Research groups

Traditional Ecological Knowledge Research Group

Head of the research group:

Molnár, Zsolt, DSc

Scientific Advisor

Members of the research group:

Main profile:

The main goal of our research group is to conduct and facilitate research on traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) among Hungarians living in the Carpathian basin and in Serbia, Mongolia, and Iran. The main focus of the group is landscape ethnoecology, local landscape perception, and TEK related to habitats, vegetation and traditional land use. Researchers of the group use both botanical and ecological anthropological research methods. Besides scientific publications, we also emphasize the value of TEK in nature conservation management and motivate the use of multiple evidences in nature conservation. We are active members of the IPBES and CBD.

Selected publications

Molnár Zsolt; Aumeeruddy-Thomas Yildiz; Babai Dániel; Díaz Sandra; Garnett Stephen T.; Hill Rosemary; Bates Peter; Brondízio Eduardo S.; Cariño Joji; Demeter László; Fernández-Llamazares Álvaro; Guèze Maximilien; McElwee Pamela; Öllerer Kinga; Purvis Andy; Reyes-García Victoria; Samakov Aibek; Singh Ranjay K. : Towards richer knowledge partnerships between ecology and ethnoecology TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION, (2024)
2024

Molnár Zsolt; Fernández-Llamazares Álvaro; Schunko Christoph; Teixidor-Toneu Irene; Jarić Ivan; Díaz-Reviriego Isabel; Ivascu Cosmin; Babai Dániel; Sáfián László; Karlsen Pål; Dai Huxuan; Hill Rosemary.: Social justice for traditional knowledge holders will help conserve Europe's nature BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION, 285 Paper: 110190 (2023)
2023

Molnár Ábel Péter; Demeter László; Biró Marianna; Chytrý Milan; Bartha Sándor; Gantuya Batdelger; Molnár Zsolt.: Is there a massive glacial–Holocene flora continuity in Central Europe? BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS, Paper: 13007 (2023)
2023

Molnár, Zsolt; Babai, Dániel.: Inviting ecologists to delve deeper into traditional ecological knowledge TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION. 36: 679-690
2021

Molnár, Zs.; Kelemen, A.; Kun, R.; Máté, J.; Sáfián, L.; Biró, M; Máté, A.; Vadász, Cs.: Knowledge co‐production with traditional herders on cattle grazing behaviour for better management of species‐rich grasslands JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, 57. (2020) pp. 1677-1687.
2020

Demeter, László; Molnár, Ábel Péter; Bede-Fazekas, Ákos; Öllerer, Kinga; Varga, Anna; Szabados, Klára; Tucakov, Marko; Kiš, Alen; Biró, Marianna; Marinkov, Jelena; Molnár, Zsolt.: Controlling invasive alien shrub species, enhancing biodiversity and mitigating flood risk: A win–win–win situation in grazed floodplain plantations Journal of Environmental Management. 295:113053
2021

Biró, Marianna; Molnár, Zsolt; Öllerer, Kinga; Demeter, László; Bölöni, János.: Behind the general pattern of forest loss and gain: A long-term assessment of semi-natural and secondary forest cover change at country level Landscape and Urban Planning, 220:104334
2022

Demeter, László; Molnár, Ábel Péter; Öllerer, Kinga; Csóka, György; Kiš, Alen; Vadász, Csaba; Horváth, Ferenc; Molnár, Zsolt.: Rethinking the natural regeneration failure of pedunculate oak: The pathogen mildew hypothesis BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION. 253, Paper: 108928 (2021)
2021

Biró, Marianna; Bölöni, János; Molnár, Zsolt: Use of long-term data to evaluate loss and endangerment status of Natura 2000 habitats and effects of protected areas CONSERVATION BIOLOGY. 32: 660-671
2018

Öllerer, Kinga; Varga, Anna; Kirby, Keith; Demeter, László; Biró, Marianna; Bölöni, János; Molnár, Zsolt.: Beyond the obvious impact of domestic livestock grazing on temperate forest vegetation – A global review BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION. 237: 209-219
2019

Juhász, Erika; Katona, Krisztián; Molnár, Zsolt; Hahn, István; Biró, Marianna.: A reintroduced ecosystem engineer species may exacerbate ongoing biological invasion: selective foraging of the Eurasian beaver in floodplains Global Ecology and Conservation. 24: e01383
2020

Ulicsni, Viktor; Babai, Dániel; Juhász, Erika; Molnár, Zsolt; Biró, Marianna.: Local knowledge about a newly reintroduced, rapidly spreading species (Eurasian beaver) and perception of its impact on ecosystem services PLOS ONE. 15(5): e0233506
2020

Gantuya, Batdelger; Biró, Marianna; Molnár, Ábel; Avar, Ákos; Sharifian Bahraman, Abolfazl; Babai, Dániel; Molnár, Zsolt.: How Mongolian herders perceive ecological change in a “stable” landscape Ecology and Society, 26 (2):21.
2021

Biró, Marianna; Molnár, Zsolt; Babai, Dániel; Dénes, Andrea; Fehér, Alexander; Barta, Sándor; Sáfián, László; Szabados, Klára; Kiš, Alen; Demeter, László; Öllerer, Kinga.: Reviewing historical traditional knowledge for innovative conservation management: A re-evaluation of wetland grazing SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT. 666: 1114-1125
2019

Juhász, Erika; Bede-Fazekas, Ákos; Katona, Krisztián; Molnár, Zsolt; Biró, Marianna.: Foraging decisions with conservation consequences: Interaction between beavers and invasive tree species ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION. 12: -
2022

Babai, Dániel; Jánó, Béla; Molnár, Zsolt.: In the trap of interacting indirect and direct drivers: the disintegration of extensive, traditional grassland management in Central and Eastern Europe ECOLOGY AND SOCIETY. 26(4):Paper 6
2021

Biró, M.; Molnár, Zs.; Öllerer, K.; Lengyel, A.; Ulicsni, V.; Szabados, K.; Kiš, A.; Perić, R.; Demeter, L.; Babai, D.: Conservation and herding co-benefit from traditional extensive wetland grazing Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. Volume 300, 15 September 2020, 106983
2020

Ujházy, Noémi; Molnár, Zsolt; Bede-Fazekas, Ákos; Szabó, Mária Ottilia; Biró, Marianna.: Do farmers and conservationists perceive landscape changes differently? Ecology and Society, 25(3):12.
2020

Babai, Dániel; Ulicsni, Viktor; Biró, Marianna; Juhász, Erika; Molnár, Zsolt:.: „Az emberek nem tudják miféle. Még emlékezet se volt róluk!” Természetismeret-szerzési mechanizmusok egy visszatelepített ökoszisztéma-mérnök faj (eurázsiai hód – Castor fiber) kapcsán ETHNO-LORE: A MAGYAR TUDOMÁNYOS AKADÉMIA NÉPRAJZI KUTATÓINTÉZETÉNEK ÉVKÖNYVE, 36. (2019) pp. 227-244.
2019

NEWS

Books

Molnár, Zs., , Kiš, A., Demeter, L. et al. (2023): Pigs in the forest and marsh. Traditional ecological knowledge of svinjars (Book in 3 languages). HUN-REN Ökológiai Kutatóközpont, Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province.

Films

A day on the pasture with Sándor Barta cattle herder among bells (only in Hungarian yet) – LINK (Molnár Zsolt, Karácsony Sándor, Bereczki Julianna)

A day in the pasture with Sándor Barta cattle herder – the sound of the bells, livestock, and nature in mp3 – LINK for mp3 (Molnár Zsolt, Karácsony Sándor, Bereczki Julianna)

Knowledge co-production on conservation grazing

 

Films and media by the working group

Books written or edited by the TEK working group

Guideline to data collection of traditional ecological knowledge:

Gallery