The Institute of Ecology and Botany seeks to propose scientific solutions to the environmental challenges of our time, such as land-use change, habitat degradation, climate change, urbanisation, the effects of intensive agriculture, invasions, and the emergence of new diseases. The Institute’s nearly 80 researchers, organised in research groups, work on a wide range of organism groups and habitats, using a variety of methodological approaches. In addition to its basic research activities, the institute carries out a number of public monitoring and applied research activities.
Priority Areas
- Maintenance and restoration of the integrity of nature and society.
- Investigating the impact of silviculture on forest communities.
- Plant genetic conservation and ecological restoration in the National Botanical Garden.
- Development of conservation strategies based on seed ecology.
- Reconstruction of grassland habitats.
- Testing restoration ecology methods for the development of the national green infrastructure.
- Predicting the ecological impacts of climate change in the Carpathian Basin.
- The status biodiversity and ecosystem services in urban habitats.
- Biodiversity and protection of natural habitats embedded in agricultural landscapes.
- Ecological intensification, agroecology.
- Ecological analysis and sustainability of plant–pollinator relationships.
- Ecological analysis of biological invasion and its social and economic implications.
- Prevention of emerging diseases based on ecological principles.
- Investigation of plant community dynamics, search for community assembly rules.
- Maintaining plant databases and updating distribution maps.
- Knowledge co-production between science and other knowledge systems.
Priority publications
Piross, I.S.; Lecheval, V.; Powell, S.; Donaldson-Matasci, M.C.; Robinson, E.J.H. Strong and weak environmental perturbations cause contrasting restructure of ant transportation networks PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
2025
Garamszegi, László Zsolt; Soltész, Zoltán; Szentiványi, Tamara; Kurucz, Kornélia; Nagy, Gergely; Bede-Fazekas, Ákos. Identifying ecological factors mediating the spread of three invasive mosquito species: citizen science informed prediction JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
2025
Lakatos, Tamás; Báldi, András; Benkő, Zoltán; Gallé, Róbert; Korányi, Dávid; Kovács, István; László, Zoltán; Purger, Jenő J.; Sándor, Krisztina; Seress, Gábor; Urák, István; Batáry, Péter. Landscape complexity and edge effects shape bird community composition and filter functional traits in villages ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
2025
Ónodi Gábor; Kertész Miklós; Bede‐Fazekas Ákos; Batáry Péter; Kröel‐Dulay György; Botta‐Dukát Zoltán. Decline in plant species richness with a chronic decrease of precipitation: The mediating role of the dominant species JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, 113 : 3. pp. 621-634. (2025)
2025
Batáry Péter; Gallé Róbert; Korányi Dávid; Lakatos Tamás; Deák Balázs; Gallé-Szpisjak Nikolett; Kabai Melinda; Koszta Csaba; Kotowska Dorota; Marja Riho; Palotás Brigitta; Szabó Borbála; Torma Attila; Báldi András; Hornung Erzsébet; László Zoltán; Molnár Zsolt; Purger Jenő J.; Seress Gábor; Urák István; Purger Dragica; Sándor Krisztina; Somay László; Süle Gabriella; Valkó Orsolya; Zsigmond Andreea Rebeka; Fischer Christina; Marini Lorenzo; Tscharntke Teja; Szitár Katalin; Török Edina. Biodiversity and human well-being trade-offs and synergies in villages NATURE SUSTAINABILITY, 8 : 8. pp. 894-904. (2025)
2025
Deák Balázs; Bede-Fazekas Ákos; Süveges Kristóf; Tölgyesi Csaba; Kelemen András; Bede Ádám; Borza Sándor; Godó Laura; Valkó Orsolya. Ancient mounds, modern refuges: Out-of-production sites on kurgans support rare weeds in agricultural landscapes AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT, 394. Paper: 109902 (2025)
2025
Csecserits Anikó; Berki Boglárka; Csákvári Edina; Halassy Melinda; Mártonffy András; Rédei Tamás; Szitár Katalin; Botta‐Dukát Zoltán. Similarity in Persistence Traits Is Important for CoExistence With Perennial Invasive Asclepias syriaca but Not Annual Invasive Conyza canadensis JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, 36 : 6. Paper: e70081 (2025)
2025
Godó, L., Valkó, O., Borza, S., Ferencz, A., Kiss, R., Lukács, K., Deák, B. Effects of mound building and caching by steppe mouse (Mus spicilegus Petényi) on the vegetation in agroecosystems. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 379: 109359.
2025
Süle Gabriella; Báldi András; Kleijn David; Steffan‐Dewenter Ingolf; Venn Stephen; Goulson Dave; Dietzel Simon; Muratet Audrey; Cole Lorna J.; Öckinger Erik; Tzortzakaki Olga; Banaszak‐Cibicka Weronika; Betz Oliver; Blackmore Lorna M.; Dylewski Łukasz; Fontaine Benoît; Fournier Bertrand; Geppert Costanza; Griffiths‐Lee Janine; Hawthorn Catriona; Holzschuh Andrea; Horák Jakub; Horstmann Svenja; Hoyle Helen; Kati Vassiliki; Kovács‐Hostyánszki Anikó; Marini Lorenzo; Michelot‐Antalik Alice; Moretti Marco; Norton Briony A.; Phillips Benjamin B.; Plećaš Milan; Rada Patrik; Sárospataki Miklós; Schulze Sonja; Shwartz Assaf; Unterweger Philipp; Szigeti Viktor. Pollinator‐Promoting Interventions in European Urban Habitats – A Synthesis ECOLOGY LETTERS, 28 : 8, Paper e70189 (2025)
2025
Vörös Márton; Bede‐Fazekas Ákos; Crecco Lorenzo; Deák Balázs; Gyalus Adrienn; Schmotzer András; Valkó Orsolya; Halassy Melinda; Somodi Imelda. Potential vegetation estimations help to assess feasibility and expected effort needed in grassland restoration by shrub removal RESTORATION ECOLOGY, Paper: e70037 (2025)
2025
Bölöni János; Aszalós Réka; Ódor Péter. Lack of large-diameter living trees and low structural diversity characterise managed dry-mesic oak forests in the Hungarian Carpathians FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT, 586, Paper: 122706 (2025)
2025
Tinya Flóra; Csépányi Péter; Horváth Csenge Veronika; Kovács Bence; Németh Csaba; Ódor Péter. Fine-scale interventions can reinforce the forest character of the understory vegetation – The effects of different artificial gaps in an oak-dominated forest FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT, 578, Paper: 122471 (2025)
2025
