Are Hungarian Grey Cattle or Hungarian Racka Sheep the Best Choice for the Conservation of Wood-Pasture Habitats in the Pannonian Region?
2024
Károly Penksza | Dénes Saláta | Attila Fűrész | Péter Penksza | Márta Fuchs | Ferenc Pajor | László Sipos | Eszter Saláta-Falusi | Zsombor Wagenhoffer | Szilárd Szentes
Wood pastures have been characteristic farming types in the Pannonian biogeographical region over the centuries. In the present work, we studied wood-pastures of typical geographical locations in the North Hungarian Mountain Range of Hungary characterized by similar environmental conditions but grazed by different livestock. The sample area of Cseré:pfalu was grazed by Hungarian Grey Cattle, while the Erdő:bé:nye was grazed by Hungarian Racka Sheep. Coenological records of the sites were collected from 2012 to 2021 in the main vegetation period according to the Braun-Blanquet method with the application of 2 ×: 2 m sampling quadrats, where the coverage estimated by percentage for each present species was also recorded. To evaluate the state of vegetation, &rsquo:ecological ordering&rsquo: distribution, diversity, and grassland management values were used. Between the two areas, the grazing pressure of the two studied livestock produced different results. Based on the diversity values, woody&ndash:shrubby&ndash:grassland mosaic diversity values were high (Shannon diversity: 2.21&ndash:2.87). Cattle grazing resulted in a variable and mosaic-like shrubby area with high cover values. Based on our results, grazing by cattle provides an adequate solution for forming and conserving wood-pasture habitats in the studied areas of Hungary. However, if the purpose is to also form valuable grassland with high grassland management values, partly sheep grazing should be suggested.
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