An attempt to estimate the habitat capacity of reintroduction sites for the forest reindeer in the Nizhny Novgorod region

Abstract

The article is the first attempt to consider the consumption of food supply by the European subspecies of the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) during reintroduction in the central part of the Russian Plain on the territory of the Kerzhensky State Reserve in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. On the territory of the adaptation enclosure (122.44 ha), the vegetation was examined in 2015-16 (before the release of deer) and the changes that have occurred over 2 years of keeping animals (2018-20). The enclosure was used by animals for 5776 deer-days, including 3756 summer days and 2020 winter days. It was found that the area of the adaptation enclosure is fully used by the reindeer. Summer food supply have not changed, but a significant degradation of the lichen layer has been revealed. It was shown that the use of lichens by deer for food during the snowless period is minimal. Lichens of the genus Cladonia are the main food for reindeer after the formation of the snow cover. Winter food supply is the limiting factor that determines the habitat capacity. During the 2020 winter reindeer days, 60.02 tons of lichens were used. The daily consumption of lichens by one deer was 29.71 kg. It is shown that the number of deer kept in the adaptation enclosure exceeds the habitat capacity. The possibilities of keeping different numbers of animals with and without winter feeding have been estimated. The area of winter pastures necessary for a reindeer is calculated: 26.94 hectares of natural reindeer lichen communities, or 14.32 hectares in terms of 100% lichen coverage. These data can be used to calculate the potential capacity of reindeer habitats in forest-swamp complexes of the central part of the Russian Plain

First results of estimating possible habitat-forming role of forest reindeer in forest-wetland complexes of central Russian Plain (on example of adaptation enclosure of Kerzhensky Stare Nature Reserve)

“…The degree of degradation of the lichen cover depends on the grazing pressure. In the adaptation enclosure, it turned out to be very high [19]. The degradation of the lichen cover is a factor reducing the fire hazard in the lichen forests.…”

“…In 2015-2016, we carried out a detailed description of the vegetation in the area of the future adaptation enclosure before releasing the reindeer and measured the biomass of potential reindeer forage. In 2020, we conducted a repeat study and evaluated changes in the vegetation cover within the enclosure, including the degree of consumption of the main forage plants [19]. All events of reindeer eating plants, fungi, and lichens in the late summer and autumn of 2020 were recorded along routes totaling 68 km.…”