Forage production and summer use by ungulates on game fields and surrounding areas
Ungulates are causing conflicts between stakeholders due to browsing damage on forests and agricultural crops. At the same time there is a big demand of keeping high ungulate densities for sports hunting and recreational purposes. Movement patterns of ungulates are strongly correlated with forage availability. Therefore, measures affecting forage quantity and distribution might be a tool to reduce the economical losses in forestry without decreasing the ungulate densities and thereby decrease the conflict between different interest groups.This study investigated the potential biomass production and utilisation of marrow-stem kale (Brassica oleracea var. medullosa), at game fields in Misterhult, Sweden, as well as browsing effects on adjacent forests. The study included nine game fields and a total of 30 large herbivore exclosures. The biomass was cut and weight within the exclosures and paired controls in September and November. Transects of 500 m were distributed at four different directions from the fields with sample plots at seven different distances 0 (edge zone), 50, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 m from the game fields. In these plots browsing pressure was surveyed to investigate the browsing intensity in surrounding forests.A great biomass production was found, with mean dry biomass of marrow-stem kale of 1900 kg/0.01 km² in September significantly (p