Red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) caused a lot of damage to fields in the past, which resulted in the loss of agricultural crops. Today, red deer are as harmful in forests as on grasslands. The impact of this kind of deer on grasslands is discussed in this thesis. Red deer grazing on grasslands causes many problems for farmers such as loss of fodder for cattle and/or small ruminants. This results in economic damage (loss of income) for farmers. Grassland ecosystems are also damaged, because of eating native plants, which prevents the development of grassland sward. On the other hand, we also know the positive effects of red deer on ecosystems, for example deer disperse plant seeds and thus contribute to the diversity of ecosystems and the circulation of nutrients in nature. In recent decades, deer herds have been intensively expanding across Slovenia, which has a significant impact on the grassland production. The damage caused by deer on grasslands is very difficult to assess, and above all, a longer period is needed to determine its impact. This thesis presents the issue of deer and its impact on grasslands. Possible solutions that could be used to reduce deer damage to the grassland are also presented.
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