Large herbivore abundance, distribution and winter pasture quality in two game farms in north Kazakhstan

The abundance and distribution of large herbivores were investigated in two private game farms in North Kazakhstan. The abundance of large herbivores were determined using R. McCain method, winter pasture quality were determined using S. Aldous method. “Bulandy” game farm is 8589 ha size forest area...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kibiša, Artūras, Narauskaitė, Gintarė, Pėtelis, Kęstutis, Šimkevičius, Kastytis, Marozas, Vitas
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2015
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Online Access:http://sciences.lv/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Kibisa.pdf
Description
Summary:The abundance and distribution of large herbivores were investigated in two private game farms in North Kazakhstan. The abundance of large herbivores were determined using R. McCain method, winter pasture quality were determined using S. Aldous method. “Bulandy” game farm is 8589 ha size forest area with gaps and pastures, about 150 km far North from Astana city. This game farm is presented by native large herbivore species: Moose (Alces alces, L.), Red deer (Cervus elaphus, L.), Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus P.) and alien species - Fallow deer (Dama dama L.) and American bison (Bison bison L.). Alien animals are kept in enclosures. “Zerenda” game farm is 6917 ha size area with hilly landscape about 250 km far to North-West from Astana city. This farm is presented by native large herbivore species: Moose, Red deer, Siberian roe deer and alien species – Sika deer (Cervus nippon, T). Sika deer is kept in enclosure, while native species are living free. However, density of large herbivores is much higher in “Bulandy’ game farm. We found that in “Bulandy” game farm as well as in “Zerenda” game farm during 130 days period of wintertime, large herbivores intensively used many understory species in winter pastures, indicating hard interruption to forest regeneration and natural species succession. In “Bulandy” game farm large herbivores in their winter pastures intensively used Caragana, Spirea, Populus, Cotoneaster, Pyrus, Malus understory species. In “Zerenda” game farm large herbivores intensively used broadleaved species such as Spirea, Cerasus, Cotoneaster, Populus and Betula species Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas Žemės ūkio akademija