Kinga Öllerer

The effect of fish and aquatic habitat complexity on amphibians

Fish introductions are considered one of the most widespread anthropogenic threats to aquatic ecosystems. Their negative impact on native amphibian communities has received increasing attention in recent years. We investigated the relationship between the introduced fish, emergent vegetation cover and native amphibians in man-made ponds generated by regulation and dam building along the Târnava Mare Valley (Romania) during the last 40 years. We inventoried amphibians and fish inhabiting 85 permanent ponds and estimated habitat complexity focusing on emergent vegetation cover. Four amphibian species were found to be negatively associated with the presence of predatory fish. Species richness of ponds without fish and ponds without predatory fish did not differ significantly, whereas ponds containing only predatory fish had significantly lower amphibian richness. A significant positive relationship was found between the emergent vegetation cover and pond occupancy of six amphibian species and amphibian species richness. As a management recommendation, we suggest the restriction of fish introductions to non predatory fish and the maintenance of high emergent vegetation cover in the ponds.

Using connectivity metrics and niche modelling to explore the occurrence of the northern crested newt Triturus cristatus (Amphibia, Caudata) in a traditionally managed landscape

SUMMARY Spatial models are increasingly employed to help understand the distribution of organisms and establish conservation priorities. Classic patch- orientated models may have limited power to accurately predict the organismsdistributions. Pond breeding amphibians are appropriate study organisms because of their complex life cycle, low dispersal and sensitivity to environmental conditions. Here connectivity metrics and niche modelling were used to predict the occurrence of the northern crested newt in a rural landscape from central Romania. Pond-related variables, such as macrophyte cover and the presence of predatory fish, were the most important predictors of newt occurrence, followed by one landscape-related variable (urbanization) and a connectivity metric (nearest neighbouring occupied pond).Mostofthelandscapeandconnectivityvariables were not adequate predictors, presumably because most of the terrestrial habitats in this traditionally used rural landscape are ecologically optimal for amphibians. Conservation measures for the northern crested newt should promote the preservation of traditional extensive agricultural practices and discourage stocking of ponds with predatory fish.

Pond and landscape characteristics — which is more important for common toads (Bufo bufo)? A case study from central Romania

The primary anthropogenic factor causing amphibian declines in Europe is habitat loss and fragmentation. Here we explore the effects of aquatic and landscape habitat variables on the adult counts of the Common Toad (Bufo bufo) in 43 ponds in central Romania surveyed between 2000 and 2005. Principal components analysis (PCA) identified two main factors, with which the adult counts can be related the first related to landscape variables (percentage of forest cover, presence/absence of roads and habitat corridors) and the second, to pond variables, in particular the presence/absence of fish, together accounting for 49% of the total variance. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed differences between ponds where toads were present or absent in factor loadings of both principal components, but only the landscape factor was significantly correlated with toad counts. These results highlight the role of landscape composition and configuration in maintaining toad populations in this area, and suggest a negative effect of landscape fragmentation. To efficiently protect amphibians in Romania, appropriate legislation and a close collaboration between landowners, landscape planners and herpetologists are needed.

Ancient oak wood-pasture as a habitat for the endangered tree pipit Anthus trivialis

Ancient wood-pastures are facing a major decline in several European countries. These habitats are of great importance for biodiversity because of their special semi-natural character that increases landscape variability and connectivity. In this paper we examine the habitat preferences of the tree pipit Anthus trivialis in an ancient oak wood-pasture, the Breite Natural Reserve, central Romania, with the aim of identifying the most significant habitat variables correlated with the presence of this species. In this way, we aim to highlight the need for conservation management of both the species and this particular habitat type, which are both declining across Europe. We found that the number of oaks with a diameter at breast height (d.b.h) > 1.27 m (equating to a circumference of 4 m) was the only variable with significant positive effect on the presence of the tree pipit. Shrub cover had significant negative effect on presence. Tree canopy cover, the clumping tendency of trees and distance from forest had no effect on the presence of this species in the study area. Our results show that the habitat requirements for the maintenance of the tree pipit impose the same active management needs as those for the maintenance of the ancient wood-pasture character of the Breite Natural Reserve, namely the control against hornbeam invasion and ensured viability of new oak sapling generations.

On the Spatio-Temporal Approaches Towards Conservation of Extensively Managed Rural Landscapes in Central-Eastern Europe

Abstract Land-use change is one of the major drivers of global biodiversity loss, its study experiencing continuous development and increasing recognition, influencing main research directions within ecology. Many studies target the negative aspect; however, the modification of the natural environment over centuries and millennia led to the biodiversity, in its broadest sense, we are trying to conserve nowadays within cultural landscapes. This theoretical paper deals with the issue of spatial and temporal variations in extensively managed rural landscapes from Central-Eastern Europe. The constraints of the state of the art and arising challenges for biodiversity management in complex, farmed landscapes of high nature conservation value are discussed, through the example of Transylvania (Romania). The paper argues for the necessity of considering historical perspectives and traditional knowledge in an attempt to understand the current on-site conditions and developing realistic adaptive management strategies with special emphasis on the (traditional) rural communities, representing a key resource for biodiversity conservation

Environmental education – the bumpy road from childhood foraging to literacy and active responsibility

In a time when environmental responsibility is increasingly discussed, with several legal initiatives and a great variety of civic movements, the understanding of environmental problems, together with the capacity and willingness to solve them is gaining more importance. The means of getting acquainted with and learning about these issues are diverse, and are commonly named as environmental education. With a vast background in the pedagogical and the non-governmental sector, environmental education became the subject of several policies, legal and political instruments. Despite the evidences of its positive outcomes, environmental education is still underrepresented in the school curricula. Addressing the problem of this inappreciation, this paper brings together several international documents, theories and studies showing the development and the positive outcomes of environmental education, in the hope of contributing to the widespread of its consideration in the pedagogical and non-pedagogical scientific community. The message stressed out is that: (i) In order to bring out its full potential, environmental education has to be considered not as a disparate discipline, but integrated and run throughout other disciplines and everyday life. (ii) A better and ideally direct communication of environmental knowledge between the scientific community and educational practitioners is of key importance in preventing misinformation and the development of misconceptions. (iii) Environmental knowledge contributes to the formation of a sound ecological thinking and moral judgement, hopefully also leading to change in behaviour and the formation of environmentally committed communities.

Seeing the oakscape beyond the forest: a landscape approach to the oak regeneration in Europe

ContextIntensification and specialisation of agriculture and forest use has led to profound structural and compositional changes in European landscapes. In particular, sharp, narrow edges adjacent to relatively homogenous vegetation types progressively replace transitional habitats, crucial for a plethora of species and ecological processes. Quercus robur and Q. petraea regeneration niches make them best adapted to such transitional habitats. However, contemporary oaks’ importance, including their regeneration, is usually considered within limits of forest habitats.ObjectiveDefining habitats, landscape patterns and processes fostering oak regeneration and ‘oakscape’ development.MethodsWe assessed the state-of-the art of the topical literature with respect to various aspects of oak regeneration based on a refined list of 234 titles from the Web of Science database.ResultsThe review confirmed that the vast majority of studies focus on forest habitats, disregarding the fact that substantial part of acorns are being carried away and seeded by birds in non-forest habitats.ConclusionsThe common acceptance of the simplistic landscape mosaic model, based on segregated homogenous vegetation categories and clear-cut lines separating patches, impedes proper assessment of landscape changes, referring to ‘untypical’, transitional habitats—the true oaks’ domain. Hence, restoring and sustaining European ‘oakscape’ should result from the overall landscape management, based on a better adapted gradient approach to landscape studies. Applying such an approach, we identified a set of habitats fostering successful oak regeneration and recruitment without direct human support, contributing to the contemporary ‘oakscape’, represented mostly by non-forest, either natural or anthropogenic habitats.