Life Sciences and GSD student researching Hungarian sandy forest steppes under the URSS project shares his experience and key findings

The Undergraduate Research Support Scheme (URSS) enables Warwick undergraduate students to carry out a non-assessed, self-directed research project during the summer. Vince, a current Life Sciences and GSD student, took part in the project in 2025, where under the supervision of Dr Katie Reeves he carried out research in Hungary on the impact of climate change on crops. Read on to find out more about the project and his findings in his submitted summary below.

Research Experience

I am Vince Balázs, a third year Life Sciences and GSD student, and I spent a summer under the URSS project, researching the effect of climate change on the vegetation of sandy forest steppes in Hungary.

Throughout the research process, I have developed my professional communication skills, maintaining contact with several national parks, and learned to process and analyse large amounts of data in forms of pictures, notes, Excel files, and SPSS datasets, contributing to my digital literacy skills as well. I have also gained further insights into fieldwork data collection and species differentiation techniques, which is a valuable skill for my joint degree. Organisation and time-management skills were also very important parts of the research process, which I hope to use to benefit my dissertation in my final year.

Background and methods

Sandy forest steppes are considered some of the most diverse habitats. Due to its patchiness and grassland-forest edges they host a wide variety of species and serve as important biodiversity hotspots (Erdős et al., 2013). Therefore, their monitoring and protection is crucial for local and regional conservation. The research aim was to test the hypotheses outlined in a previous paper by Kovács-Láng et al. (2000) whereby predictions were made for the effects of climate change over the next 20-30 years. This paper, which collected data from three field sites with different levels of aridity (Gönyű, Csévharaszt, Fülöpháza, from wettest to driest), informed my research methods as I wanted to build upon their work by using their approaches.

I applied a mixed methods approach using field data and secondary data. I visited two of the three sites (Gönyű and Csévharaszt) and collected data in forms of pictures and observational notes in a field notebook. I also used secondary monitoring data provided by FHNP, DINP, and KNP national parks, and climate data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) to complete a series of statistical tests, processed and analysed in Microsoft Excel and SPSS.

Key findings

In line with the predictions made by Kovács-Láng et al., 2000, the coverage of sand grassland specialists increased in Csévharaszt between 2001 and 2019, with a significant contribution from the dominant species Festuca vaginata (Figure 1b). This could be a result of the increasing aridity levels at the site, indicating the influence of climate change on these ecosystems.

Also supporting the hypothesis, the coverage of dry grassland generalists in Csévharaszt decreased since 2005. However, their species richness remained consistent over time. The latter may be a result of the patchiness of the environment, provided by trees and shrubs (Figure 2b), that counteract the effects of climate change and host plant species with a variety of niches (Erdős et al., 2013).

Although this example highlights how important it is for ecosystems to gain resistance to climate change effects, long-term changes in tree coverage may also pose a threat to forest steppes, as their succession to forest systems is slow and often partial (Fekete, 1992). Therefore, these habitats are particularly vulnerable to tree loss (Erdős et al., 2015, Allen et al., 2010).

Other concerns include the presence of exotic species both in Gönyű and Csévharaszt, especially Pinus sylvestris and Robinia pseudo-acacia, which can spread rapidly and damage the vegetation (Krízsik and Körmöczi, 2000). Non-native tree plantations near the protected sites can also increase the risk of introducing invasive species (Figure 2a) (Erdős et al., 2015), and so future management should focus on removing harmful species, and collaboration to set up buffer zones with native species at the edges of the sites (Erdős et al., 2015).

Future steps

I will disseminate my project at the URSS showcase event in November. I will also create a blog where I can write about my research experience and findings in more detail. After my dissertation, I would like to complete my project with writing a research paper.

Acknowledgements

My gratitude goes to my supervisor, Dr Katie Reeves who provided me advice on how to organise my research and prepare for the fieldwork. I am indebted to Fertő-Hanság Nemzeti Park, Duna-Ipoly Nemzeti Park, and Kiskunkági Nemzeti Park, the generous amount of data they shared with me, and for providing me physical access to the sites at Gönyű and Csévharaszt. Lastly, I am grateful for the URSS for providing me financial and skills support, and an enriching research opportunity.

References

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