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Soil and Crop Ecology Laboratory established in VMU AA Experimental Station on 1st of March in 2013 for according Valley ‘Nemunas’ program. The purpose of the Laboratory – to be used by the University professors, researchers, students at all levels for the scientific research work and execution of contracting experiments for private entities.

Research activities

Oil seed rape agrotechnology research – spring and winter oil seed rape agrophytocenoses biopotential formation regularities and influence to soil fertility, the optimization of technological parameters in conventional and organic farming under changing climate conditions.

SERVICES

• Most of the available equipment is designed for field experiments. The possibilities to carry out various experiments in the field: tillage, varieties, fertilisation, plant protection and others. The possibilities to carry out demonstration and contracting experiments. In the field experiments using mobile equipment, there is possibility quickly evaluate the main soil pa­rameters: humidity, temperature, pH, salinity, hardness, shear resistance; to monitor the growth of plant roots in the field; investigate photosynthesis intensity (chlorophyll content, leaf area, CO2 emission evalua­tion); to perform soil gas composition and CO2 emissions from soil tests.
• Automated soil sampling and recording system Wintex 1000 mounted on ATV Honda TRX 680 Rin­con allows quick soil sampling in the field, marking the GPS coordinates of the location in the field plan. Samples preparation and storage equipment is used to prepare the soil and plant samples for chemical analyses.
• In the Laboratory we perform plant biometric re­search: identify the plant leaves, roots area, carry out the research of weed seed bank in the soil and crops grain.
• In controlled climatic conditions (temperature, humidity, lighting, day / night period) in Laborato­ry using controlled climatic chambers RUMED we can make seeds germination tests; sprout and grow plants regulating the basic growth factors (moisture, temperature, lightness); to carry out allelopathy in­vestigations, plant stress tests. There are opportuni­ties to conduct fundamental and applied research, demonstration and contracting experiments.

Constantly active seminars

In the Experimental Station annually organised Scientific-Practical Conference ‘Farmer’s Summer’.

Educational activities

Laboratory equipment is used by all levels of stu­dents, conducting research work and training. Students from ASU and other universities annually perform sci­entific trainings funded by Research Council of Lithua­nia, carries out scientific research work.

Other activities

• Laboratory researchers contribute in organizing the annual Scientific-Practical Conference ‘Farmer’s Sum­mer’, science promotion events: ‘Researchers’ Night’, ‘Fascination of Plants Day’; different seminars, conferences, scientific expeditions, field days for farmers and agricultural advisers.

Staff:

Head of VMU AA Laboratory of Soil and Crop Ecology
Žydrūnas Šiaučiulis
E-mail: zydrunas.siauciulis@vdu.lt

Game population management:

Age determination by morphology of wild animals; distance tracking, registration and census of wild animals; habitat suitability for wild animals evaluation; morphometrical studies and analysis of wild animals; analyze of game animals meat sensory characteristics and quality; evaluation of game trophy quality; environmental impact evaluation of game animals.

Game animals captive breeding, (re)acclimatization:

Infrastructure planning for captive breeding of even-toed ungulates (wild boar, follow deer’s, mouflons, red deer’s); development of recommendations for wild animals captive breeding; fallow deer ‘s acclimatization programs development and realization; evaluation of acclimatized wildlife population; game management planning; preparation, development and submission for legal approval game management plans; adjustment of game management plans; planning and designing bio-technical and technological facilities.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Game population management;

Wildlife animal captive breeding, acclimatization and reacclimatization;

Game management planning.

SERVICES

Evaluation of game population impact on forest ecosys­tem – research of game species (mammals and birds) impact on arboreal and herbal vegetation, animals. Recommendations for negative impact reduction.

Endangered game species bioecological evaluation – studies on endangered wildlife species ecology, ethol­ogy. Population management recommendations.

The evaluation of invasive game species populations – studies on invasive wildlife species ecology, ethology. Population management recommendations.

Studies in game management properties and evalua­tion of it’s wildlife population status – evaluation of the quality of the property, status and state of game spe­cies populations. Preparation of Game management plans for individual game management properties as well as extensive areas.

Game species acclimatization and acclimatization studies – evaluation of environmental suitability for planned (re) acclimatized game species, acclimatization process planning.

OUTSTANDING ACTIVITIES

The organization of annual scientific-practical confer­ence „Wildlife, forest and human interaction“;

Supervision of master level program „Wildlife re­courses and it‘s management“;

Organized international short therm courses for game management specialists and hunters.

Staff:

Head of VMU AA Laboratory of Game Management
dr. Artūras Kibiša
Ph. +370 37 752276
E-mail: arturas.kibisa@vdu.lt