Natural Pastures and Mobile Animal Husbandry Under Pressure: The Cases of Lapland and the Tibetan Plateau, 12-14 June 2002, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.

Impacts of reindeer grazing on soil properties on Finnmarksvidda, northern Norway Christian Uhlig*, Tore E . Sveistrup & Ivar Schjelderup H o l t Research Centre, T h e Norwegian C r o p Research Institute, 9292 T r o m s ø , Norway. C o r r e s p o n d i n g author ([email protected]). Abstract: Numerous investigations have documented changes i n vegetation due to reindeer grazing i n Finnmark County, N o r t h e r n Norway. However, rather few studies have focused o n impacts o f reindeer grazing o n soil properties. T h e aim o f this investigation was to identify possible changes i n physical and chemical soil properties due to reindeer grazing. Furthermore, root distribution was detected. A t four different locations o n Finnmarksvidda three sample sites each were selected subjectively according to lichen and plant cover: A ) ample, B) reduced, and C) p o o r lichen and plant cover. It was supposed that differences i n lichen and plant cover were due to differences i n reindeer grazing intensity. Results showed that the organic layer beneath ample lichen cover had an about 20% higher C E C and a 30—50% higher concentration o f plant available C a and M g and total M g compared to those beneath reduced ones. A t sites with p o o r lichen and plant cover, an organic layer was mostly missing. T h e exposed mineral Eh-horizons at these sites had a significant (Pb

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Fig. 2b. Total concentration o f P i n different soil horizons beneath different fruticose lichen cover: H ample, CD reduced, E poor. CD indicates plant available concentrations o f P. Significant differences (P