Vadföldek használata és a vadföldi növényzet fogyasztása Valkón.

Molnár, György and Szemethy, László and Katona, Krisztián (2013) Vadföldek használata és a vadföldi növényzet fogyasztása Valkón. VADBIOLÓGIA, 15. pp. 1-8. ISSN 0237-5710

Preview

Text VB15_Valkovadfoldhasznalat_MGY_SZL_KK.pdf Download (245kB) | Preview

Abstract

Cultivation of game plots is a common traditional practice in Hungarian game management. However, it has significant costs. Efficiency of this measure therefore, should be controlled. In our study we investigated the utilisation of four game plots and food plot forage (rye, Secale cereale) in Valkó throughout an entire year from April 2007 to March 2008. Our study aim was to determine the intensity of area use by deer on food plots and estimate the biomass of the food plot forage consumed. We conducted faeces counts in every 2 or 4 week. We also measured the difference between the total biomass of grazed and ungrazed plant individuals and that of enclosed (untouched) and control (grazed) sampling areas. We found that red deer appear in food plots in every season, although there were clear differences in the deer dropping density between different periods. The highest values of the intensity of area use in game plots were revealed in autumn (October-November). However, in the first half of the year there was no significant difference in the deer faces density between the game plots and control forest areas. Similarly, significantly more plant biomass was consumed (has disappeared) from the food plot forage during the September-October period (30-90 kg/ha/day) than in the other parts of the year (0-10 kg/ha/day). We suggest that food plot forage – or at least rye – has no fundamental dietary significance for red deer. Since the utilisation of game plots and food plot forage became the highest in the roaring period in autumn, importance of social factors in visiting game plots can be more fundamental than that of dietary ones. We think that it is hard to prove the clear dietary benefits of food plot forage for red deer at a population level. However, increasing effectiveness of trophy hunting during the roaring season could be an achievable and more easily measurable goal of game plot management.

Actions (login required)

Edit Item