Biology subjects

Szovenyi, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Szovenyi, G..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Anthropogenic noise can decrease tomato reproductive success by hindering bumblebee-mediated pollination

Anthropogenic noise is a little-studied type of pollution that negatively affects the physiology, nervous function and development of insects, thereby it has the potential to disrupt even key ecological services such as pollination. Here, we investigate the effects of anthropogenic noise on the pollination success of the Bombus terrestris on tomatoes in controlled conditions. We expect that bumblebees avoid flowers exposed to noise more than flowers in non-noisy environments, leading to less efficient pollination and lower fruit quality. The experiment was conducted in Hungary, in 2023. Three treatments were applied to randomly chosen flowers: noisy (with played traffic noise); and two non-noisy, one allowing bumblebees and one excluding them. The flowers were enclosed with nets before maturity to avoid pollination, opened exclusively during treatment, and re-enclosed for three more days post-treatment. We recorded the marketing value of the fruits and the number of seeds they produced. We found no significant differences in the marketing value of fruits among treatments, but the number of seeds differed significantly suggesting that anthropogenic noise has a substantial effects on bumblebee-mediated pollination. Although these effects may be mitigated by habituation, loud external noise of various machines (e.g. irrigation systems) within polytunnels is still likely to contribute to the everyday noise exposure of bumblebees and could thus potentially lead to hidden economic losses in production. Therefore, further research is needed to understand the behavioural effects of both direct and indirect noise pollution on bumblebees.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

Improving biodiversity in Central and Eastern European domestic gardens needs regionally scaled strategies

Amid ongoing urbanisation and increasing anthropogenic activities, domestic gardens, while they cannot replace undisturbed habitats, play a valuable role in enhancing urban biodiversity by supplementing green areas and improving landscape connectivity. Moreover, biodiversity-friendly gardens also improve human well-being and foster connections between nature and people. To study these benefits, we distributed an online questionnaire between 2022 and 2023, and used a scoring system to evaluate the ecological value of gardens, garden owners motivations, and pesticide use habits. We used machine learning to explore how these indices interact and what sociodemographic factors drive them across nine Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. Additionally, we explored the differences and similarities between the ecological values of gardens and gardening practices in building high biodiversity. Our findings reveal significant variability both between and within countries, across all three indices with Romania faring low and Czechia reaching high scores in all three indices. Domestic pesticide use was ubiquitous across all CEE and largely unaffected by sociodemographic factors. However, increased time spent with gardening was associated with reduced pesticide use and a greater potential for fostering high biodiversity. Garden owners over 55 tended to follow and uphold longstanding conventional practices and thus lowered both pesticide and garden index scores. The local-scale differences we observed emphasise the need for regionally tailored guidelines for biodiversity-friendly gardening over standardized regulations across Europe. Optimal strategies for effective environmental educational and community programs can be developed based on local biodiversity and the three indices used in this study. To maximize their impact and meet local needs, these programs should educate garden owners about the environmental and health effects of pesticides and offer comprehensive biodiversity-related information across all regions and social strata. This is particularly crucial in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), where such initiatives are currently underrepresented. HighlightsO_LIDomestic gardens can enhance biodiversity and support human well-being. C_LIO_LIStudy conducted across nine Central and Eastern European countries. C_LIO_LISignificant variability both between and within countries in gardening practices. C_LIO_LIImproving biodiversity in domestic gardens needs regionally scaled strategies. C_LIO_LIReducing pesticide use and increasing awareness are key. C_LI

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

Flower visitation through the lens: Exploring the foraging behaviour of Bombus terrestris with a computer vision-based application

To understand the processes behind pollinator declines, and thus to maintain pollination efficiency, we also have to understand fundamental drivers influencing pollinator behaviour. In this study, we aim to explore the foraging behaviour of wild bumblebees, recognizing its importance from economic and conservation perspectives. We recorded Bombus terrestris on Lotus creticus, Persicaria capitata, and Trifolium pratense patches in five-minute-long slots in urban areas of Terceira (Azores, Portugal). For the automated bumblebee detection, we created computer vision models based on a deep learning algorithm, with custom datasets. We achieved high F1 scores of 0.88 for Lotus and Persicaria, and 0.95 for Trifolium, indicating accurate bumblebee detection. We found that flower cover per cent, but not plant species, influenced the attractiveness of flower patches, with a significant positive effect. There were no differences between plant species in the attractiveness of the flower heads. The handling time was longer on the large-headed Trifolium than those on the smaller-headed Lotus and Persicaria. However, our result did not indicate significant differences in the time bumblebees spent on flowers among the three plant species. Here, we also justify computer vision-based analysis as a reliable tool for studying pollinator behavioural ecology.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2023

Bridging biodiversity and gardening: unravelling the interplay of socio-demographic factors, garden practices, and garden characteristics

The expansion of urban areas threatens biodiversity, disrupts essential ecological relationships and jeopardises fragile ecological networks, thereby impedes key ecosystem services. To avert irreversible consequences, there is a focus on improving the biodiversity value of domestic gardens for both human well-being and conservation and a global imperative for well-planned and sustainable urban environments. Here, we employ machine learning and network analysis and examine gardening practices and garden owners environmental consciousness in Hungary through a questionnaire-based study to untangle the interplay among socio-demographic factors, garden management, and garden characteristics. We found that the activities determined as biodiversity-positive were widespread among respondents, but a lack of undisturbed areas (n = 624, 49.52%), mowing several times a month (n = 404, 32.06%) and ubiquitous pesticide use (n = 783, 62.14%) were also present. Middle-aged respondents demonstrated more biodiversity-supporting activities than those over 55, who had long-term gardening experience and were predominantly conventional gardeners. Residents of towns showed the least biodiversity-positive activities, whereas those living in cities and the countryside fared better. Additionally, multiple interconnected garden characteristics revealed various types of gardens distinguished by care practices and use, such as gardens for food self-provisioning, ornamental gardens, or those prioritizing biodiversity support. Our results show that garden owners use pesticides, and within them herbicides, independently of socio-demographic parameters, gardening practices, or garden characteristics, suggesting a widespread pesticide use in Hungary. Our findings suggest that strategies, to promote biodiversity-friendly gardening practices may not be equally suitable for all European countries with different cultural backgrounds, environmental consciousness and pesticide use. In particular, factors like differences between societal groups underscore the preference for in-person programs over online information transfer in several cases, for instance, among the elderly and those living in the countryside. This study offers fresh perspectives on the intricate connections between garden diversity, characteristics, and practices, and it lays the groundwork for future research into the sociological drivers of gardening practices in Eastern Europe. Our work also emphasises that optimizing gardens for multiple ecosystem services, including biodiversity conservation and enhancing well-being across diverse societal groups, requires a nuanced understanding of both ecological and socio-demographic factors. HighlightsO_LIBiodiversity-friendly domestic gardens are key for urban sustainability C_LIO_LIGardening practices of Hungarian gardeners varied with socio-demographic factors C_LIO_LILack of undisturbed areas, frequent mowing and pesticide use were the most harmful C_LIO_LIElderly gardeners showed less biodiversity support and environmental awareness C_LIO_LITailored strategies are crucial for enhancing Eastern European garden biodiversity C_LI

ecology↗