Long-lasting effects of reindeer grazing
on tundra vegetation
*Dagmar Egelkraut
Johan Olofsson
Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University,
Sweden
* Correspondence: [email protected]
In cooperation with Kjell-Åke Aronsson, Svenskt Fjäll- och Samemuseum, Ájtte
Studying historical milking grounds as a long-term ecological experiment
Context
Scientific purpose
A historical milking ground is a restricted
area that has been used by herders for
marking
of
calves,
milking
and
slaughtering of domestic reindeer.
Intensive reindeer herding can alter
tundra vegetation into a meadow-like
vegetation due to higher rates of grazing,
trampling and nutrient input through
feces (Olofsson et al., 2004)
These grounds were actively used during
the 18th century, but the use decreased
dramatically during the 19th century.
However many of these places are, 100
years later, still clearly visible in the
tundra landscape of northern Scandinavia.
We aim to:
- Characterize these landscape
elements in an ecological perspective.
- Study them to find ecological
mechanisms maintaining this
vegetation type.
- Understand implications for longterm effects of reindeer on tundra
vegetation.
Fig. 1 Two Laplanders wearing traditional dress milking reindeer, Port Clarence, Alaska, 1900.
Photographer: Wilhelm Hester, 1872-1947
Field study
- Field study in Padjelanta National
Park (North Sweden), summer 2013
- 16 representative milking grounds
(grazed) with corresponding reference
sites (control)
BIRCH (BETULA NANA), CONTROL
- Two main reference vegetation types;
shrub vegetation dominated by either
Betula nana (n=8) or Salix glauca
(n=8)
WILLOW (SALIX GLAUCA), CONTROL
- Measured*:
Species composition and richness;
Vegetation height and NDVI;
Soil properties (temperature,
organic soil layer depth);
Pellet counts
*Results of parameters in Bold are shown below.
GRAZED
Fig. 2a
GRAZED
Typical reference vegetation (Control) dominated by Betula nana and a corresponding
historical milking ground (Grazed).
Fig. 2b
Typical reference vegetation (Control) dominated by Salix glauca and a corresponding
historical milking ground (Grazed).
b
b
a
a
a
c
c
a
Fig. 3
Overview of the study area in Padjelanta National Park, Sweden
Fig. 4
Average species richness, vegetation height and organic soil layer depth in control (C) and grazed (G) sites.
Error bars indicate ±StdError; significantly different values are indicated by different characters.
A first glance
Preliminary results indicate that:
- Milking grounds are more similar to each other than to
reference vegetation.
- There are two types of reference vegetation, and one type
of milking ground vegetation.
- Milking grounds are lower in vegetation height compared to
Salix-dominated reference vegetation; but they are higher
compared to Betula-dominated reference vegetation.
- Milking grounds are lower in species richness than Salixdominated reference vegetation; but equal in species
richness to the Betula-dominated reference vegetation.
Future perspectives
Results of the soil analyses will hopefully give more insight in
functional processes.
Additional analyses and sampling will allow us to further
identify underlying mechanisms: Are the historical milking
grounds in an alternative vegetation state? What keeps them
in that state?
Answers may relate to varying nutrient turnover rates, the
insulating effect of taller vegetation, soil nutrient composition
and availability.