  To elucidate the role played by the transition metal ion in the pnictide
materials, we compare the electronic and magnetic properties of BaFe_{2}As_{2}
with BaMn_{2}As_{2}. To this end we employ the LDA+Gutzwiller method to analyze
the mass renormalizations and the size of the ordered magnetic moment of the
two systems. We study a model that contains all five transition metal 3d
orbitals together with the Ba-5d and As-4p states (ddp-model) and compare these
results with a downfolded model that consists of Fe/Mn d-states only (d-model).
Electronic correlations are treated using the multiband Gutzwiller
approximation. The paramagnetic phase has also been investigated using
LDA+Gutzwiller method with electron density self-consistency. The
renormalization factors for the correlated Mn 3d orbitals in the paramagnetic
phase of BaMn_{2}As_{2} are shown to be generally smaller than those of
BaFe_{2}As_{2}, which indicates that BaMn_{2}As_{2} has stronger electron
correlation effect than BaFe_{2}As_{2}. The screening effect of the main As 4p
electrons to the correlated Fe/Mn 3d electrons is evident by the systematic
shift of the results to larger Hund's rule coupling J side from the ddp-model
compared with those from the d-model. A gradual transition from paramagnetic
state to the antiferromagnetic ground state with increasing J is obtained for
the models of BaFe_{2}As_{2} which has a small experimental magnetic moment;
while a rather sharp jump occurs for the models of BaMn_{2}As_{2}, which has a
large experimental magnetic moment. The key difference between the two systems
is shown to be the d-level occupation. BaMn_{2}As_{2}, with approximately five
d-electrons per Mn atom, is for same values of the electron correlations closer
to the transition to a Mott insulating state than BaFe_{2}As_{2}. Here an
orbitally selective transition, required for a system with close to six
electrons only occurs at significantly larger values for the Coulomb
interactions.
