The state of the ecosystems in the central Barents Region: scale, factors and mechanism of disturbance

Mountain Birch Seedlings in the Treeline Ecotone, Subarctic Finland: Variation in Above- and Below-Ground Growth Depending on Microtopography

“…Hardly any birch seedlings date from after the beginning of the 1990s, which is also the time when reindeer population peaked in the study area (Helle and Kojola, 2006). The rapid increase since the mid 1970s was due to the use of off-road vehicles for herding, additional winter feeding, veterinarian care, decrease of the number of predators, and restricted slaughtering because of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster (Kashulina et al, 1997;Colpaert et al, 2003). It is possible that the deflation areas reached their present extent at the time of the population peak, since high reindeer numbers are often considered to be responsible for soil erosion on exposed topography (e.g.…”

“…It is possible that the deflation areas reached their present extent at the time of the population peak, since high reindeer numbers are often considered to be responsible for soil erosion on exposed topography (e.g. Kashulina et al, 1997;Broll, 2000;Lö ffler, 2000;Uhlig and Zink, 2006). On the other hand, a dense plant cover also hampers germination (e.g.…”

Interplay between nitrogen deposition and grazing causes habitat degradation

“…However, our understanding of the full extent of N-deposition impacts on terrestrial ecosystems is still in its infancy, because interactions between N deposition and other environmental drivers of change, including grazing, are poorly understood (Jefferies & Maron 1997;Asner et al 2001;Strengbom et al 2002). Concurrently with an increase in N deposition over the last century, livestock grazing has intensified in many parts of the world following policy reform, leading to large-scale degradation of natural and seminatural ecosystems (Kashulina et al 1997;Adler & Morales 1999;Sansom 1999;Shi & Li 1999;Manzano et al 2000). Moss-or lichen-dominated arctic and montane ecosystems, covering >20% of the earth's land surface (Longton 1988), are perhaps at greatest risk, being particularly sensitive to both increased levels of N deposition (Press et al 1986;Gordon et al 2001;Jones et al 2002;Pearce & Van der Wal 2002) and grazing (Krahulec et al 2001;Olofsson et al 2001; Van der Wal et al 2001a).…”

Impacts of Airborne Contamination on Regional Soil and Water Quality: The Kola Peninsula, Russia

“…A multitude of mineral occurrences is known throughout the area, of which nickel-copper, iron, and gold as well as apatite-nephelinite deposits are currently mined. Three major vegetation zones exist from north to south (alpine and subarctic tundra, subarctic birch forest, northern boreal forestssee map in ref 3). Coastal zones as well as continental inland regions are represented in the project area.…”