Award-Winning Thesis On Freshwater Life

An English-language doctoral thesis made by a Ph.D. student of the Department of Botany of UD has won the first place award of the European Federation For Freshwater Sciences (EFFS). The dissertation deals with the role of migratory waterbirds in the dispersal of plants and invertebrates.

The EFFS announces calls for application for the authors of successfully defended doctoral theses dealing with freshwater life on a regular basis. In the 2017/2018 round Ádám Lovas-Kiss, a former Ph.D. student of the Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School of UD won the first place award with his thesis entitled Migratory birds as key vectors of dispersal for plants and invertebrates – Case studies from Europe, which he wrote in English at the Department of Botany of UD.

The author studied what plants and other organisms are transported by migratory birds, and how far various species can get in this way. According to studies, fruiting bodies eaten by birds can survive the journey through the digestive system of birds.

The winning thesis, which was prepared under the supervision of professors Attila Molnár V. and  Andy J. Green, was selected from among the Hungarian applicants by the Hungarian Hydrological Society, and was announced the best by a 5-member jury out of 16 studies submitted by the EFFS associations of 10 countries.

In addition to highlighting its scientific relevance, the jury also emphasised the Pan-European character of the work, which contributes to the common European vision of freshwater sciences.

Press Office