TY  - JOUR
AU  - Gedeon, Csongor István
AU  - Váczi, Olivér
AU  - Knauer, Felix
AU  - Árvai, Mátyás
AU  - Suchentrunk, Franz
TI  - What drives population fluctuations of European ground squirrels in Hungary?
JF  - FRONTIERS IN ZOOLOGY
J2  - FRONT ZOOL
VL  - 23
PY  - 2026
PG  - 16
SN  - 1742-9994
DO  - 10.1186/s12983-026-00608-3
UR  - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/37069266
ID  - 37069266
AB  - Background
Understanding and predicting the dynamics of rodent populations, particularly for endangered or pest species, requires knowledge of potential background factors. We collected long-term data on the abundance of European ground squirrels, Spermophilus citellus, in 64 colonies as part of the Hungarian Biodiversity Monitoring System to investigate the abiotic factors that could explain the spatial and temporal dynamics of populations in Hungary. We used information theory-based modelling and multi-model inference to investigate the effects of environmental and climate variables on relative population densities, using monitoring records of burrow counts as proxies for density collected annually between 2000 and 2018. We examined data carefully for any clues of inconsistencies, errors, or missing data, which resulted in 57% of the complete dataset.

Results
Our generalised additive models (GAM) with splines identified geographical location, year, and principal components reflecting winter temperature, precipitation, and summer temperature to affect population densities. Contour plots derived from the best GAM model uncovered increasing density in the Kiskunság and Kisalföld meso-regions with favourable water management characteristics and decreasing densities in the northern and southern regions, which in fact, cover floodplain of River Tisza and other flash-flood regions. Ambient temperature and precipitation of the wettest and warmest months during hibernation and summer contributed most to counts fluctuations, though these factors were dwarfed by spatial effects. Increased temperatures and aridification in the Kiskunság, because of the warming Pannonian ecoregion, seemed to positively affect counts.

Conclusions
Analysis of our reduced dataset indicated unidentified local factors or a spatial effect on demographic variability of ground squirrel populations. Those fluctuations underscore the necessity of research and management on local populations to identify the reasons of declines and adapt management accordingly to stop or change decreasing population trajectories.
LA  - English
DB  - MTMT
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AU  - János, Bagyura
AU  - László, Haraszthy
AU  - Tamás, Szitta
AU  - Béla, Solti
AU  - Dénes, Jánossy
AU  - Mátyás, Prommer
AU  - József, Fidlóczky
AU  - Márton, Horváth
TI  - Population trend, breeding performance and diet of Saker Falcons (Falco cherrug) in Hungary between 1980 and 2024
JF  - ORNIS HUNGARICA
J2  - ORNIS HUNG
VL  - 33
PY  - 2025
IS  - 1
SP  - 70
EP  - 97
PG  - 28
SN  - 1215-1610
DO  - 10.2478/orhu-2025-0004
UR  - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/36170650
ID  - 36170650
N1  - MME/BirdLife Hungary, Költő utca 21., Budapest, 1121, Hungary            
            Bükk National Park Directorate, Sánc utca 6., Eger, 3300, Hungary            
            University of Florida, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Florida, 32611, United States            
            Export Date: 14 August 2025; Cited By: 3; Correspondence Address: M. Horvath; MME/BirdLife Hungary, Budapest, Költő utca 21., 1121, Hungary; email: horvath.marton@mme.hu
LA  - English
DB  - MTMT
ER  - 

TY  - GEN
AU  - Matyas, Prommer
AU  - János, Bagyura
TI  - The Role of Prey Abundance in Shaping a Raptor Species' Territory Stability in Hungary
CY  - Costa Rica, San Jose, 2025. october 14 - 18
PY  - 2025
UR  - https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication/36405816
ID  - 36405816
LA  - English
DB  - MTMT
ER  -