Floodplain grasslands are contributing to the mosaic­like pattern, so their preservation is essential. Photo: Viktória Siposs

The territory of grasslands (pastures and mowin meadows ) in the Tisza floodplain is about 21,000 ha. The drastically decreased number of grazing animals in the early 1990's, and the shift towards more intensive animal keeping has resulted in a massive under use of grasslands. These changes have allowed weeds and shrubs to develop and in many cases have encouraged the introduction of alien invasive species. The species Amorpha fruticosa causes particularly serious problems in grasslands.
Those areas which are grazed, often burn out by July. Surprisingly this even happens in the close vicinity of the river, which is a consequence of the deepening riverbed (due to higher speed caused by the river regulation) and the resultant changes in hydrology.