The Effect of Microhabitat on Inuit Habitat Selection in Nome, Alaska

Settlement sites of hunter-gatherers and agricultural groups have been examined on a macroscale where social, political, and environmental factors influence the spatial pattern of settlements. This article examines microenvironmental characteristics of settlement sites in the vicinity of Nome, Alask...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environment and Behavior
Main Authors: Burger, Joanna, Gochfeld, Michael
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publications 1991
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0013916591236003
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0013916591236003
Description
Summary:Settlement sites of hunter-gatherers and agricultural groups have been examined on a macroscale where social, political, and environmental factors influence the spatial pattern of settlements. This article examines microenvironmental characteristics of settlement sites in the vicinity of Nome, Alaska, and compares these with characteristics at nearby sites chosen by random numbers. Settlements investigated ranged in size from 1 to 31 houses. Compared with the random points, Inuit settlements were significantly closer to roads and to water, and were farther from high hills. They were on flatter sites with higher vegetation, and were more likely to be located in willow stands than on tundra. Doors faced predominantly in a southerly direction. Sites with larger villages tended to be on flatter ground than those occupied by smaller settlements.