Empirical studies present considerably consistent data about human mate choice, from which we may infer that it tends to be homogamous for various traits. However, different experiments on facial resemblance led to contradictory results. To obtain additional data about the preference for self-resembling potential mates, male and female composite faces were modified in a manner to resemble subjects. Volunteers were asked to choose a potential partner from three images in different situations: self-resembling faces, non-resembling faces (both with the same degree of other-rated attractiveness), and images which were rated by others as more attractive than the self-resembling faces. Women did not show any preference for similarity; they preferred the most attractive male and female faces. In contrast, men preferred the most attractive images of the opposite sex to self-resembling faces and the self-resembling to non-resembling faces. The self-resemblance of same-sex faces was preferred by neither men nor women. Our results support the hypothesis that both facial similarity (i.e., cues of shared genes) and observer-independent features of attractiveness (i.e., honest signals of genetic quality) play an important role in males' mate choice. The lack of choice for self-resemblance on the female side in this particular study might reflect their more complex decision-making rules that are probably based on other cues beside visual stimuli.

Összefoglaló: Az Európai Unió 2020-ig megvalósítandó Biodiverzitás Stratégiájának egyik fő célkitűzése az ökoszisztéma-szolgáltatások (ÖSz-ek) minél teljesebb megőrzése és helyreállítása.Ennek érdekében a tagországok számára előírják, hogy térképezzék és értékeljék a területükön található ökoszisztémák állapotát (ÖÁ), valamint az általuk nyújtott ÖSz-ek helyzetét és gazdasági értékét. Magyarországon a 2016 őszén indult, Agrárminisztérium által koordinált KEHOP-4.3.0-VEKOP-15-2016-00001 számú kiemelt projekt keretében az "Ökoszisztéma-szolgáltatások" fejlesztési elem egyik fő feladata a hazai viszonyok között kiemelt fontossággal bíró ÖSz-ek országos térképezése és értékelése (Nemzeti Ökoszisztéma-szolgáltatás Térképezés és Értékelés; NÖSZTÉP). Az értékelés az ún. kaszkád-modell mentén végig halad az ÖSz-eket meghatározó ÖÁ jellemzőktől, az ÖSz kapacitásokon és az ebből ténylegesen igénybe vett szolgáltatásokon át az emberi jóllét fenntartásában vagy növelésében játszott szerepükig. A projekt eredményei a tervek szerint segítik majd a természeti tőkénkkel való fenntartható gazdálkodást, a zöldinfrastruktúra-hálózat fejlesztését, az egyes ágazatok közti hatékonyabb kommunikációt és a természetvédelmi és más ágazati döntéshozatalt.One of the main goals of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020 is to maintain and restore ecosystem services. It requires the member states to assess and map the condition of ecosystems, and the state and economic value of the most important ecosystem services (ESs). Led by the Ministry of Agriculture an EU-co-financed KEHOP-4.3.0-VEKOP-15-2016-00001 project started in Hungary in 2016 to fulfill these goals. The evaluation of the ecosystem services follows a so-called cascade model, which has 4 main levels: 1. condition of ecosystems, 2. capacity of ecosystems to provide selected ESs (potential supply), 3. actual use of ESs, 4. contribution of ESs to human wellbeing. The results of the project will hopefully assist the sustainable management of environmental resources, the development of the green infrastructure network, improved communication between different sectors, and proper decision making in nature conservation and other related sectors.

Mapping and assessing ecosystem services (ES) projects at the national level have been implemented recently in the European Union in order to comply with the targets set out in the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2020 and later in the Strategy for 2030. In Hungary this work has just been accomplished in a large-scale six-year project. The Hungarian assessment was structured along the ES cascade with each level described by a set of indicators. We present the selected and quantified indicators for 12 ES. For the assessment of cascade level 4, human well-being, a set of relevant well-being dimensions were selected. The whole process was supported by several forms of involvement, interviews, consultations and workshops and in thematic working groups performing the ES quantifications, followed by building scenarios and synthesizing maps and results. Here we give an overview of the main steps and results of the assessment, discuss related conceptual issues and recommend solutions that may be of international relevance. We refine some definitions of the cascade levels and suggest theoretical extensions to the cascade model. By finding a common basis for ES assessments and especially for national ones, we can ensure better comparability of results and better adoption in decision making.

Human well-being needs healthy ecosystems, providing multiple ecosystem services. Therefore, the assessment of ecosystems on large scales is a priority action. In Hungary, this work (MAES-HU) took place between 2016 and 2022. Twelve ecosystem services (ES) were mapped and assessed along with several ecosystem condition (EC) indicators. Their integrated spatial analysis aimed to identify patterns of ES multifunctionality, reveal relationships between EC and ES and delineate ES bundles. The results show outstanding multifunctionality of natural ecosystem types compared with the more artificial types, emphasizing the importance of natural areas in order to fulfil human needs. Native forests provide the most varied range of services, which underlines the importance of forest management to consider multiple services. There is a positive correlation between condition and multifunctionality in forests; areas in better condition (in terms of species composition and structure) provide more services at an outstanding level. ES bundles mainly reflect the major ecosystem types, topography and forest condition. Our analysis represents an example of synthesizing national MAES results with a combination of methods. Finding ES hotspots on a national scale and connecting them with an assessment of EC may help in finding optimal strategies to balance conservation targets and competing land uses.