Rate of recovery of lichen-dominated tundra vegetation after overgrazing at the Yamal Peninsula ( Short Communication )

• Main Authors: Ektova, Svetlana N., Morozova, Ludmila M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Masaryk Univerzity 2015
• Subjects: lichen tundra; reindeer pastures; restoration; lichen growth; Yamal; Yamal Peninsula; Tundra
• Online Access: http://journals.muni.cz/CPR/article/view/12863

Lichens are the most sensitive part of vegetation cover to reindeer grazing. In this study we analyse success of restoration rate of lichen-rich tundra vegetation after ceasing the grazing stress at the Yamal Peninsula. On experimental plots we compare the main parameters of lichen mat (species diversity, total cover, thalii height, biomass, recovery rate) on grazed pastures and fanced sites after 13 years after of its isolation. Our results demonstrate that after intensive overgrazing the lichen species diversity and synusiases structure change very slowly. The rate of the biomass increase of lichens for this period has made 3.8 g m-2 year-1 that makes 3.6% from mass in the year. But this rate is two times lowers than in highly productive lichen communities.