In the framework of the present project the consortium is undertaking the elaboration of an up-to-date agro-ecology synthesis.

The soil science, water regime, agrometeorological, crop production, plant protection, biodiversity and regional researches outlined in the project will include the study of the following topics:

• Assessment of the elements of agro-ecosystems, determination and analysis of the relationships and interrelationships, and study of their functioning mechanisms.
• The description, characterization and quantification of the environmental effects of different agro-ecosystems.
• Analysis of the effect of environment elements on different agro-ecosystems.
• Evaluation of the mass and energy transport processes in agro-ecosystems, and the soil–water–near surface atmosphere–plant system; assessment of the factors affecting, determining, influencing or modifying their mechanisms; determining the possibilities of their control.
• The elaboration of the basis of an up-to-date agroecological information system operating through interactive thematic expert systems.

The practical application of the results requires the establishment of an up-to-date regional agroecological information system including object-oriented, thematic, interactive expert systems.

On the basis of the scientific results recommendations will be elaborated to guarantee the normal environmental functions of various agroecosystems. This can serve as the basis for environment protection, environment management, nature conservation and agricultural production actions on national and regional scale.

The Agro-ecology Research Program can be systemized into a two-dimensional matrix, in which one is the "topic-sequence", the disciplinary groupping of the elements of the eco-system (1–6), while the other "sequence" is the logically consecutive tasks to be solved within the disciplinaries (A–F):

The elements of the ecosystem:

1. Near-surface atmosphere (climate, weather).
2. Soil (including near to surface geological deposits, parent material, relief, the biogeo-chemical cycle of elements).
3. Soil moisture (surface and subsurface water resources; hydrophysical properties and moisture regime of soils).
4. Vegetation (main types of cultivated plants, grassland, different types of forests; in-cluding weed communities, and the special aspects of plant protection).
5. Animals (including both the soil fauna, biota; and the domestic animals in certain ecosystems).
6. Biodiversity.

1. Assessment of the present conditions.
2. The comprehensive analysis of processes going on within agro-ecological factors.

1. Research Institute for Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry (RISSAC) of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest: project coordinator (György VÁRALLYAY, E-mail: g.varallyay@rissac.hu)
2. Szent István University, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Soil Management, Gödöllõ (Márta BIRKÁS, E-mail: sun@fau.gau.hu)
3. Szent István University, Buda Campus, Faculty of Horticultural Sciences, Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Budapest (László VERMES, E-mail: vermes@omega.kee.hu )
4. University of West Hungary, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Department of Mathematics and Physics, Mosonmagyaróvár (Zoltán Varga-Haszonits, E-mail: vargahz@tk.nyme.hu)
5. Agricultural Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Martonvásár (Ottó VEISZ, E-mail: veiszo@mail.mgki.hu)
6. Plant Protection Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest (András SZÉKÁCS, E-mail: aszek@nki.hu)
7. Hungarian Academy of Sciences – "AGRO-21" Research Programme Office, Budapest (László CSETE, E-mail: budcentre@ella.hu)
8. Szent István University, Institute of Crop Production, Department of Crop Production, Gödöllõ (Márton JOLÁNKAI, E-mail: jolankai@fau.gau.hu)
9. Szent István University, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Gödöllõ (Zoltán TUBA, E-mail: tuba@fau.gau.hu)
10. University of West Hungary, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Centre of Agricultural Sciences, Mosonmagyaróvár (Géza KUROLI, E-mail: kurolig@mtk.nyme.hu)

Duration of the project: 36 months

Total budget: 246 million HUF

György VÁRALLYAY, RISSAC

H-1022 Budapest, Herman Ottó út 15. Hungary

Tel./Fax.: (36-1) 356-4682; E-mail: g.varallyay@rissac.hu