Reindeer in tundra ecosystems: the challenges of understanding system complexity

Abstract

The resilience of tundra ecosystems is limited, with relatively few key biotic components determining the general pattern of the dynamics of these systems. Sustainable use of reindeer pastures, which are natural tundra ecosystems, should take into account interactions within the whole complex of key components. Among the most important are the small herbivorous rodents. For example, during peak densities lemmings may reduce above-ground plant biomass by 50-70%. At the same time, rapid turnover of nutrients in the form of significant amounts of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen that lemmings excrete in urine promotes vascular plant growth. It is concluded that these kinds of studies are essential for the sustainable management of Russia's grazing lands: 1) comparative studies of productivity, biological diversity and structure of plant communities under the different pressures exerted by the main groups of herbivorous animals (reindeer and small rodents), as well as under varying levels of industrial development; 2) studies of the direct and indirect effects of herbivorous mammals on biological turnover and energy flow within the system; 3) studies of the role of industrial contamination on the turnover of nutrients in tundra ecosystems.

Reindeer influence on ecosystem processes in the tundra

“…In heavily grazed areas, the amount of N in old biomass had decreased and instead more N was found in the aboveground new growth in the sub‐oceanic area and in roots in the continental area. Ecosystem C pools followed a trend similar to the N pools, but old biomass pool contained a larger proportion of the C than of the N, and that the soil pool contained quite a substantial proportion of the N, but only a very small fraction of the C. At the continental site, the soil C pool increased in the heavily grazed area, indicating that herbivory had a potential to increase the ecosystem pool of soil organic C (Molvar et al 1993, Franzluebbers et al 2000, Kryazhimskii and Danilov 2000). The role of mammalian herbivory for ecosystem C balances in the tundra, thus seriously need further investigation.…”

Resources and spatial analysis at actual Nenets campsites: Ethnoarchaeological implications

“…Object Dating survive by fishing and occasionally hunting (Kryazhimskii and Danilov, 2000;Johnson, 2002;Stammler, 2007). While Upper Paleolithic populations in Europe existed independently from modern cultural and economical systems, the subpolar populations of Siberia were subjected to the effects of political and economical centralization.…”

What is a reindeer? Indigenous perspectives from northeast Siberia

“…. .’ (Kryazhimskii and Danilov 2000: 107). But the vast, empty-looking bog of Yamal is actually a highly humanised landscape.…”