Abstract
In 1978 after about 100 years of absence, 15 Svalbard reindeer, Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus were reintroduced to Brøggerhalvøya, a peninsula on the north-western coast of Svalbard. This stock had increased to about 200 animals in 1989. Studies of reindeer grazing behaviour were carried out in 1979-1980 and 1988¬1989. Highly prefered lichen species such as Cetraria nivalis had almost completely disappeared by 1989, whereas a less prefered species, Cetraria delisei, was still abundant. Year round dietary intake of grasses, lichens and herbs e.g. Oxyria digyna, had decreased by 1989, whereas that of mosses had increased. Essentially reindeer showed a more opportunistic grazing behaviour with more balanced utilization of all types of plant associations in 1989. The grazing behaviour of the reindeer on Brøggerhalvøya is therefore similar to that observed for Svalbard reindeer in general.
Highlights
Reindeer had been extinct on Brøggerhalvøya, a peninsula on the north-western coast of Svalbard, for about 100 years when 15 reindeer were reintroduced in 1978
An initial study of grazing preference was carried out in 1979-1980 (Holand et aL, 1981; Persen et aL, 1983) followed by a comparative study using the same techniques in 1988-89 (Scheie and Grøndahl, 1990)
Habitat selection was studied by the pellet group technique (Rogers et aL9 1958; Punsvik et aL, 1980 and Persen et aL9 1983)
Summary
Reindeer had been extinct on Brøggerhalvøya, a peninsula on the north-western coast of Svalbard, for about 100 years when 15 reindeer were reintroduced in 1978. By 1989 the population had grown to about 200 animals utilizing approximately 60 km, of potential grazing land. An initial study of grazing preference was carried out in 1979-1980 (Holand et aL, 1981; Persen et aL, 1983) followed by a comparative study using the same techniques in 1988-89 (Scheie and Grøndahl, 1990). The purpose of the present study was to describe possible changes in food and habitat preference of these reindeer after 10 years of increasing grazing pressure
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