Loess vegetations of the Carpathian Basin have been ploughed for a thousand years. Therefore, loess steppes of verges of the Transdanubia have nearly disappeared. Therefore, in Hungary, it is also important to find out the composition of loess vegetation. The aims of our study were to date the age of the sample verges and explore types of verges. Is there a correlation between the types, location, expanse and vegetation types of the verges? Which of the coenologically important species of the genus Festuca occur in the verges and patches of loess grassland? The studies were carried out in three areas. We examined the age of the verges and their natural condition. Floristic and coenological surveys were applied to analyse the diversity of the verges. Inflorescence morphological analysis of the dominant Festuca species in the vegetation was carried out by analysing 25 parameters. Our results showed that not only the age of verges was valuable and natural. Most of the loess species did not appear in old verges. Consequently, we should not rely only on the age of the verges to make hypotheses about its natural condition and vegetation. Based on the coenological data, there were two types of verges, which were the interspaced verge and the border verge. Based on the diversity assessment from the survey, data of the interspaced verge showed the highest diversity value, the diversity value was higher than 4. Among the studied taxa, Festuca pseudovina was separated clearly as a homogeneous group. The morphotaxonomic parameters were not enough for species identification of F. valesiaca and F. callieri, but they were not enough for F. rupicola neither, so the examination of the sclerenchyma is required. Overall, in contrast to the previous hypothesis, the age of the grassland fragments is not the most important factor, but rather their location, size, the number of species and the diversity are adapted to them.

+36-76-517-613, fax: +36-76-517-601) 2 Szent István University, Department of Natural Conservation and Landscape Ecology H-2103 Gödöllő, Páter Károly u. 1. (phone: +36-28-410-200; fax: +36-28-410-804) Abstract. Investigations were carried out in wet and dry pasture. Coenological recordings were taken in three zones. The first zone ("A") located 0-50 m near the stable, second zone ("B") located 50-150 m from the stable, while the third zone ("C") located farther than 150 m. We have carried out analyses of ecological and environmental factors and life form types. Based on our results for both dry and wet grasslands, quadrates of "A" zone were well isolated from the rest of the zones. Overgrazing, which involves considerable trampling, vanishes differences among vegetations, thereby promotes weed and disturbance tolerant rich vegetation. The lowest species number and diversity could be found here. Due to the nitrogen enrichment due to the constant presence of livestock, drier and less heat demanding habitat developed in the "A" zones, according to the environmental indicators. Because of the change in management, conservation and diversity values of "C" zone increased, however, according to nature protection values it underperformed compared to "B" zone. According to the sample area, wet grasslands from the sandy areas of Kiskunság, preserve nature protection values and grass composition better moving away from stables, due to less grazing pressure. Drier backgrounds tolerate stronger grazing pressure.

A vizsgálatok a Kiskunságban, a Bugac település melletti száraz gyepi legelőn és a Tatárszentgyörgy település melletti nedves legelőn történtek. A cönológiai felvételek három zónában készültek. Az első zónába az állattartó telephez közeli 0–50 m-re („A” zóna), a második zónába az állattartó teleptől 50–150 m-re („B” zóna), a harmadik zónába az állattartó teleptől több, mint 150 m-re („C” zóna) található kvadrátok tartoztak. Eredményeink alapján a többi felvételtől jól elkülönültek a karámhoz közeli “A” zóna kvadrátjai. A vizsgálati években itt volt a legalacsonyabb a fajszám és a diverzitás. A bugaci területen a „C” zóna diverzitás értéke nőtt a vizsgált időszakban, azonban még mindig elmaradt a „B” zónától. A nedves fekvésű tatárszentgyörgyi gyepben a természetvédelmi értékeket is megőrző gyepösszetétel kialakulása a karámtól távolabb lévő területen („C” kategória), a kisebb legeltetési nyomás mellett valósult meg

Two groups of coenological relevés were prepared in 1997 and 2005 on sandy, alkali areas near Hódmezővásárhely town. Areas situated inside and near (0 to 50 meters far from) an animal husbandry farm belong to the first group. Coenological relevés gained from areas situated 50 to 150 meters far from intensively used areas belong to the second group. Data evaluation was made with considering naturalness state in case of habitats; and on the other hand, according to relative ecological factors of occurring species. A significant change in species composition could be detected. Particularly, deterioration of areas could be experienced. These negative processes are extremely heavy inside and near the animal husbandry farm. Even aggressive, invasive plant species occurred. Among dominant grass species, dominance relations and covering rate of disturbance tolerant Cynodon dactylon and Lolium perenne species have increased, caused partly by overgrazing and trampling as well. Farther from the farm, rate of degradation showed by vegetation has decreased compared to the areas closer to the farm, however, it has increased even on the farther area between the two time periods. During the preparation of management plans for the grasslands, these data should be considered at a higher rate in favour of preserving natural values, especially because the biggest population of nature protected Trifolium subterraneum lives in this area.

Functional quality of food means dynamic quality, which is the biological value of food use and nutrition. Its importance is in disease prevention, health preservation and market gain. [3]