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• Habitat management on agrar-landscape, with special regard to grassland management: Papers presented at the „Timely questions in grassland and game management” scientific conference (Hungarian Academy of Sciences – Kaposvár University, 18-19 May 2006)

  13-24

  Sandor Farago

  Views:

  113

  The invariably unfavorable agrarian environment can be neutralized only through a change paradigm change. This would mean the adoption of the practice of "wise use”, which implies the introduction of small game management supported with habitat management. Habitat management concerns 5-10% of the areas and predator management/control according to need result also in the increase of the target species; in this case, small game populations, by increasing the diversity of the habitat structure. The preservation of grasslands, their small game-friendly management, and the development and maintenance of a durable, undisturbed grassland structure primarily in the habitat margins play an essential role in this work.

• Deer, parasites and other small creatures on the pasture – a multifactorial, diverse biocenosis: Papers presented at the „Timely questions in grassland and game management” scientific conference (Hungarian Academy of Sciences – Kaposvár University, 18-19 May 2006)

  34-38

  Laszlo Sugar

  Zoltan Acs

  Szilvia Kovacs

  Andras Kovacs

  Views:

  89

  Red, roe and fallow deer have outstanding importance in game management and hunting in Hungary. They live in very diverse ecological circumstances affected by parasites and other ecological factors (Table1). Among the many parasites, lungworms are considered to be the most significant, at least for animals in captivity. Species differentiation in large lungworms (Dictyocaulidae) on the basis of their morphological features is difficult; therefore, the sequencing of ITS2 of rDNA has become a useful tool for their genetic characterization. In our study, in addition to the typical Dictyocaulus eckerti ITS2 sequence another sequence is derived, which is significantly different from the known D. eckerti and D. viviparus sequence characteristics. This indicates the real need for a large-scale molecular, systematic study of Dictyocaulus specimens from red, fallow and roe deer from an epidemiological point of view.
  In the period of host to host (deer), lungworm larvae (L1) on the pasture face many different environmental factors, including enemies and helpers. Number of L1s can be strongly reduced by dung beetle imagos as small predators. At the same time Pilobolus fungi help L1s to be spread on the ground vegetation, and improve and equalize the chance to get into the final hosts (deer) in the case of large lungworms (direct development) or into the intermediate hosts (terrestrial snails) for the necessary larval development of the Protostrongylidae species. Dung-breeding flies (Diptera) complete the set of factors. This is the uniquely functioning „micro”-biocenosis on the deer pasture.
  Deer herds, especially those kept intensively (eg. deer farm), are usually routinely treated with anti-parasitic chemicals, such as albendazol or ivermectin. A number of studies demonstrate that the later is toxic for the dung utilizing insects (dung beetles and flies) inhibiting the normal ecological processes: the decomposition of feces and reduction of lungworm larvae. The necessity of chemotherapy against lungworm is questionable. If we know that in sound ecological circumstances (healthy deer with good immune response on one side, and sound pasture as a well functioning biocenosis on the other), these parasites are harmless due to the long-term coevolution with their deer hosts, we may discontinue using anti-parasitics. Furthermore, because of the long food-hygienic waiting period (3-6 weeks), it is even contraindicated in terms of eco production of meat products, such as venison.

• The role of grasslands in natural and farm-like game management: Papers presented at the „Timely questions in grassland and game management” scientific conference (Hungarian Academy of Sciences – Kaposvár University, 18-19 May 2006)

  25-33

  Geza Nagy

  Laszlo Szendrei

  Peter Gyure

  Views:

  84

  This paper investigates the relationship between grasslands and game management. It focuses on three questions:
  - grasslands as habitats for game,
  - grasslands as sites for prolification,
  - grasslands as sources of nutrition.
  Five so-called big, and five so-called small game species were considered, based on my own research and a literature review. Main results and consequences:
  - grasslands as ecosystems are more important in game management than as solely resources of nutrients,
  - compared to their territorial proportions, grasslands play a 2-3 time grates role in game management,
  - grasslands are more preferred on areas where vegetation types are frequently changing (a given vegetation occupies only a small area),
  - there is a remarkable seasonality in grassland use of small game, spring being the peak season,
  - classification of game considering grasslands as sources of nutrients:
  I. grasslands are hardly eaten by: red deer, wild pig, wild ducks
  II. grass is consumed, but it is not a main source of nutrients: for fallow deer
  III. grass is consumed as frequently as other forages by roe deer, wild sheep
  IV. grasslands are important feeding sites for pheasants, partridges
  V. grass is the main forage for hares, wild ducks