Category Archives: News

In a new study, the Mosquito Monitor Group has used a model-based approach to demonstrate that so-called “citizen science” data collected with the public’s participation can be used to draw scientific conclusions.

By “citizen science” or “community science” we mean scientific research that involves society in shorter or longer scientific projects, and in this way is able to collect large amounts of data efficiently and actively link science and the public. The Mosquito Monitor programme launched by the group is based on this approach, and for the fifth year in a row, the researchers are asking the general public to help them map the distribution of invasive biting mosquitoes in their country. There is no question that the programme is working well, with more and more mosquito reports coming in from all over the country every year, giving researchers an increasingly accurate picture of the presence of invasive species (Asian tiger mosquito, Japanese bush mosquito, Korean mosquito) in the country. In this study, after taxonomic verification of about 3,000 mosquito reports received so far (following the identification of mosquito species), the researchers investigated whether the data obtained reflect the reality, i.e. the true distribution pattern of the mosquito species searched for, and whether the data can be reliably used to draw scientific conclusions. By comparing the spatio-temporal patterns of occurrence generated from the reports, based on the presence/prevalence data of individual species, with the information collected by the researchers during direct field monitoring, it was concluded that the maps based on the reports correspond well with the results of direct field sampling using traditional trapping protocols.

Considering the amount of effort invested in sampling, the reports can be used to answer biological questions and draw scientific conclusions about the distribution of invasive biting midges. This can make national monitoring of mosquitoes significantly more effective, which is also of particular benefit for mosquito control programmes and for epidemiological risk assessment.

Publication

Garamszegi, L., Kurucz, K., Soltész, Z. Validating a surveillance program of invasive mosquitoes based on citizen science in Hungary. JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY (2023)

Short-term effects of control of the invasive plant (Asclepias syriaca L.): secondary invasion of neophyte plants instead of regeneration of native species.

In this study, we investigated the effects of the common milkweed, a perennial, vegetatively well-spreading invasive plant species from North America, on the main soil properties and vegetation composition in a field experiment on abandoned sandy old-fields in Kiskunság. We also studied the effects of mechanical control (cutting) of milkweed on other native and non-native plant species. We found that common milkweed invasion alters the composition of the vegetation, but had no effect on the basic properties of the soil. Short-term cutting (three years) decreased the cover of common milkweed, but native plants did not regenerate, and secondary invasion by other non-native plants occurred. This suggests that more time or additional treatments are needed for the native plants to regenerate after the invasive species has been controlled.

Publication:

Berki, B., Botta‐Dukát, Z., Csákvári, E., Gyalus, A., Halassy, M., Mártonffy, A., Rédei, T. & Csecserits, A. Short-term effects of the control of the invasive plant Asclepias syriaca: secondary invasion of other neophytes instead of the recovery of native species, Applied Vegetation Science, e12707.

The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is an alien species that is widespread in mainland Europe (e.g., France, Belgium, Germany, Poland). Populations originated from escaped pets and introductions. The raccoon is already confirmed in the fauna of Hungary. The spread of this invasive species from North America could threaten native ecosystems. For this reason, the 1st European Raccoon Conference was organised in Lyon, France, on 16-17 March 2023. At the meeting, the Invasion Biology Division of the National Laboratory for Health Security was represented by MATE with a presentation by Krisztián Katona and his colleagues.

The presentation summarized the most important knowledge on the occurrence of the species in Hungary to help future research and management of the species. According to the annual wildlife management reports available in the National Game Management Database (Csányi et al. 2022), the raccoon appeared in the hunting bag in 1998 with 9 individuals, and since then there have been a few hunted individuals per year. The most recent yearly hunting bag of raccoon was 19 individuals in 2021/2022. The occurrence of the species is sporadic, but most of the individuals were shot in the central part of Hungary, in Pest County. In the last two decades, there is evidence of occasional urban occurrence of the species in Budapest. In the framework of our invasive species project (RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00006), funded by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, we are conducting research on the condition, reproduction and diet composition of the hunted individuals, we are analysing their genetic origin and relatedness, and investigating the nest predation and urban appearance of the raccoon.