Bequest of the Norseman—The Potential for Agricultural Intensification and Expansion in Southern Greenland under Climate Change

Abstract

The increase of summer temperatures and a prolonged growing season increase the potential for agricultural land use for subarctic agriculture. Nevertheless, land use at borderline ecotones is influenced by more factors than temperature and the length of the growing season, for example soil quality, as the increasing lengths of dry periods during vegetation season can diminish land use potential. Hence, this study focuses on the quality of the soil resource as possible limiting factor for land use intensification in southern Greenland. Physical and chemical soil properties of cultivated grasslands, reference sites and semi-natural birch and grassland sites were examined to develop a soil quality index and to identify the suitability of soils for a sustainable intensification and expansion of the agriculture. The study revealed that soils in the study area are generally characterized by a low effective cation exchange capacity (CEC eff) (3.7 ± 5.0 meq 100 g −1), low pH CaCl 2 (4.6 ± 0.4) and low clay and silt content (3.0 ± 1.0% and 38.2 ± 4.7%, respectively). Due to the high amount of coarse fraction (59.1 ± 5.8%) and the low amount of soil nutrients, an increasing threat of dry spells for soils and yield could be identified. Further, future land use intensification and expansion bears a high risk for concomitant effects, namely further soil acidification, nutrient leaching and soil degradation processes. However, results of the soil quality index also indicate that sites which were already used by the Norseman (980s-1450) show the best suitability for agricultural use. Thus, these areas offer a possibility to expand agricultural land use in southern Greenland.

Gas diffusion characteristics of agricultural soils from South Greenland

“…The soil resource is arguably the biggest unknown factor for the agricultural production in southwest Greenland and the majority of the soil-related research has been of an archeological and paleogeographical nature (Adderley & Simpson, 2006;Massa et al, 2012;Rutherford, 1995;Schofield et al, 2010), with only a few studies having investigated some basic physical properties of the soils. In general, the soils have been found to exhibit little to moderate soil formation (Jacobsen, 1987;Jakobsen, 1991;Rutherford, 1995), while being shallow, highly acidic, organic, and coarse-textured with a noteworthy low clay content (Adderley & Simpson, 2006;Caviezel et al, 2017;Ogrič et al, 2019). On the basis of a combination of chemical soil properties, texture, and ρ b , Caviezel et al (2017) evaluated the soil quality to be relatively poor in part of the agricultural area.…”

“…In general, the soils have been found to exhibit little to moderate soil formation (Jacobsen, 1987;Jakobsen, 1991;Rutherford, 1995), while being shallow, highly acidic, organic, and coarse-textured with a noteworthy low clay content (Adderley & Simpson, 2006;Caviezel et al, 2017;Ogrič et al, 2019). On the basis of a combination of chemical soil properties, texture, and ρ b , Caviezel et al (2017) evaluated the soil quality to be relatively poor in part of the agricultural area. Up until now, the functional properties of the Greenlandic soil resource remain largely undescribed and no studies have investigated the gas phase transport properties of Greenlandic soils outside the permafrost-affected high Arctic peatlands.…”

Carcass weight of Greenlandic lambs in relation to grazing area biomass

“…The political ambition in Greenland to increase self-sufficiency with food (Landbrugskommisionen 2014) may be supported by improved growing conditions caused by climate change (Christensen et al 2016)2016, and several have assessed the potential for an expanded sheep production in Greenland (Caviezel et al 2017;Thorsteinsson 1983;Westergaard-Nielsen et al 2015). This potential expansion points at the need for future studies on how to detect suitable grazing areas while taking both slaughter potential and the local environment into account.…”

“…over the same years or the equivalent of 15 g per person per day or 8.7% relative to imported meat (excluding fish). Hence, utilising the potential for expansion and intensification of Greenlandic agriculture (Caviezel et al 2017; Westergaard-Nielsen et al 2015) without eventually damaging local plant communities require attention to site-specific carrying capacity and potential environmental effects of proposed increased grazing intensity (Ross et al 2016).…”

Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future

“…With decreasing access to subsistence and traditional foods, northern communities are seeking sustainable alternatives. Some are considering or have begun implementing agricultural practices, including livestock production (Caviezel et al 2017). Livestock creates a new source of competition for muskox food resources, and avenues for the introduction of novel pathogens.…”