Hungary: a European hotspot of non-native crayfish biodiversity

There is a long history of crayfish introductions in Europe and numbers keep increasing. In Hungary, spiny-cheek crayfish Faxonius limosus, signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus, red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii, marbled crayfish P. virginalis and Mexican dwarf crayfish Cambarellus patzcuarensis have become established. Here we report on monitoring at two localities with novel crayfish assemblages closely linked to releases associated with the pet trade. Florida crayfish Procambarus alleni were recorded from the Gombás brook near Vác living in syntopy with the established spiny-cheek crayfish. Dozens of Florida crayfish individuals including egg-carrying females have been detected. The short lifespan of this species and its documented presence including two overwintering in at least two years suggests possible establishment. However, the lack of juvenile records calls for further monitoring as long-term propagule pressure cannot be ruled out. We also identified a single marbled crayfish in the Danube floodplain at the end of the monitoring campaign. The second locality (Városliget thermal pond in Budapest) harbours an even more diverse crayfish assemblage. Here, we identified numerous red swamp and marbled crayfish in syntopy with dozens of monitored redclaws Cherax quadricarinatus and seven individuals of New Guinean Cherax species − C. holthuisi, C. snowden, as well as two scientifically undescribed species. These findings clearly indicate the attractiveness of urban and, especially, thermal waters for the release of even expensive aquatic pets and highlight the hitherto poorly known biodiversity of New Guinean crayfish species

A tervezett M2 gyorsforgalmú út hatásai : A SaveGREEN INTERREG projekt eredményei a magyarországi vizsgálati területen = The Effects of the Planned M2 Motorway : Results of the SaveGREEN INTERREG project in the Hungarian pilot area

The SaveGREEN INTERREG project aims to help conserve or improve ecological corridors through integrated planning and to raise awareness of the different types of appropriate mitigation measures. In connection with the SaveGREEN project and in the framework of the university educational program of landscape architecture students, we prepared a complex landscape assessment and landscape development plan for the planned M2 border area. The SaveGREEN project builds on the results of the TRANSGREEN, ConnectGREEN and HARMON DTP projects. The project focuses on the study areas of the partner countries: the Alpine-Carpathian corridor, the South-Western Carpathians, the Zakarpattya, Beskid, Lyulin and Balkan Mountains and the critical ecological corridors of the planned M2 area in Hungary, which are most affected by transport infrastructure and unsustainable land use. In our study, we present a complex assessment of the Hungarian study area, with a special focus on the assessment of ecological corridors crossing the route of the planned M2 motorway