Salt marsh vegetation of the southern tundra subzone of Western Siberia: An example of the Baydaratskaya Bay coasts in the Kara Sea

The study is focused on the description of the vegetation and the general environment all characteristics of the salt marshes along coasts in the Baydaratskaya Bay there are of the Kara Sea in the southern tundra subzone of Russian Arctic. In tidal salt marsh habitats, several successional stages and types of communities depending on part of tidal zone. The plant communities study areas located close to research stations were represented by 50 species of vascular plant, 15 mosses and 3 lichens. The coastal vegetation tends to be floristically intermediate between the species composition of typical salt marshes communities (obligate and facultative halophytes) and species from adjacent tundra plains which can be able to tolerate occasional flooding by salt water. Zonation of salt marsh vegetation and floristic diversity were compared with the data for northern area of Kara Sea coasts

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

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

Effect of reindeer overgrazing on vegetation and animals of tundra ecosystems of the Yamal peninsula

Currently, 380 000 domestic reindeers are grazed on 106000 km2 of the Yamal peninsula. This unique situation was analyzed from a view of an ecosystem role of indigenous people. Attention was paied to two key points: the impact of overgrazing on (1) vegetation and (2) vertebrates. The results of our 30-years investigations were compared with the published vegetation data from the 1930-ies. In our paper, it is demonstrated, that overgrazing has resulted in a substantial transformation of vegetation, mostly in lichen tundra. Recent situation is close to total extinction of lichen pastures on the Yamal peninsula. Due to overgrazing, total availability of grasses and shrubs have also decreased, in grasses by 1.5-2.0 times, low shrubs - almost 8 times, tall shrubs – 2.0 times. The degradation of vegetation leads to desertification of the peninsula. The area of ​​sandy spots with no vegetation is on average about 5.5% of the peninsula land, however, it could reach up to 19% locally. Overgrazing affected the animal populations too. Since 1990, the peaks of lemmings have never reached former high values and become locally-limited and patchy. This has led to a decrease in the number of predators. The number of other tundra birds decreased as well. The decrease reached almost 2 times lower numbers in geese, 3 times in hygrophillous waders, 5.5 times in Lapland bunting, and 2 times in long-tailed Duck and Willow grouse on watershed. The Nenets themselves can not control reindeer population because of rigid social and psychological attitudes based on their traditions. The main aim of the Nenets reindeer-farming is not to create marketable products for a profit, but increasing the reindeer number of itself. A situation has formed, that, on the one hand, the Nenets are not economically dependent upon the society, and on the other hand, the society contributes to preservation of their traditional farming. The Nenets reindeer-farming, thus become an important factor contributing to rapid transformation of tundra ecosystem

First results from an experiment excluding three sizes classes of herbivores from tundra vegetation in southern Yamal, Russia

Plant-herbivore relationships are important for the functioning of tundra ecosystems. Here, we report the first results from an exclosure experiment that, something very few studies have done, separated the impact of three sizes of herbivores (small, medium and large) on nine functional groups of plants in the low arctic tundra of the Yamal Peninsula (Russia). Herbivore faeces counts in the exclosures and pictures from automatic cameras proved that the experimental setup worked. The majority of plant groups did not respond to exclusion of herbivores, supporting our expectation that vegetation responses in tundra are generally too slow to be measured during one growing season. The plant groups with highest growth rates and palatability (forbs and grasses) increased their biomass in meadows associated to tall willow shrubs when reindeer were excluded. This result was expected based on studies from other arctic regions. Our results also suggested that willow meadows and forb tundra, which are focal habitat for herbivores, are resilient and have the capacity to increase their biomass over a short term. We expect this experiment to provide valuable information on how different plant functional types and habitats with different growing conditions and importance to herbivores respond to relaxed grazing pressure from a variety of tundra herbivores

Effect of reindeer overgrazing on vegetation and animals of tundra ecosystems of the Yamal peninsula

Currently, 380 000 domestic reindeers are grazed on 106000 km2 of the Yamal peninsula. This unique situation was analyzed from a view of an ecosystem role of indigenous people. Attention was paied to two key points: the impact of overgrazing on (1) vegetation and (2) vertebrates. The results of our 30-years investigations were compared with the published vegetation data from the 1930-ies. In our paper, it is demonstrated, that overgrazing has resulted in a substantial transformation of vegetation, mostly in lichen tundra. Recent situation is close to total extinction of lichen pastures on the Yamal peninsula. Due to overgrazing, total availability of grasses and shrubs have also decreased, in grasses by 1.5-2.0 times, low shrubs - almost 8 times, tall shrubs – 2.0 times. The degradation of vegetation leads to desertification of the peninsula. The area of ​​sandy spots with no vegetation is on average about 5.5% of the peninsula land, however, it could reach up to 19% locally. Overgrazing affected the animal populations too. Since 1990, the peaks of lemmings have never reached former high values and become locally-limited and patchy. This has led to a decrease in the number of predators. The number of other tundra birds decreased as well. The decrease reached almost 2 times lower numbers in geese, 3 times in hygrophillous waders, 5.5 times in Lapland bunting, and 2 times in long-tailed Duck and Willow grouse on watershed. The Nenets themselves can not control reindeer population because of rigid social and psychological attitudes based on their traditions. The main aim of the Nenets reindeer-farming is not to create marketable products for a profit, but increasing the reindeer number of itself. A situation has formed, that, on the one hand, the Nenets are not economically dependent upon the society, and on the other hand, the society contributes to preservation of their traditional farming. The Nenets reindeer-farming, thus become an important factor contributing to rapid transformation of tundra ecosystem

First results from an experiment excluding three sizes classes of herbivores from tundra vegetation in southern Yamal, Russia

Plant-herbivore relationships are important for the functioning of tundra ecosystems. Here, we report the first results from an exclosure experiment that, something very few studies have done, separated the impact of three sizes of herbivores (small, medium and large) on nine functional groups of plants in the low arctic tundra of the Yamal Peninsula (Russia). Herbivore faeces counts in the exclosures and pictures from automatic cameras proved that the experimental setup worked. The majority of plant groups did not respond to exclusion of herbivores, supporting our expectation that vegetation responses in tundra are generally too slow to be measured during one growing season. The plant groups with highest growth rates and palatability (forbs and grasses) increased their biomass in meadows associated to tall willow shrubs when reindeer were excluded. This result was expected based on studies from other arctic regions. Our results also suggested that willow meadows and forb tundra, which are focal habitat for herbivores, are resilient and have the capacity to increase their biomass over a short term. We expect this experiment to provide valuable information on how different plant functional types and habitats with different growing conditions and importance to herbivores respond to relaxed grazing pressure from a variety of tundra herbivores

The economic assessment of harm to the arctic ecosystems at the development of oil and gas resources

In the article, the problem of development of oil and gas resources and consequence of this process for ecosystems of subarea of the northern subarctic tundra is considered in the example of the Yamal peninsula. These estimates of the main environment-forming and production (resource) functions of tundra natural and territorial complexes in a zone of active development of Bovanenkovsky oil-gas condensate field (OGCF) are presented. Recommendations for the integrated assessment of economic damage from the harm to subarctic ecosystems made by technogenic influence are introduced. The assessment of damage is based on the decrease in economic value of the natural capacity of the territory in the allocated ecological zones (troublesome zone of natural complexes), which development are defined by the stability of ecosystems and intensity of technogenic loadings. Results of an assessment of economic damage to conditions of development of Bovanenkovsky OGCF are given. Results of economic damage assessment for the development conditions of Bovanenkovsky OGCF are given