Domestic Reindeer Research Articles

POLYMORPHISM OF DNA MICROSATELLITE AMONG CHUKOTKA REINDEER

The article presents the results of DNA microsatellite polymorphism with the use of a commercial kit containing 16 markers: Rt6, BMS1788, Rt30, Rt1, Rt9, C143, Rt7, OheQ, FCB193, C217, Rt24, BMS745, NVHRT16, T40 и C276. The study object is domestic reindeer procured from Chukotka AO to Nizhnekolymsky district of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) to refresh the blood of Chukotka reindeer under the rehabilitation program and improvement of reindeer breeding condition. Allele frequency, indicators of observed and expected heterozygosity, fix index and polymorphism were calculated. The calculation of allele frequencies showed that microsatellite markers have a wide range of alleles and high informative value for detecting genetic differences between animals and groups of animals. A total of 116 alleles were identified, which gave an average of 7.25 alleles per locus, and the number of effective alleles was 3.9. Indicators of observed and expected heterozygosity were 0.713 and 0.691. The highest number of alleles 12 and 13 were found in locus OheQ и BMS1788 and the smallest in locus C 143, which had 2 alleles. Also, 3 alleles were identified in locus C217 and C32. The results of the study can contribute to receiving information on the genetic structure of the Chukchi reindeer and using an improvement population program in Yakutia. Moreover, the results can be used in methods development and DNA test rules in the northern reindeer breeding.

Genetic Specificity of the Siberian Forest Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus valentinae Flerov, 1932) of the Kuznetsk Alatau.

This is the first study to show the genetic identity of the Altai-Sayan population of the forest reindeer of the Kuznetsk Alatau (Rangifer tarandus valentinae). The population is characterized by the existence of unique mitochondrial lines, the absence of signs of introgression of domestic rein deer mtDNA, as well as a low level of genetic diversity. In the sample studied, only two nucleotide substitutions (both of them transitions) were revealed, the nucleotide diversity (0.0015 ± 0.00136) was almost ten times lower than in most populations of wild reindeer in Russia and was comparable only with that of some wild reindeer populations of Norway and Svalbard. The haplotype diversity (h) was also relatively low (0.615 ± 0.102).

Insight into the Current Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Domestic Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in Russia.

Simple SummaryReindeer herding is the most important agricultural sector of the Russian Far North, representing the local genetic resources that compose original genetic wealth for the indigenous Arctic ethnic groups, which has maintained their life in harsh conditions of the area for many years. Conservation about and further rational use of such resources are very difficult without taking into account genetic diversity. Here, for the first time, the current genetic composition of the four officially recognized reindeer breeds and their ecotypes inhabiting the area from the Kola Peninsula in the west to the Chukotka region in the east are described using a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. Our findings reveal the genetic uniqueness of each breed, formed by the consequences of ecological processes, internal gene flow, breeding practices, and geographical features. The obtained results will assist the ongoing breeding policy to develop accurate programs to preserve genetic resources of this essential element of Russia’s Far North ecosystem.To examine the genetic diversity and population structure of domestic reindeer, using the BovineHD BeadChip, we genotyped reindeer individuals belonging to the Nenets breed of the five main breeding regions, the Even breed of the Republic of Sakha, the Evenk breed of the Krasnoyarsk and Yakutia regions, and the Chukotka breed of the Chukotka region and its within-breed ecotype, namely, the Chukotka–Khargin, which is bred in Yakutia. The Chukotka reindeer was shown to have the lowest genetic diversity in terms of the allelic richness and heterozygosity indicators. The principal component analysis (PCA) results are consistent with the neighbor-net tree topology, dividing the reindeer into groups according to their habitat location and origin of the breed. Admixture analysis indicated a genetic structuring of two groups of Chukotka origin, the Even breed and most of the geographical groups of the Nenets breed, with the exception of the Murmansk reindeer, the gene pool of which was comprised of the Nenets and apparently the native Sami reindeer. The presence of a genetic component of the Nenets breed in some reindeer inhabiting the Krasnoyarsk region was detected. Our results provide a deeper insight into the current intra-breeding reindeer genetic diversity, which is an important requirement for future reindeer herding strategies and for animal adaptation to environmental changes.

Identifying early stages of reindeer domestication in the archaeological record: a 3D morphological investigation on forelimb bones of modern populations from Fennoscandia

Reindeer herding probably developed during the Late Iron Age onwards and is still an important part of the subsistence and culture of many peoples in northern Eurasia. However, despite the importance of this husbandry in the history of these Arctic people, the period and place of the origin as well as the spread of domestic reindeer is still highly debated. Besides the existence of different breeding methods in these territories, identifying domesticated individuals in the archaeological record is complicated because reindeers are considered to still be in the early phases of the domestication process. Indeed, the traditional morphological markers used in zooarchaeology to decipher the domestication syndrome are hardly perceptible in these early stages. In this work, we propose solutions for identifying domestic reindeer bones using 3D geometric morphometrics on isolated elements from the long bones of the forelimb (i.e. humerus, radio-ulna and metacarpal). These bones are important to understand both the feeding behaviour and the mobility of reindeer, and the potential effect of load-carrying or draught in the case of domestic reindeer. We analysed 123 modern specimens from Fennoscandia, including the two interbreeding subspecies currently present in these territories: mountain reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) and forest reindeer (R.t. fennicus); and where the sex and the lifestyle were known (i.e. free-ranging, racing or draught and captive individuals). A good level of discrimination between the size and shape variables of the bones of the forelimb was found among both subspecies and sexes. Moreover, individuals bred in captivity had smaller bone elements and a thinner and more slender morphology than free-ranging individuals. This demonstrates that the long bones of the forelimb can provide information on changes in feeding and locomotor behaviour prompted by the domestication process, like control and/or reduction of mobility and food of individual reindeer by humans. This also demonstrates that analysis in 3D geometric morphometrics is useful in detecting reindeer incipient domestication markers. Our results can be used by archaeologists to trace the early stages of domestication from fossil reindeer remains, and aid in reconstructing the socio-economic changes of past Arctic populations over time.

Diversity of regional trends in traditional reindeer husbandry in the Russian Arctic

Domesticated reindeer livestock is an important resource for traditional economy of the indigenous peoples of the Russian Arctic. The article analyses the variability of the reindeer number trends in different Arctic regions and the reasons why reindeer livestock increases in some areas and decreases in others. The analysis is based on the official statistics data and scientific literature. Author argues that the key condition for the success of traditional reindeer husbandry is the informal economic environment. Due to peculiarities of the regional politics and the ways of adaptation of indigenous communities, such environment have been formed only in four municipal districts in the tundra of Western Siberia. In all other territory of the Russian Arctic the number of domesticated reindeer decreases or fluctuates at about the same level.

Temporal and structural genetic variation in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) associated with the pastoral transition in Northwestern Siberia.

Just as the domestication of livestock is often cited as a key element in the Neolithic transition to settled, the emergence of large‐scaled reindeer husbandry was a fundamental social transformation for the indigenous peoples of Arctic Eurasia. To better understand the history of reindeer domestication, and the genetic processes associated with the pastoral transition in the Eurasian Arctic, we analyzed archaeological and contemporary reindeer samples from Northwestern Siberia. The material represents Rangifer genealogies spanning from 15,000 years ago to the 18th century, as well as modern samples from the wild Taĭmyr population and from domestic herds managed by Nenetses. The wild and the domestic population are the largest populations of their kind in Northern Eurasia, and some Nenetses hold their domestic reindeer beside their wild cousins. Our analyses of 197 modern and 223 ancient mitochondrial DNA sequences revealed two genetic clusters, which are interpreted as representing the gene pools of contemporary domestic and past wild reindeer. Among a total of 137 different mitochondrial haplotypes identified in both the modern and archaeological samples, only 21 were detected in the modern domestic gene pool, while 11 of these were absent from the wild gene pool. The significant temporal genetic shift that we associate with the pastoral transition suggests that the emergence and spread of reindeer pastoralism in Northwestern Siberia originated with the translocation and subsequent selective breeding of a special type of animal from outside the region. The distinct and persistent domestic characteristics of the haplotype structure since the 18th century suggests little genetic exchange since then. The absence of the typical domestic clade in modern nearby wild populations suggests that the contemporary Nenets domestic breed feature an ancestry from outside its present main distribution, possibly from further South.

Economic activity of the Berezov posad population in the 17th–18th centuries (on the basis of osteological materials from excavation site No. 2)

Berezov is one of the first Russian towns in the north of Western Siberia (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area). This article is aimed at describing the household structure, the commercial activities of the population inhabiting the posad of the town on the basis of animal bone remains, as well as at determining the degree of integration of the Russian and native population in the region. The study was carried out using the osteological collection (ap-proximately 12,000 items) obtained during the excavations on the site in 2008–2018. Having compared the mate-rials belonging to different construction layers, we identified three chronological periods covering the time from the mid-17th (the moment this site was built) up to late 18th centuries. When describing bone remains, species com-position, skeleton element, as well as the degree of fragmentation, were determined. The age structure of domes-tic animals was described. During the period under review, as the urban economy was developing, foraging activi-ties decreased in the town of Berezov, whereas production increased. Cattle and reindeer played a dominant role in the diet of the posad population. Starting from the end of the 17th century and later in the 18th century, the raising of predominantly beef cattle was gradually giving place to the raising of dairy cattle. Simultaneously, the region was witnessing a rapid development of large-scale reindeer herding, with the involvement of the Russian population of northern towns in this process. Thus, the lack of domestic meat was compensated for by domestic reindeer meat. The population of the posad kept a small number of pigs, sheep, horses and hens. Dogs were used for hunting and transportation. Game hunting (especially wild geese, ducks and capercaillies), as well as fishing, played an important role in the economy of the population. The population fished mostly large species of fish (sturgeon, pike, nelma) and hunted for elks, hares, as well as fur-bearing animals. The analysis of archaeo-zoological materials, as well as archaeological data, revealed that mixed Russian and original population resided in the posad of Berezov in the 17th–18th centuries. The economy of the population was typical for Russian towns, exhibiting local natural characteristics and involving the use of all available commercial resources, as well as ac-tive cooperation with the original population of the region.

The variable histories of reindeer scapulae on the Iamal Peninsula of Arctic Siberia

Reindeer scapulae are widely incorporated into Indigenous lifeways across the Circumpolar North, especially as hide working tools, fish knives, and divination devices. This article addresses the histories of this particular skeletal element at the Iron Age settlement site of Iarte VI on the Iamal Peninsula, Arctic Siberia. Scapula tools are the most abundant group of implements recovered from the site. These implements, which were only used in Iamal from the 11th to 14th centuries CE, have so far been documented only at Iarte VI and one other site on the peninsula. Their particular forms are not currently known outside the region. We examine how this one element was separated from other parts of the body, which scapulae were chosen for tool production, and how they were transformed into implements. These tools appear to have been used for softening and straightening reindeer skin straps for ropes and lassos, a task now undertaken on the peninsula entirely by men. Drawing upon published accounts and our own ethnographic research with Nenets, we discuss how reindeer scapulae are embedded into perceptions of wild and domestic reindeer, used as hide-working tools, and involved in a variety of social and material practices in this region.

Effects of the Marinating Process on the Quality of the Domesticated Reindeer (Rangifer Tarandus) By-products

The development of methods for the complete and complex processing of raw food materials is one of the main ways to achieve the efficiency of its use: reduce production costs, expand products range and increase products demand. Over the last years, growing attention is paid to the search and development of new technologies of the processing of non-traditional and underutilized types of food materials, such as meat and by-products from alternative animal species. The research was aimed at studying the influence of the marinating process on the quality of the newly developed food product. The object of research was the tongue of domesticated reindeer, the underutilized raw materials of the Kola Peninsula. Product samples were taken in 2012-2016 on the basis of the agricultural production cooperative ”Tundra”, research was carried out on the basis of the Department of Food Production Technologies of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education ”Murmansk State Technical University”. The effects of marinating and duration of heat treatment on the quality of the product samples was studied. The parameters characterizing the generalized indicator of quality were selected - organoleptic (appearance, flavor and taste), physical (cutting force) and microbiological. The optimal composition of the marinade is proposed. The technology of culinary processing of the domesticated reindeer tongue was optimized.

Information and space technologies in the development of hunting and domestic reindeer husbandry

Based on an analysis of the results of using specialized collars with beacons of the Argos satellite system (manufactured by ES-PAS LLC) for wild reindeer movements, the possibility of using new beacons for remote monitoring of domestic animals grazing is considered. It is planned not only to select the optimal functioning parameters of the device for animal husbandry (location accuracy, frequency of data transmission to satellites, duration of autonomous functioning, etc.), but also to add new features that allow the use of satellite collars not only as a means of tracking animals, but also for studying the features of their behavior. Comparison of animal behavior information with Earth remote sensing data can be used to optimize pasture management. When forming the database, the possibility of organizing a system for managing the load on pastures, including an assessment of the overall potential for the development of livestock in a given territory, is considered.

Phenogenetic features of the Nenets breed Ural ecotype of the reindeer

For the first time, comprehensive studies of the phenogenetic features of the Ural ecotype of domestic reindeer of the Nenets breed were performed. It was found out that the Ural reindeer relative to other ecotypes of the Nenets breed have smaller linear dimensions and live body weight. The studied group of reindeer was characterized by the minimum values of the majority of population genetic indicators, including the effective number of alleles (Ne = 4.422 ± 0.614), the Shannon information index (I = 1.663 ± 0.102), and the level of both the observed and expected heterozygosity (Ho = 0.561 ± 0.064 and He = 0.740 ± 0.035, respectively). It exceeded two other samples from neighboring breeding regions (Nenets Autonomous district and the Komi Republic) in the average number of alleles per locus: (Na = 9.667 ± 0.577 versus Na = 9.555 ± 0.669 and Na = 9.557 ± 0.709, respectively). Animals of the Ural population (YAM) have a closer genetic structure with reindeer individuals of the neighboring Nenets Autonomous district (NAO). The studied sample of the Nenets breed was characterized by a shift in genetic diversity towards a lack of heterozygotes, as evidenced by the positive Fis values. The introduction of genetic methods in the reindeer herding will allow improving the breeding work in the industry, revealing intraspecific genetic variation in inbreeding herds and identifying intrabreed groups of animals.

MORPHOLOGY OF BRACHIAL PROFUNDA ARTERY OF THE DOMESTIC REINDEER’S THORACIC LIMB IN ONTOGENESIS

The authors argue the reindeer’s vascular morphology is not sufficiently investigated. They focus on the distal part of the thoracic and pelvic limbs, which the reindeer steps on the ground and hurts it often, as it leads to necrobacterial lesions in summer. In the postnatal period of the reindeer growth, the most intensive one in the length and diameter of the main arteries is observed in the first year, especially in the first month. During this period, the newborn deer gets into the new conditions of existence and the organs of movement become more and more functional. By the age of 3 - 3.5 years, the growth of the main arteries in length is almost over. The paper explores the features of blood supply of the thoracic limbs of a domestic reindeer, caused by the prominent growth of the second and fifth fingers. The absolute growth of arterial length in newborns and deers aged 0.5 months is 0.6 cm per day. In the following years of life, the length is reduced to 0.03 cm in the reindeers aged 3 y.o. The relative diameter of the arteries to the limb length in the postnatal period decreases from 4.4% in newborns to 3.3% in old deer. The irregularity of changes in the absolute and relative development of the thoracic limb arteries can be explained by different growth of blood vessels, bones, joints and limb muscles.

Zooarchaeological and stable isotope evidence of Sámi reindeer offerings

This paper presents new osteometric and stable isotope evidence of Sámi reindeer offerings. Previous archaeological studies have shown that reindeer domestication and intensification of reindeer herding transformed Sámi indigenous religion. However, because of the methodological challenges in the identification of wild and domesticated reindeer in the archaeological record, the exact nature of the relationship between people and offered reindeer has remained elusive. To address this problem, we analyze zooarchaeological and stable isotope data from thirteen Sámi offering sites situated in Finland and Sweden and dating to c. 1200–1700 CE. We employ zooarchaeological analysis of age, sex and size and explore the possibilities of these analyses to identify domestication and other characteristics of reindeer selected for offering. Analyses of stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur are utilized to identify human influence on reindeer feeding patterns and mobility. Our results show that many kinds of reindeer with different engagements with people were offered. The results confirm that people had different motives for giving offerings and that a simple dichotomy of wild/domesticated does not adequately reflect the range of relationships the Sámi had with reindeer.

The Chemical Composition and the Content of Macro- and Microelements in the Subproducts of Domesticated Reindeer in Yakutia

For the indigenous minorities of the far North, venison is the main environmentally safe food product. The study was aimed at determining the chemical composition, the weight, and the content of macro- and microelements in the subproducts of domesticated reindeer in Yakutia for further production of composite and functional food products, following the current ecological situation in the region. The subproducts of domesticated reindeer of the Chukchi and Evenki breeds are distinguished by the weight of the liver, the kidneys, the stomach, and the intestines; with that, the weight of subproducts in males was higher than in females. The comparatively high relative weight of internal organs in the reindeer of the Chukchi breed is associated with the better development of viability in the adverse conditions of the tundra habitat. Differences are observed within the content of nutrients in the subproducts in various age groups (females, males, and calves); this difference in the content of protein and fat is associated with the age-related feeding habits and the accumulation of nutrients in the organism of the deer. For instance, calves in this period feed on mother's milk; besides, the growing organism of a calf accumulates additional nutrients. The heart and the spleen of calves contain more macroelements (Ca, P, Mg, K, Na, and Cl) than those of male and female deer, while the kidneys, on the contrary, contain less macroelements. The content of microelements (Se, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and F) in the heart and the spleen of calves is higher, and in the liver and the kidneys, it is lower.

Investigating reindeer pastoralism and exploitation of high mountain zones in northern Mongolia through ice patch archaeology.

In interior Eurasia, high mountain zones are crucial to pastoral subsistence, providing seasonally productive pastures and abundant wild resources. In some areas of northern Mongolia, mountainous tundra zones also support a low-latitude population of domestic reindeer herders–a lifestyle whose origins are poorly characterized in the archaeological record of early Mongolia. Traditionally, reindeer pastoralists make significant seasonal use of munkh mus (eternal ice) for their domestic herds, using these features to cool heat-stressed animals and provide respite from insect harassment. In recent years, many of these features have begun to melt entirely for the first time, producing urgent threats to traditional management techniques, the viability of summer pastures, and reindeer health. The melting ice is also exposing fragile organic archaeological materials that had previously been contained in the patch. We present the results of horseback survey of ice patches in Baruun Taiga special protected area, providing the first archaeological insights from the region. Results reveal new evidence of historic tool production and wild resource use for fishing or other activities, and indicate that ice patches are likely to contain one of the few material records of premodern domestic reindeer use in Mongolia and lower Central Asia. The area’s ancient ice appears to be rapidly melting due to changing climate and warming summer temperatures, putting both cultural heritage and traditional reindeer herding at extreme risk in the years to come.

A Genetic Predisposition to Chronic Wasting Disease in the Reindeer Rangifer tarandus in the Northern European Part of Russia

Nucleotide sequences of the prion protein gene PRNP have been obtained in order to assess potential genetic predisposition to the deadly prion chronic wasting disease (CWD) in three regional groups of wild reindeer and two regional groups of domesticated reindeer Rangifer tarandus in the northern European part of Russia. We report identification of seven single nucleotide polymorphisms corresponding to the substitutions in six codons of the prion protein PrP, namely 2(V/M), 129(G/S), 138(S/N), 169(V/M), 176(N/D), and 225(S/Y). Six alleles of the PrP protein have been described. The genotypes with asparagine (N) in codon 138 (138NN and 138SN), which are associated with higher resistance to CWD, were detected in 8.7, 14.3, and 18.2% of animals in the wild reindeer groups from Novaya Zemlya, Kola Peninsula, and the forest regions of Arkhangelsk oblast and the Komi Republic. It has been found that the frequency of these genotypes in domesticated reindeers from the Komi Republic and Kolguev Island was higher, 37.5 and 42.1%, respectively. It has been noted that due to the predominance of PrP genotypes with serine in codon 138 (138SS), which are associated with increased susceptibility to CWD, and the detection of this disease in reindeer, moose, and red deer in Scandinavia, there exists a real danger that CWD will spread among the reindeer inhabiting the European part of Russia.

Development of Northern Rural Areas: International and Russian Experience

The aim of the present work is to analyze the international experience of sustainable development of Northern rural areas. The obtained research results include proposals on diversification of agricultural production, creation of smart Northern rural settlements, legal solution of issues related to the territories of natural resource management, and achievement of food sovereignty. Domestic reindeer husbandry can become the basis for the development of rural areas in the Russian North. The authors offer the package plan on diversification of economic activity, based on a combination of traditional types of economic management with a plant growing (first of all, gardening), plantation berry and mushroom production, as well as with development of ecological and ethnographic tourism, production and sale of souvenir products. The conclusion is made that such diversification will allow attracting human capital, spark interest in young people, and thus ensure sustainable development of the Northern rural areas.

Изучение сроков отела и гона домашних северных оленей в различных зонах Республики Саха (Якутия)

Изучение сроков отела и гона домашних северных оленей в различных зонах Республики Саха (Якутия)

Multiscale Analysis of the Dynamics in Reindeer Herding in Arctic Regions: Geographical Shifts and Intraregional and Local Differences

The article presents a multiscale analysis of domesticated reindeer herding in Arctic regions. The analysis revealed factors that have the strongest effect on the dynamics of reindeer livestock at different spatial levels (international, national, and regional) and determined the causes of geographical shifts in domesticated reindeer herding toward the western tundra zone and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug’s loss of its leading position in number of domesticated reindeer in the post-Soviet period. With a case study of the okrug, we identified intraregional (across municipal districts) shifts and factors affecting them (economic, political, institutional, natural–climatic, and sociocultural). This is the first time that information across all reindeer farms of Chukotka has been systematized and generalized, which has provided insight into particularities of the post-Soviet transformation in select enterprises. Based on field research data collected on regional farms in rural localities or villages of Neshkan, Konergino, and Tavaivaam, we studied in detail local characteristics of development of the industry. It has been inferred that during years of economic crisis, trends in head of reindeer in Chukotka were in sync with the overall economic situation in the country at all spatial levels, although the correlation was not as strong during years of economic stability. Within the industry, intraregional and local contrasts and differences become more pronounced during crisis, and, conversely, subside during a period of stability and growth.

Communication Problems When Participants Disagree (or Avoid Disagreeing) in Dialogues in Swedish Natural Resource Management—Challenges to Agonism in Practice

In this article, we analyze how participants perform disagreement in meetings organized with the explicit purpose of managing through dialogue conflicts concerning natural resources in Sweden. How is a conversation initiated about something that participants disagree about? How do they clarify to each other that, about what, and why they disagree? How do they show that they understand it is like that and what do they do when this is clear to them? Answers to these questions are important because, if dialogue is to contribute to the constructive development of conflict situations, dialogue should be regarded as a forum where disagreement is expressed and developed, rather than as a forum and tool for consensus. We conducted a sequential analysis of how disagreement is performed and accomplished in normative dialogues in which participants talk about how to reduce the negative impact of wildlife populations — such as predators and grazing birds — on human activities such as domestic reindeer husbandry and cropfarming. The analysis shows that disagreement is articulated in ways that do not seem to make ontological, epistemological and axiological differences among positions clear for participants. We identified six procedures through which disagreements are(not) accomplished in these conversations. This shows that routines and procedures in normative dialogue are characterized by consensus-preferences not helpful foragonistic dialogue. In order to avoid situations where dialogue leads to discursive closures, standards and procedures that facilitate articulation of disagreement need to be developed.