Publication Date:
2024-06-24
Description:
Permafrost-agroecosystems include all cultivation and pastoral activities in areas underlain by
permafrost. These systems support local livelihoods and food production and are rarely considered
in global agricultural studies but may become more relevant as climate change is increasing
opportunities for food production in high latitude and mountainous areas. The exact locations
and amount of agricultural production in areas containing permafrost are currently unknown,
therefore we provide an overview of countries where both permafrost and agricultural activities
are present. We highlight the socioecological diversity and complexities of permafrostagroecosystems
through seven case studies: (1) crop cultivation in Alaska, USA; (2) Indigenous
food systems and crop cultivation in the Northwest Territories, Canada; (3) horse and cattle
husbandry and Indigenous hay production in the Sakha Republic, Russia; (4) mobile pastoralism
and husbandry in Mongolia; (5) yak pastoralism in the Central Himalaya, Nepal; (6) berry picking and
reindeer herding in northern Fennoscandia; and (7) reindeer herding in northwest Russia. We
discuss regional knowledge gaps associated with permafrost and make recommendations to policy
makers and land users for adapting to changing permafrost environments. A better understanding
of permafrost-agroecosystems is needed to help sustainably manage and develop these systems
considering rapidly changing climate, environments, economies, and industries.
Repository Name:
EPIC Alfred Wegener Institut
Type:
Article
,
isiRev
Format:
application/pdf
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