We are very grateful for the support of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH) for supporting our project entitled “How Can Small Grasslands Help Protect Biodiversity in Agricultural Landscapes?” (PI: Balázs Deák), that provides an excellent possibility for studying the importance of small habitat islands (covered with pristine and recovering grasslands) in preserving grassland biodiversity and ecosystem services in intensively used landscapes.
While the primary role of agricultural landscapes is food production, they also hold significant biodiversity potential. Small, pristine grasslands and recovering grassland habitats embedded in agricultural parcels can help maintain populations of several grassland species, thus, they support ecosystem stability and agricultural sustainability. However, these habitats are increasingly threatened by weed and woody encroachment, and by isolation, leading to time-delayed species loss. We investigate the impacts of these processes on grassland biodiversity using ancient burial mounds (so called kurgans) involved into the system of agricultural subsidies (functioning as out-of-production sites). We study the effects of both local- and landscape-level factors such as soil characteristics, microclimate, habitat structure, and the surrounding landscape matrix.
Our main research questions include:
(i) How do weeds spread in recovering grasslands, and can diverse weed communities suppress harmful weeds hindering restoration and agricultural production?
(ii) What happens when woody species encroach grasslands, and how capable are these habitats of self-recovery when woody vegetation is removed?
(iii) How does the biodiversity in isolated grasslands change over time, and what actions can prevent further species loss?
Beyond advancing scientific knowledge, our findings help conservationists, farmers, and policymakers make informed decisions about biodiversity protection and sustainable land use. By understanding the underlying ecological processes, we can improve the design of agri-environmental schemes, support sustainable farming, and restore valuable habitats. This research aligns with EU conservation and restoration objectives and provides scientific evidence to support policies that balance food production with nature conservation. The four-year-long project starts on 1 Jan 2026, we are looking forward to this new and exciting challenge!
