Can management buffer pasture loss and fragmentation for Sami reindeer herding in Sweden?
Abstract Today, climate change and competing land use practices are threatening rangelands around the world and the pastoral societies that rely on them. Reindeer husbandry practised by the indigenous Sami people is an example. In Sweden, approximately 70% of the most productive lichen pastures (imp...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:2b2b71857b2c4f69992e22e25615a30e 2024-09-15T18:31:47+00:00 Can management buffer pasture loss and fragmentation for Sami reindeer herding in Sweden? Alessia Uboni Birgitta Åhman Jon Moen 2020-10-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/s13570-020-00177-y https://doaj.org/article/2b2b71857b2c4f69992e22e25615a30e EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13570-020-00177-y https://doaj.org/toc/2041-7136 doi:10.1186/s13570-020-00177-y 2041-7136 https://doaj.org/article/2b2b71857b2c4f69992e22e25615a30e Pastoralism, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2020) Adaptation Pastoralism Rangifer tarandus Resilience Reindeer husbandry Winter grazing Animal culture SF1-1100 article 2020 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/s13570-020-00177-y 2024-08-05T17:50:08Z Abstract Today, climate change and competing land use practices are threatening rangelands around the world and the pastoral societies that rely on them. Reindeer husbandry practised by the indigenous Sami people is an example. In Sweden, approximately 70% of the most productive lichen pastures (important in winter) has been lost, either completely or because of a reduction in forage quality, as a result of competing land use (primarily commercial forestry). The remaining pastures are small and fragmented. Yet, the number of reindeer in Sweden shows no general decline. We investigated the strategies that have allowed reindeer herders to sustain their traditional livelihood despite a substantial loss of pastures and thus natural winter forage for their reindeer. Changes in harvest strategy and herd structure may partially explain the observed dynamics, and have increased herd productivity and income, but were not primarily adopted to counteract forage loss. The introduction of supplementary feeding, modern machinery, and equipment has assisted the herders to a certain extent. However, supplementary feeding and technology are expensive. In spite of governmental support and optimized herd productivity and income, increasing costs provide low economic return. We suggest that the increased economical and psychosocial costs caused by forage and pasture losses may have strong effects on the long-term sustainability of reindeer husbandry in Sweden. Article in Journal/Newspaper Rangifer tarandus reindeer husbandry sami sami Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Pastoralism 10 1 |
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Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Adaptation Pastoralism Rangifer tarandus Resilience Reindeer husbandry Winter grazing Animal culture SF1-1100 |
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Adaptation Pastoralism Rangifer tarandus Resilience Reindeer husbandry Winter grazing Animal culture SF1-1100 Alessia Uboni Birgitta Åhman Jon Moen Can management buffer pasture loss and fragmentation for Sami reindeer herding in Sweden? |
topic_facet |
Adaptation Pastoralism Rangifer tarandus Resilience Reindeer husbandry Winter grazing Animal culture SF1-1100 |
description |
Abstract Today, climate change and competing land use practices are threatening rangelands around the world and the pastoral societies that rely on them. Reindeer husbandry practised by the indigenous Sami people is an example. In Sweden, approximately 70% of the most productive lichen pastures (important in winter) has been lost, either completely or because of a reduction in forage quality, as a result of competing land use (primarily commercial forestry). The remaining pastures are small and fragmented. Yet, the number of reindeer in Sweden shows no general decline. We investigated the strategies that have allowed reindeer herders to sustain their traditional livelihood despite a substantial loss of pastures and thus natural winter forage for their reindeer. Changes in harvest strategy and herd structure may partially explain the observed dynamics, and have increased herd productivity and income, but were not primarily adopted to counteract forage loss. The introduction of supplementary feeding, modern machinery, and equipment has assisted the herders to a certain extent. However, supplementary feeding and technology are expensive. In spite of governmental support and optimized herd productivity and income, increasing costs provide low economic return. We suggest that the increased economical and psychosocial costs caused by forage and pasture losses may have strong effects on the long-term sustainability of reindeer husbandry in Sweden. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Alessia Uboni Birgitta Åhman Jon Moen |
author_facet |
Alessia Uboni Birgitta Åhman Jon Moen |
author_sort |
Alessia Uboni |
title |
Can management buffer pasture loss and fragmentation for Sami reindeer herding in Sweden? |
title_short |
Can management buffer pasture loss and fragmentation for Sami reindeer herding in Sweden? |
title_full |
Can management buffer pasture loss and fragmentation for Sami reindeer herding in Sweden? |
title_fullStr |
Can management buffer pasture loss and fragmentation for Sami reindeer herding in Sweden? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Can management buffer pasture loss and fragmentation for Sami reindeer herding in Sweden? |
title_sort |
can management buffer pasture loss and fragmentation for sami reindeer herding in sweden? |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13570-020-00177-y https://doaj.org/article/2b2b71857b2c4f69992e22e25615a30e |
genre |
Rangifer tarandus reindeer husbandry sami sami |
genre_facet |
Rangifer tarandus reindeer husbandry sami sami |
op_source |
Pastoralism, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2020) |
op_relation |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13570-020-00177-y https://doaj.org/toc/2041-7136 doi:10.1186/s13570-020-00177-y 2041-7136 https://doaj.org/article/2b2b71857b2c4f69992e22e25615a30e |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13570-020-00177-y |
container_title |
Pastoralism |
container_volume |
10 |
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1 |
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1810473527044734976 |