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Response of reindeer and caribou to human activities
- Source :
- Polar Research; Vol 19, No 1 (2000): Special issue: Proceedings of the Human Role in Reindeer/Caribou Systems Workshop; 63-73
- Publication Year :
- 2000
- Publisher :
- Norwegian Polar Institute, 2000.
-
Abstract
- Petroleum and mineral exploration and extraction, hydroelectric development, atmospheric transport of contaminants, timber harvesting and tourism are increasing worldwide, especially in the Arctic. This development may adversely affect populations of reindeer/caribou (Rangifer tarandus) which are the basis of subsistence economies for northern indigenous peoples. Our purpose is to present a survey of the literature that has investigated the response of reindeer/caribou to human activities. Individuals and groups of reindeer/caribou: 1) move away from point sources of disturbance; 2) increase activity and energy expenditure near disturbance; 3) delay crossing or fail to cross linear structures; 4) shift away from areas of extensive and intensive development; and 5) are killed by collisions with vehicles and by hunting along roads. Cows and calves during the calving season are the most easily disturbed group. Bulls in general and all reindeer/caribou during insect harassment are least likely to avoid development areas. Estimation of the proportion of a population that is exposed to disturbance and the implications of this exposure to annual energy budgets, survival and productivity of reindeer/caribou has received little attention. Future advances in understanding the implications of human disturbance to reindeer/caribou will require cumulative effects assessment at annual, population and regional scales. Although some level of cumulative effect is likely, clear separation of cumulative effects of development from natural variation in caribou habitat use and demography will be difficult.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
education.field_of_study
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
Ecology
010604 marine biology & hydrobiology
Logging
Population
Cumulative effects
Subsistence economy
15. Life on land
Oceanography
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
The arctic
010601 ecology
Geography
Productivity (ecology)
Habitat
Disturbance (ecology)
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
Environmental Chemistry
education
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
General Environmental Science
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 17518369 and 08000395
- Volume :
- 19
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Polar Research
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....125f3a2cc74e507d6d174df1c95605c3