The quality and extent of research data collected in Hungary could complement an International LTER Program
Professor Istvan Lang, Former Secretary General of Hungary, wrote recently that Hungary has both feet on the ground—one in the twentieth century and the other in the nineteenth. Visiting research institutes and sites across Hungary October 23-29, 1993 to identify potential interactions between the LTER Program and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Division of Environmental Biology Director James Gosz and Sevilleta LTER data management specialist James Brunt found a country just entering the computer age, with a modern Western approach to ecology and a classical European classification methodology.
The trip follows an initial meeting in Washington, D.C. between James Gosz, Bonnie Thompson (International Programs, NSF), and Professor Lang (now Science Policy Advisor to the President of the Hungarian Academy and Chairman of the Hungarian National MAB Committee), who proposed the activity. It complements recommendations of the September 1993 LTER International Summit, attended by Dr. Edit Kovacs-Láng and Dr. Gábor Fekete of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, to pursue international communication and research partnerships. The Hungarian hosts included Professor Istvan Lang, Dr. Edit Kovács-Láng, Director of the Institute of Ecology and Botany, Hungarian Academy of Science; Dr. Gábor Fekete, Hungarian Academy of Science; and Ms. Katalin Pigler, Section Head, U.S. Office of International Cooperation.
With support from NSF’s Eastern Europe Program, and in-country support from the Academy, Gosz and Brunt had the opportunity to participate in meetings at the Ministry for Environmental and Regional Policy, the National Authority for Nature Conservation, and the Department of Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences. In addition, approximately 30 individual scientists presented results and discussed research with the LTER representatives during additional visits to: the Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót; Lake Balatón and the Balatón Research Institute of Limnology, Tihany; the National Authority for Nature Conservation; Kiskun sagi National Park and Headquarters, Kecskemet; Bukk National Park; and the Sikfolcut MAB research area and the Botanical Department Teacher Training Colleges, Eger.
Tremendous datasets have been collected routinely with consistent techniques, but are for the most part still on paper and unpublished. Sites do have extensive biological surveys, yet mapping is performed by hand, and there is little capability for GIS or spatial analysis. The institutes have a few personal computers, some with access to electronic mail. Electronic data management occurs in a few cases using a D-base approach. There is little simulation modeling, although there are valuable datasets that could allow modeling.
Generally, the quality and extent of research data collected throughout Hungary, and the sites proposed as protected areas, could complement an International LTER Program. The Hungarians are keenly interested in international interactions and are willing to develop collaborative research programs, share techniques and extensive datasets, and coauthor publications.
Potential Interactions
Site Partnershzps + There are excellent sites with long- term datasets and/or extensive biological surveys that can form the basis for productive interactions with scientists at comparable U.S. LTER sites. Cross-Site or Regional Collaborations + Outstanding regional to countrywide datasets, the basis for analyses of broad-scale dynamics, range from late 1800s and early 1900s floristic analyses to a 30-year survey of light traps for insects performed at 42 stations across the country. The light trap data is a daily insect quantification (species, sex) in both agricultural and forest habitats. In some cases, a single trap has some 600 species recorded for a single year. While little community or biodiversity analysis has been conducted, combined with the climate data, this data has shown distribution changes of selected species during the recent climate warming in Hungary.
Conferences/Workshops/ Training
The Hungarians are eager for scientific exchange and have already proposed two workshops:
- Developing Methods for International Collaboration
- GIS Applications in Natural Conservation
They also are very interested in obtaining training in GIS, Data Management and Simulation Modeling. Although equipment is needed before training could take place in Hungary, LTER-conducted short intensive training courses are feasible. Alternatively, initial courses could be conducted in the United States.
Immediate funding sources for LTER sites and scientists include International Programs at NSF for exchanges and workshop activities and the Joint U.S-Hungarian Program for modest environmental protection proposals.
James Gosz, Division of Environmental Biology, 703-306-1480, jgosz@nsfgov or Bonnie Thompson, International Programs, 703-306-1703, bhthomps@nsfgov
Hungary has excellent sites with long-term datasets and/or extensive biological surveys that can form the basis for productive interactions with LTER scientists