On changing of quality of Kostroma region forests for nutrition of elk (Alces alces L.)

• Main Author: F. A. Shabrov
• Format: Dataset
• Language: Russian
• Published: Theoretical and Applied Ecology 2015
• Subjects: elk; Alces alces L.; site class; state forest inventory; Kostroma; Alces alces
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.25750/1995-4301-2015-4-090-094; http://envjournal.ru/ari/v2015/v4/files/15414.pdf

Timber harvesting peak falls on 1950s-70s in Kostroma Region. Accumulation of full-ripe and overripe deciduous stands has been ever since, causing game chore changing. Forest inventory structure factor score concerning changing of quality of land for elk (Alces alces L.) habitation has been conducted basing on 1966—2014 forest inventory data stocktaking from the point of view of foresties and divisions of forestry of the region. Evaluation of weight-average index of quality and site class has been conducted according to Dmitriy Danilov’s technique based on the investigations on forage species composition ate by elk (Alces alces L.) in the region. By the results of the conducted work, it has been estimated that the land on the whole correspond to the III site class over the whole period of observations. At that, Kostroma Region elk (Alces alces L.) number does not exceed 3 per 1000 ha which corresponds to the IV—V site classes. Reaching such an elk (Alces alces L.) number which is optimal for the site class is observed only on occasion and appears to be of short duration. Snow cover height is one of the factors of land deterioration in terms of forage. The greatest snow cover height falls on February-March and often exceeds 60-70 cm, in terms of Kostroma Region’s northeast. Under these circumstances, use of mid-siteclass by the animals becomes limited, site class declines to IV–V классов, lands with the greatest forage capacity – restoring glades, margins etc – power the elk (Alces alces L.).