Human-Induced Weed Expansion in Natural Habitats: How Can Wild Game Feeding Facilitate Plant Invasion?

Wildlife baiting sites represent localized disturbance hotspots within natural habitats and may substantially alter plant diversity. We investigated these effects in the Mátra Mountains (Hungary) by surveying 20 baiting sites across two regions and two elevational zones. Vegetation was sampled using 1 × 1 m quadrats positioned along 20 m transects. Results revealed a highly significant (p < 0.001) degradation gradient centered around bait stations. Management intensity appeared to override natural environmental gradients, as invasive species cover differed significantly between regions (p < 0.001), with higher values in Western Mátra (1.88%) than in Eastern Mátra (1.15%). Weed cover showed a similar, although non-significant trend (15.66% vs. 7.84%). Landscape-level analysis identified the surrounding road network as a key dispersal corridor, with road density positively correlated with weed cover. Sites equipped with automatic baiting systems recorded significantly higher weed cover (16.15%) than traditional sites (7.36%). The frequent occurrence of crop species (Zea mays L., Triticum aestivum L.) together with invasive plants (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Xanthium spinosum L.) suggests that agricultural forage serves as a major pathway for the introduction of non-native seeds. As management intensity was more strongly associated with these patterns than environmental gradients, anthropogenic factors appear to be the primary drivers of localized changes in plant community composition and biodiversity.