Natural recovery of man-made disturbances in the west Siberian arctic and recommended species for rehabilitation

• Published in: Linnaeus Eco-Tech
• Main Author: Khitun, Olga V.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Linnaeus University 2019
• Subjects: Arctic; Bovanenkovo; Bovanenkovo gas field; Crawford; Forbes; The ''Y''; Arctagrostis latifolia; Salix lanata
• Online Access: https://open.lnu.se/index.php/eco-tech/article/view/1883; https://doi.org/10.15626/Eco-Tech.2003.005

Vast areas in the Arctic are faced with widespread threats ranging from gas and oildevelopment to tourism (Sippola et al., 1995; Crawford, 1997; Forbes et al., 2001). EastEuropean and West Siberian parts of Russian Arctic have important resources of gas andoil and, thus, experience intensive mechanical impacts. By the mid-1990s, off-roadtransportation connected with geological prospecting had already resulted in severedamage of parts of the Y amal Peninsula. Y amal ecosystems are characterised by extremevulnerability and low restoration potential. The rate and patterns of their natural recoverydepend on the severity of the disturbance, latitudinal position and habitat type. Thoughonly 4.5% of the local flora species in surroundings of Bovanenkovo gas field (centralYamal) can be considered as active colonizers, natural recovery is conducted only byaboriginal species. Adventitious element, wh ich is common at disturbed sites in theBoreal zone, was not found. The main problem of recultivation in the northern parts ofY amal is the absence of appropriate seed material. The planted seeds of southern grassesget completely extinct after 1 or 2 winters. Only local species (Deschampsia glauca, Poaalpigena, Arctagrostis latifolia, Calamagrostis neglecta) should be used. The study ofnatural recovery has showed that recommended sets of species should be site specific.Along with grasses, sowing mixtures should include sedges and forbs (different sets forsandy and loam soils). Transplanting seedlings or vegetatively reproduced young plants(especially for sedges) give good survival results. Use of willow cuttings is verypromising but appropriate species (Salix lanata, S. reptans) should be chosen. Vast areas in the Arctic are faced with widespread threats ranging from gas and oildevelopment to tourism (Sippola et al., 1995; Crawford, 1997; Forbes et al., 2001). EastEuropean and West Siberian parts of Russian Arctic have important resources of gas andoil and, thus, experience intensive mechanical impacts. By the mid-1990s, ...