TY - JOUR

T1 - Reindeer in a desert (Desertification in the Arctic because of overgrazing)

AU - Попов, Игорь Юрьевич

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Despite the fact that the Arctic region is not typically characterized as arid, it is still susceptible to desertification. In the tundra stretching from the White Sea to the Ob River, patches of sand devoid of vegetation, spanning several hectares, are quite common. A total of 34 clusters of such areas have been identified, covering a combined area of 1,685,750 ha. Among them are three sandy deserts, each spanning several hundred hectares. This phenomenon has been attributed to overgrazing by reindeer. Reindeer, preferring elevated and solid terrain, tend to concentrate in relatively small areas, while wetlands and mires occupy vast expanses around. The resulting overgrazing leads to the loss of vegetation and soil in several hotspots. The formation of these deserts or semi-deserts has been exacerbated by the practices of the local Nenets people. Since remote times they tried to expand their herds even if they cannot consume them, considering them as something like bank account. With the continuous increase in Nenets herders and, consequently, the number of reindeer, the desertification of the tundra is a looming reality. Traditional land use practices, in this case, fail to ensure sustainable development.

AB - Despite the fact that the Arctic region is not typically characterized as arid, it is still susceptible to desertification. In the tundra stretching from the White Sea to the Ob River, patches of sand devoid of vegetation, spanning several hectares, are quite common. A total of 34 clusters of such areas have been identified, covering a combined area of 1,685,750 ha. Among them are three sandy deserts, each spanning several hundred hectares. This phenomenon has been attributed to overgrazing by reindeer. Reindeer, preferring elevated and solid terrain, tend to concentrate in relatively small areas, while wetlands and mires occupy vast expanses around. The resulting overgrazing leads to the loss of vegetation and soil in several hotspots. The formation of these deserts or semi-deserts has been exacerbated by the practices of the local Nenets people. Since remote times they tried to expand their herds even if they cannot consume them, considering them as something like bank account. With the continuous increase in Nenets herders and, consequently, the number of reindeer, the desertification of the tundra is a looming reality. Traditional land use practices, in this case, fail to ensure sustainable development.

KW - Desert

KW - Nenets

KW - Overgrazing

KW - Reindeer

KW - Sand

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/e5327b71-f94d-3a8e-ab3c-116ffa9c2282/

U2 - 10.1016/j.polar.2025.101234

DO - 10.1016/j.polar.2025.101234

M3 - Article

VL - 146

JO - Polar Science

JF - Polar Science

SN - 1873-9652

M1 - 101234

ER -