Ungulate-driven forest-steppe vegetation changes in enclosures

Abstract

Ungulate enclosures are commonly established for wildlife observation and conservation, recreational hunting, meat, and material production. In this study, we analyse the ‘Elen’ hunting estate located in the forest-steppes of Kazakhstan. Our main objectives were to determine the richness and abundance of herbaceous and woody vegetation within the enclosures. Additionally, we aimed to evaluate damages inflicted by ungulate browsing and grazing. Our results reveal that dominant tree species in the forests of the ‘Elen’ estate are Scots pine, silver birch, and downy birch. Within the herbaceous vegetation cover, we identified 107 grass, sedge, and herb species, majority of them belonging to the Asteraceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, and Rosaceae families. Our analysis indicates that ungulates significantly impact forest-steppe vegetation in the enclosures. On average, 29.4% (20–100%) of trees and shrubs and 17.1% (15.6–81.8%) of herbaceous vegetation were damaged. The results of this study provide valuable insights for determining the optimal ungulate population size within the enclosures and contribute to the preservation of forest-steppes vegetation.