Winter grazing of reindeer in woodland lichen pasture

Kumpula, Jouko

doi:10.1016/s0921-4488(00)00179-6

Cited by 69 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…The most recent process, setting the maximum numbers for the period of 2020–2030, generally succeeded in involving several stakeholders, including local herding communities, and recommendations were at least partly based both on the scientific and practitioners’ knowledge (MAF, 2019). It is noteworthy that researchers involved in the process considered co-planning and local participation as central methods in the northern land use management (Kumpula et al, 2019a, 2019b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in mountain birch forests and reindeer management: Comparing different knowledge systems in Sápmi, northern Fennoscandia

et al. 2019

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AbstractMountain birch forests in the northern areas of Sápmi, the Saami homeland, serve as pastures for semi-domesticated reindeer. Recent reindeer management of the area has, to date, proceeded with little involvement of reindeer herders or their knowledge. To get more in-depth understanding of recent changes, we present together herders’ knowledge and scientific knowledge concerning the impacts of herbivory and climate change on mountain birch forests in three Saami communities in Norway and in Finland. Most of the herders interviewed reported changes in weather during the preceding decades. Herders agreed that the canopy and understorey of mountain birch forests have changed. The observed transformations in the quality of pastures have increased the financial costs of reindeer husbandry. Our study demonstrates that herders have practical knowledge of the present state and recent changes of birch forests, and of the responses of reindeer caused by these. This knowledge generally coincides with scientific knowledge. We call for better integration of knowledge systems and a better protocol for co-production of knowledge as it relates to more adaptive future reindeer management regimes. Such integration will facilitate understanding of cultural adaptation within rapidly changing social-ecological systems in which sustainable reindeer husbandry continues to be an important livelihood.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in mountain birch forests and reindeer management: Comparing different knowledge systems in Sápmi, northern Fennoscandia

et al. 2019

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“…At the same time, it has become clear that many factors affect the amount of terrestrial lichens which are an essential part of the winter nutrition of semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) (e.g. Kumpula 2001). Lichens contain a lot of easily digestible carbohydrates (Russell and Martell 1984) and promote the digestion of plant fibre in the rumen (Aagnes et al 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of reindeer grazing and forestry on ground lichens in Finnish Lapland

Akujärvi¹,

Hallikainen²,

Hyppönen³

et al. 2014

Silva Fenn.

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Akujärvi A., Hallikainen V., Hyppönen M., Mattila E., Mikkola K., Rautio P. (2014). Effects of reindeer grazing and forestry on ground lichens in Finnish Lapland. Silva Fennica vol. 48 no. 3 article id 1153. 18 p. Highlights• Both reindeer grazing and forestry affect the cover and biomass of reindeer lichens.• Reindeer grazing has bigger impact than forestry.• The lichen cover was about five-fold and the biomass about fifteen-fold in the ungrazed (fenced) sites than in the grazed ones.• The decrease of not only the biomass, but also the cover of lichens, is alarming. AbstractReindeer husbandry and forestry are practiced in the same areas in northern Fennoscandia. Reindeer pastures have largely deteriorated. We aimed to quantify the separate and combined effects of reindeer grazing and forestry on the amount of ground lichens. To do this, we mapped and inventoried all larger enclosures (49) in Finnish Lapland where forest management practices were similar in both sides of the fence. The average time since fencing was 43 years. We recorded the cover and estimated dry biomass of ground lichens, as well as parameters describing forest stand characteristics. The effect of reindeer grazing on both the cover and estimated dry biomass of lichens was clear: in the ungrazed (fenced) sites, the lichen cover (35.8%) was on average 5.3-fold and the dry biomass (1929 kg ha -1 ) 14.8-fold compared with the corresponding estimates in the grazed sites (6.8% and 130 kg ha -1 ). The effect of forestry on lichens was smaller. In the grazed stands the cover and biomass of lichens were higher in the mature stands compared to the younger stand development classes, whereas in the ungrazed stands there were no significant differences between the development classes. Both reindeer grazing and forestry affect the cover and biomass of ground lichens. The influence of reindeer grazing is, however, much heavier than that of forestry. The decrease of not only the biomass, but also the lichen cover, is alarming. The decrease of lichen cover may hinder the recovery of reindeer pastures, which in the long run endangers the sustainability of reindeer husbandry.

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“…Although trampling is frequently referred to as important in studies of interactive herbivore-vegetation effects, it is still stated in a non-quantitative and often rather anecdotal way (Persson et al, 2000;Suominen et al, 2008), including for the northern reindeer living in fragile and vulnerable cold high-latitude alpine and Arctic ecosystems (Skogland, 1983;Skogland, 1984;Körner, 2003). During the critical winter, reindeer may eat substantial amounts of lichen (Skogland, 1984;Kumpula, 2001;Vistnes & Nellemann, 2008;Hansen et al, 2010) which may be the most important and easily available forage. Slow-growing ground lichens are weak competitors, mainly found on sites where the environmental conditions are challenging to most vascular plants.…”

Section: Methodological Challenges In the Study Of Tramplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Total lichen cover and biomass vary greatly, from a total dry biomass of 2 kg m -2 in undisturbed Pine forests and 1.2 kg m -2 in undisturbed exposed alpine heaths (e.g. Kumpula, 2001), to less than 0.1 kg m -2 in heavily grazed, and necessarily also trampled alpine heaths (Odland et al, 2014). Desiccated and brittle lichen will be particularly susceptible to trampling (Holtmeier et al, 2003;Kumpula et al, 2011).…”

Section: Methodological Challenges In the Study Of Tramplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are trampling effects by wild tundra reindeer understudied?

Heggenes

Odland²,

Bjerketvedt³

2018

Ran

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Grazing and trampling by the wide-ranging wild tundra reindeer may have major top down landscape effects by causing vegetation changes. Grazing, as the collective effect of eating, trampling, defecation, and urination, has been studied extensively. In contrast, trampling effects per se are rarely studied, and almost never quantified, even though considered very important. The main reason appears to be methodological; effects of trampling imprints are difficult to measure and quantify systematically. In particular, in winter reindeer may largely subsist on slow-growing ground lichens. They grow in habitats with little snow cover and extensive soil frost, and dry lichen may be particularly susceptible to trampling, generating a likely substantial forage loss.

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Winter grazing of reindeer in woodland lichen pasture

Cited by 69 publications

References 17 publications

Changes in mountain birch forests and reindeer management: Comparing different knowledge systems in Sápmi, northern Fennoscandia

Changes in mountain birch forests and reindeer management: Comparing different knowledge systems in Sápmi, northern Fennoscandia

Effects of reindeer grazing and forestry on ground lichens in Finnish Lapland

Are trampling effects by wild tundra reindeer understudied?

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