21 6 Cattle herder, 5321 Kunmadaras, Széchenyi u. 7., Hungary 22 7 Shepherd, 4251 Hajdúsámson, Liszt Ferenc u. 9., Hungary 23 Abstract 29Wetlands are fragile, dynamic systems, transient at larger temporal scales and strongly affected 30 by long-term human activities. Sustaining at least some aspects of human management, particularly 31 traditional grazing, would be especially important as a way of maintaining the "necessary" 32 disturbances for many endangered species. Traditional ecological knowledge represents an important 33 source of information for erstwhile management practices. Our objective was to review historical 34 traditional knowledge on wetland grazing and the resulting vegetation response in order to assess 35 their relevance to biodiversity conservation. 36 We studied the Pannonian biogeographic region and its neighborhood in Central Europe and 37 searched ethnographic, local historical, early botanical, and agrarian sources for historical traditional 38 knowledge in online databases and books. The findings were analyzed and interpreted by scientist, 39 nature conservationist and traditional knowledge holder (herder) co-authors alike. 40 Among the historical sources reviewed, we found 420 records on traditional wetland grazing, 41 mainly from the period 1720-1970. Data showed that wetlands in the region served as basic grazing 42 areas, particularly for cattle and pigs. We found more than 500 mentions of habitat categories and 43 383 mentions of plants consumed by livestock. The most important reasons for keeping livestock on 44 wetlands were grazing, stock wintering, and surviving forage gap periods in early spring or mid-late 45 summer. Besides grazing, other commonly mentioned effects on vegetation were trampling and 46 uprooting. The important outcomes were vegetation becoming patchy and remaining low in height, 47 tall-growing dominant species being suppressed, litter being removed, and microhabitats being 48 created such as open surfaces of mud and water. 49 These historical sources lay firm foundations for developing innovative nature conservation 50 management methods. Traditional herders still holding wetland management knowledge could 51 contribute to this process when done in a participatory way, fostering knowledge co-production. 52 53 3 Keywords: effect of livestock grazing, knowledge gap, knowledge co-production, traditional 54 ecological knowledge, vegetation structure 55 56

Floristic diversity in the Pannonian Plain is the result of mosaic habitat composition, characterized by steppes, saline meadows, and lowland forests along major rivers. In the last few centuries, the flora has become enriched by species introduced by human activities, such as colonization and industrialization. Presently it consists of nearly 1800 species. As a result of 30 years of field research as well as herbarium and literature searches, a list of invasive alien neophytes has been compiled and is presented here. The list includes 152 species, classified as either naturalized, casual, or unknown. One of the species is listed in Red Book of Serbian Flora. Eighty species are naturalized, and 61 are casual species. The majority of the introduced flora originates from North America (66) and the Old World (43). Most alien invasive species of the Southeastern part of the Pannonian Plain, were introduced accidentally by seed material or deliberately by nursery saplings. The annual and perennial herbaceous plants, which flower in the summer and summer-autumn periods, are represented in the greatest numbers. The alien flora was further analyzed with respect to taxonomy, life forms, pollination, and seed dispersal mode. The greatest number of alien species appears in anthropogenic and semi-natural habitats (59). In natural habitats, 45 invasive taxa were recorded, representing a conservation threat to biodiversity.

No abstract

No abstract

Background Traditional knowledge is key for sustainability, but it is rapidly disappearing. Pig keeping in forests and marshes is an ancient, once widespread, now vanishing practice, with a major economic and ecological potential. The knowledge of pig keepers and the foraging activity of pigs are hardly documented. Methods We studied the knowledge of traditional pig keepers (svinjars) on wild plants and pig foraging on the Sava-Bosut forest-marsh complex in Serbia. We conducted picture-based interviews about 234 locally common and/or salient plant species, and participatory fieldwork (11 days) and visual observation (21 days) on pig foraging. Results 181 wild plant species were known by svinjars and 106 taxa were consumed by pigs. Svinjars knew well and could name most regularly foraged species. 98 species were reported by svinjars as foraged and 56 as not eaten. 28 species were observed by the authors as eaten regularly, while 21 were nibbled and 17 avoided. Contradictory information on foraging was rare both among svinjars (8 species) and between svinjars and researchers (7 species); several of these species were rare. Leaves of 92, fruits or seeds of 21 and ‘roots’ of 20 species were reported or observed as eaten, usually with high seasonality. Svinjars were overall observant, but knew little about some less salient species (e.g. Veronica, Circaea). The most common forages (reported and/or observed) were fruits (Quercus, fleshy fruits), grasses (Agrostis, Glyceria), herbs (Ranunculus ficaria, Circaea), nutritious ‘roots’ (Carex spp., Iris), young shrub leaves (Crataegus, Carpinus) and ‘tame’ plants growing in the sun (Persicaria dubia, Erigeron annuus). Traditional, now extinct pig breeds were reported as less selective and more ‘knowledgeable’ about plants, as they received less additional fodder. Svinjars learnt their knowledge since childhood, from community members, but long-term personal observations and everyday encounters with pigs were also important sources of knowledge. Conclusions A deeper understanding of pig foraging could contribute to using pigs in nature conservation management, resource management and organic farming, and to a better understanding of wild boar foraging. The knowledge of svinjars is a disappearing intangible cultural heritage of European importance. Knowledge holders deserve recognition, and legal and financial support to continue this tradition.