Investigation of traditional ecological knowledge of wild animal species in the Carpathian Basin

Research on ecological knowledge of people living in rural areas is receiving increased attention worldwide, and research on this field has also become more significant in Hungary in the last 10 years. Traditionally, ethnozoologists were primarily interested in basic research on the folk taxonomy of vertebrate species and more direct examination of some highly salient taxa which have direct relevance to people. In this thesis, in addition to the examination of these two topics, a more focused study of invertebrate-related knowledge and ecological/conservation issues were targeted. We collected data among ethnic Hungarians practicing small-scale traditional agriculture in different landscapes: in Romania (Sălaj), Slovakia (Gemer) and Croatia (Baranja). The studies on local people’s perceptions on the Eurasian beaver were carried out in Romania (the Kászon Basin) and in Hungary (Szigetköz and in the Mura River valley). Related to interviews about mammals and invertebrates we used photos, held semi-structured interviews, and conducted picture sortings. We used these results to reconstruct the folk taxonomy. For the data collection for local people’s perception of the Eurasian Beaver’s impact on ecosystem services structured interviews were conducted with 30-30 local people for three study sites. In the fourth study (in which we examined predictions by zoologist and a feature-based linear model on local knowledge) we determined the level of observed familiarity among local peoples. A linear model was constructed to quantify how particular features (morphological, ethological, etc.; i.e. explanatory variables) contribute to the level of observed familiarity (i.e. the dependent variable). We also asked 20 zoologists from Hungary and Romania to classify each species on our list into four categories based on the level of familiarity they would expect from locals. Spearman’s rank correlation was applied in order to test the statistical dependence between a) the ranking of specific explanatory variables and the level of familiarity expected by zoologists and b) the ranking of specific explanatory variables and over- or underestimation of familiarity by zoologists. Species were ranked according to the observed levels of familiarity based on traditional knowledge holders, and by the level of familiarity predicted by the zoologists. The differences between the two ranks were calculated. With the documentation of folk knowledge on wild mammals and invertebrates the most important findings are: • 208 invertebrate and 42 mammal folk species were identified • 859 invertebrate and 122 mammal folk name – folk (and scientific) taxon identifications were made • first description of the folk taxonomy of invertebrates and mammals in Hungarian (Central European) communities • salient features of invertebrates and mammals were described for all known folk species • 30 different uses of insects were documented We studied local knowledge of beavers and the perception of their impact on ecosystem services and local livelihoods, and the perception of their general harmfulness and usefulness in three ecologically distinct, diverse rural landscapes. The most important findings: • locals had a deep knowledge on beavers’ behavior and impact • the negatively most affected people were more constructive related to the conservation of beavers • much more people had negative attitude towards beavers than those who were personally affected We examined whether the expert judgment of academic zoologists or a feature-based linear model is better at predicting the observed level of local familiarity with wild animal species. The most important findings: • similar accuracy of zoologists’ and a feature-based linear model’s estimates on local ethnozoological knowledge (ca. only 60%, and 70 %) was identified • 50% overlap was identified between the species most inaccurately estimated by the zoologists and a feature-based linear model • neither the overestimated nor the underestimated group of species was significantly different in their traits (tendencies - zoologists’ accuracy decreased by undervaluation of local folklore and local usefulness and overvaluation of the importance of striking morphology; the model overemphasized morphology, size and abundance) It is the scholars’ responsibility to learn, archive and use the knowledge connected to animals, meanwhile, zoologists would have the opportunity to decolonize their approaches, open up to traditional knowledge, and learn how to work in collaboration with local people. We believe that a more efficient bridging of knowledge systems could increase the chances of success in nature conservation and sustainability and lead to improved cooperation between conservation practice, academic science, and indigenous and traditional knowledge holders

Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Connection with Non-Domesticated Animals in the Slovenian and Hungarian Borderland

Although a significant proportion of folk knowledge of nature concerns knowledge of invertebrates and vertebrates living in the wild, very little ethnozoological research has been carried out in Central Europe focusing on the whole fauna. In writing the present paper, our aim was to contribute to filling this gap by interviewing 40 local farmers who are particularly knowledgeable on this topic, half of them from the Őrség region of Hungary, and half from the neighboring villages in Slovenia, and by recording their knowledge with respect to non-domesticated animals. Our research identified the second highest number of taxa (242 species-level folk taxa) in terms of investigations carried out in the Hungarian language area in relation to the entire fauna. These included 129 invertebrate folk taxa, 73% of which were called by a species-specific name. They also included 109 vertebrate folk taxa, 103 of which had a separate species-level local name. In the case of two groups (butterflies and mammals), we also investigated attributes that were important and salient from the point of view of species knowledge: morphology and size were of particular relevance in relation to mammal species; while salient habitat features and frequency were relevant in relation to butterfly species. In the case of both groups, usefulness was the least important factor. Despite the general erosion of traditional ecological knowledge in Europe, these recently collected data indicate that a rich, vibrant knowledge is still to be found among the Hungarians whom we interviewed in the Őrség region and the neighboring villages in Slovenia. The especially large number of recorded folk taxa, and the accurate knowledge required to differentiate between them confirm, that even today it is worth carrying out investigations on this topic in East Central Europe in the interests of obtaining knowledge of, and conserving cultural and natural values

Conflicts of Economic and Cultural Origin Between Farmers and Wild Animal Species in the Carpathian Basin — an Ethnozoological Approach

The multi-faceted relationship of society and wildlife is partly shaped by local perception determined by cultural or economic factors and resulting in positive or negative attitudes. The approach taken may influence the survival and the range of species and speciesgroups, in particular species associated with extremely negative emotions. Connections between local communities and wild vertebrate species were studied in four regions within the Carpathian Basin (Gömör/Gemer — Slovakia, Szilágyság/Sălaj — Romania, Gyimes/Ghimeş — Romania and Drávaszög/Baranja — Croatia). During the work, spontaneous manifestations obtained in semi-structured interviews aiming at the exploration of the locally known fauna were taken into account. Reviewing the five generally known families of vertebrates it can be stated, that — similarly to the global trends — the perception of amphibian and reptile species is extremely negative in the Carpathian Basin just as well. Most positive attitudes are related to bird species but due to presumed or true economic reasons some birds also include less favoured species. As to mammals, large predators are seen as harmful pests for husbandry and fearful for humans. The antipathy felt for bat species is an interesting phenomenon, mostly explained by their special physical constitution and mysterious lifestyle. The perception of local communities originating from cultural or economic factors and resulting in varying signs may have an impact on the size of the populations of certain species or species-groups. Ethnozoological research provides significant help to deeper knowledge about background of connections between local communities and species of wildlife, motivations behind the activities of society has become of paramount importance for development of conservation strategies

Természetvédők és kutatók ismeretei az eurázsiai hód kapcsán a Kárpát-medencében I.: elterjedés, életnyomok, az együttélés lehetőségei, az elhullás okai

Az eurázsiai hóddal kapcsolatos szakmai ismeretek jelentős része a helyi természetvédők és kutatók publikálatlan tudásanyagában található. Kárpát-medencében élő szakembereket kértünk fel arra, hogy osszák meg velünk tapasztalataikat a faj elterjedését, életmódját és a konfliktust érintő kérdésekben. Az elhangzott információkat szakirodalmi környezetben értelmezve új összefüggéseket és kutatási irányokat kerestünk. A hód valamennyi folyónkon jelen van, az állomány növekszik, ezzel párhuzamosan az együttélés lehetőségének megteremtése egyre több térségben jelent kihívást. A hód általi fadöntés mellett a faj gátépítése, valamint üregásási tevékenysége is konfliktusok forrása. Adatközlőink válaszai fontos hézagokat töltenek be, általuk válik lehetővé a hazai tudásanyag újraértelmezése, szintetizálása és a megismert jelenségek nyugat-európai példákkal való összevetése

Traditional Ecological Knowledge and the Cultural Significance of Plants in Hungarian Communities in Slovenia

Traditional ecological knowledge of plants is an important aspect of scholarship in relation to land use and contributes to the sustainable use and management of natural resources as well as to the monitoring of changes in the natural environment. The aim of the present paper was to examine traditional ecological knowledge in Hungarian communities in Slovenia in connection with knowledge of the plants growing in the region, their local names, and their uses. We quantified the earlier role of the utilized plant species in order to determine the former significance of certain species. We carried out structured interviews with a total of 20 individuals in three studied settlements. In the Hungarian communities in Slovenia, we uncovered knowledge of a total of 130 folk taxa. Of these, 123 taxa have local names. The majority of the folk taxa can be correlated with a single biological species. A significant proportion of the known species were utilized in some way, most of them as medicinal plants, wild edible plants, or ornamental plants. As in other farming communities, the most important species are mainly woody plants, which include the common hornbeam, the common juniper, and the silver birch. Among the herbaceous plants, utilization of the dandelion, nettle, and bulrush was significant. Members of the older generations living in the Hungarian communities in Slovenia still retain knowledge of plants that were once used on a daily basis, along with their local names and the traditional ecological knowledge connected with their earlier use

Changing year-round habitat use of extensively grazing cattle, sheep and pigs in East-Central Europe between 1940 and 2014: Consequences for conservation and policy

Abstract Many habitats in Europe have been managed by grazing for thousands of years. However, extensive grazing systems are becoming increasingly rare in the region, and there is a lack of understanding of the functioning of these systems. We carried out 147 structured interviews in 38 landscapes throughout the Carpathian Basin, with 3–5 informants/landscape. The number of actively grazing cattle, sheep and pigs, their year-round habitat use and the proportion of herds actively tended were documented for four characteristic historical periods (before, during and after socialist cooperatives and after EU Accession). The numbers of grazing cattle and sheep had decreased substantially by 2010 (by 71% and 49%, respectively), while pig grazing almost disappeared by the 1970s. Cattle primarily grazed habitats with taller vegetation. Sheep grazed dry pastures and stubbles, while pigs were driven into marshes and forests. In general, the importance of dry and wet grasslands increased, while the significance of marshes, stubble fields, vegetation along linear elements, second growth on hay meadows, wood-pastures and forests decreased over time. Approximately half of the grazed habitats were not typical pasture grasslands, and functioned as supplementary pastures during droughts, autumn and winter. The number of habitat types grazed per month per site dropped, and herding decreased substantially, in particular in the case of cattle and pigs. Contributing factors of the economic and social changes of the examined period included the collapse of the communist-era legal framework, the intensification of livestock husbandry, EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) regulations, and the rise of a nature conservation ethic. We conclude that agricultural policies should take into account the full spectrum of habitat types necessary for the effective operation of extensive grazing systems. We argue that conservation-oriented extensive grazing should use the traditional wisdom of herders but adapted to the present situations