptation policies is to increase the resilience of agricultural systems. Our initiative aims at combining ecological aspects, nature conservation, and climatic adaptation with social and economic factors concentrating on the sustainability of this
type of protected land management.
During the preparation of climate change adapted management plans, our main
aim was to obtain a favourable conservation status and to improve resilience of
habitats listed in the Habitats Directive of the EU (92/43/EEC) that is Natura 2000
habitat types comprising the ecological network of the European Union. To achieve
these, goals and objectives, strategies and measures were defined, simultaneously
identifying uncertainties while also integrating climate scenarios.
Included in the discussion are probable effects of climate change and suggested
management measures for each conservation aim (beginning with the maintenance
of the habitat type itself, focusing on each Natura 2000 species and protected
species that was living in the habitat type or was reported within the sample
areas), which are followed by an inclusion of other aspects to consider for each
habitat type, except for the forested areas that usually require alternative management from non-forested habitat types.
13.2 Study Areas and Applied Methods
Habitat observations were done in the Ko ¨ro ¨s–Maros National Park, which is located
in South-Eastern Hungary among the rivers Tisza, Ko ¨ro ¨s and Maros (Fig. 13.1).
The landscape of the area is dominated by freshwater habitats, marshes, and
grasslands of agricultural use. Considering the vegetation of the Hungarian Great
Plain geographical macro-region, this territory belongs to the most diverse of
landscapes; thanks to the complex effect of several natural factors. Among them,
climatic and edaphic characteristics are the dominant ones. Investigation areas
belong to the lowest located areas of the Hungarian Great Plain, having formerly
been an extensive swamp area for several millennia. Areas which are constantly
covered by water consist mainly of clay, while slightly higher, elevated patches,
that only have temporary water coverage, entail appropriate conditions for different
types of sodic (alkaline) habitats.
The sample areas designated for investigations are the Kisgyante ´ swamp, the
Kisva ´tyon swamp and the Szo ˝-re ´t meadow, all of which carry natural values of high
environmental importance, and are located in the geographical micro-region called
Kis-Sa ´rre ´t, in close vicinity to the Romanian border. These areas are located within
the Kis-Sa ´rre ´t operational part of the Ko ¨ro ¨s-Maros National Park, belonging to the
so-called “A zone” of the park (strictly protected areas). Complex studies on the
effects of management on vegetation and forage value of wetlands in these sample
areas has already been carried out by Nagy et al. (2007) and Kiss et al. (2008).
198
A ´ . Malatinszky et al.
management and land use in the designated protected areas. The main aim of our
adaptation policies is to increase the resilience of agricultural systems. Our initiative aims at combining ecological aspects, nature conservation, and climatic adaptation with social and economic factors concentrating on the sustainability of this
type of protected land management.
During the preparation of climate change adapted management plans, our main
aim was to obtain a favourable conservation status and to improve resilience of
habitats listed in the Habitats Directive of the EU (92/43/EEC) that is Natura 2000
habitat types comprising the ecological network of the European Union. To achieve
these, goals and objectives, strategies and measures were defined, simultaneously
identifying uncertainties while also integrating climate scenarios.
Included in the discussion are probable effects of climate change and suggested
management measures for each conservation aim (beginning with the maintenance
of the habitat type itself, focusing on each Natura 2000 species and protected
species that was living in the habitat type or was reported within the sample
areas), which are followed by an inclusion of other aspects to consider for each
habitat type, except for the forested areas that usually require alternative management from non-forested habitat types.
13.2 Study Areas and Applied Methods
Habitat observations were done in the Ko ¨ro ¨s–Maros National Park, which is located
in South-Eastern Hungary among the rivers Tisza, Ko ¨ro ¨s and Maros (Fig. 13.1).
The landscape of the area is dominated by freshwater habitats, marshes, and
grasslands of agricultural use. Considering the vegetation of the Hungarian Great
Plain geographical macro-region, this territory belongs to the most diverse of
landscapes; thanks to the complex effect of several natural factors. Among them,
climatic and edaphic characteristics are the dominant ones. Investigation areas
belong to the lowest located areas of the Hungarian Great Plain, having formerly
been an extensive swamp area for several millennia. Areas which are constantly
covered by water consist mainly of clay, while slightly higher, elevated patches,
that only have temporary water coverage, entail appropriate conditions for different
types of sodic (alkaline) habitats.
The sample areas designated for investigations are the Kisgyante ´ swamp, the
Kisva ´tyon swamp and the Szo ˝-re ´t meadow, all of which carry natural values of high
environmental importance, and are located in the geographical micro-region called
Kis-Sa ´rre ´t, in close vicinity to the Romanian border. These areas are located within
the Kis-Sa ´rre ´t operational part of the Ko ¨ro ¨s-Maros National Park, belonging to the
so-called “A zone” of the park (strictly protected areas). Complex studies on the
effects of management on vegetation and forage value of wetlands in these sample
areas has already been carried out by Nagy et al. (2007) and Kiss et al. (2008).
198
A ´ . Malatinszky et al.