Preliminary Results of Effect of Rotational Grazing of Farmed Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) on the Biochemical Status of Soil

Barbara Futa,Tomasz M Gruszecki,Katarzyna Tajchman,Żaneta Steiner-Bogdaszewska,Leszek Drozd

doi:10.3390/agronomy11030558

Barbara Futa, Tomasz M Gruszecki + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11030558

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to identify the trends and dynamics of changes in the chemical and biochemical properties of soil induced by rotational grazing of farmed deer. Soils pH and the content of mineral nitrogen forms, total nitrogen, and organic carbon were determined in the study and the activity of three soil enzymes. The monitored soils were slightly acidic and neutral, with pH in 1 mol KCldm−3 ranging from 6.37 to 7.03. The contents of content of organic carbon, total nitrogen in the monitored soils were in the range of 9.42–19.37 gkg−1 and 1.13–2.24 gkg−1, respectively, while the contents of N-NH4+ and N-NO3− of 1.34–7.08 mgkg−1 and 102.8–619.5 mgkg−1, respectively. The mean levels of nitrate nitrogen in the pasture soils were lower than that in the mown soil. The soils from the pastures were characterized by a higher level of available phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium forms than the mown soil. In the deer grazing areas, the activity of all enzymes was clearly higher than in the soil from the control plot. The results of the present pilot study have demonstrated a positive effect of cervid grazing on the biochemical parameters of the soil environment.

Highlights

In recent years, there has been a rapid decline in biodiversity caused by the human demographic success
The different habitat conditions generated by the mode of land use and the duration of animal grazing differentiated the content of organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in the analyzed soils
The free-range grazing of the cervids had a beneficial effect on the total organic carbon and nitrogen contents in the soils of the S and W pasture pens

Summary

Introduction

There has been a rapid decline in biodiversity caused by the human demographic success. The rapid growth of the human population leads to e.g., massive exploitation of natural resources, global warming, soil degradation, species extinction, and an unprecedented ecosystem decline [1,2]. Free-range grazing contributes to limitation of the expansion of forest and scrub communities, which otherwise leads to retreat and disappearance of ecosystems with their valuable fauna and flora species. Many studies have confirmed the positive effect of farmed animal grazing, i.e., sheep [5,6,7,8], cattle [7,9], or horses [5,8,10,11] on preservation of the biodiversity of areas covered by various forms of protection. Farmed animal grazing can soil degraded [14], reduced the density and biomass of plant and animal species and limited biodiversity [15]

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