The Škocjanski zatok Nature Reserve, located close to the city of Koper, is a specific grazing ecosystem where due to frequent flooding, common reed (Phragmites australis Cav.) is a dominant plant spieces. Laminitis disease has appeared every year since 2008 when horse grazing was initiated in the reserve. In this thesis we focused on botanical composition of grazed vegetation, its seasonal growth and content of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) with latter being frequently reported as possible cause for the laminitis disease. Four different research plots (olive groove, two wet grasslands, reed stand) subjected to horse grazing were established where the sampling for WSC analysis, floristic inventories and biomass harvesting were carried in year 2016. We found that vegetation parameters in the olive groove strongly differ from both grassland plots; in the olive groove the vegetation is xerophylic with lower growth rates in comparison to other plots. Furthermore, we found out the WSC is the highest during spring and in late afternoon for seasonal and daily changes, respectively. The results of the research are crucial to formulate good expert guidelines, which combine both the nutritional aspects of vegetation and the preservation of valuble habitats in the reserve.
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