Abstract

Interpreting present-day biodiversity patterns requires an understanding of the cumulative historic and contemporary effects of cultural practices on ecosystems. Research in ecology is increasingly acknowledging the wide-ranging and enduring effects of cultural practices in shaping landscapes, but long-term transformative effects of Indigenous peoples on landscape are less recognised in the Circumpolar North. The objectives of this research are to determine whether the built environments (BEs) at fishing places express persistent differences in plant communities, compared with visually undisturbed patches at these same sites; and whether plant communities differ in response to Inuit and commercial fishing legacies. This work occurred near the Inuit Community of Makkovik (Nunatsiavut; Labrador, Canada). We surveyed vascular plant community composition at BE patches with Inuit and commercial fishing histories, and at visibly undisturbed patches, and measured soil characteristics including depth, pH and chemical composition. Habitats with BE legacies have plant communities with distinct species composition and abundance. Additionally, plant communities of BEs with Inuit cultural legacies have unique species assemblages, including a high proportion of native, disturbance-tolerant calciphiles. Soil nutrient inputs from Inuit harvesting practices have positive impacts on biodiversity at small scales. Soil analysis indicates that some visually undisturbed patches have cultural legacies that are not expressed by vegetation patterns, and that mechanical disturbance is also a factor shaping the plant communities of BEs. Inuit cultural practices have increased beta diversity in Circumpolar landscapes. We propose that effective biodiversity conservation planning must actively support Indigenous cultural practices that drive biodiversity.

中文翻译：

---

因纽特人的文化习俗增加了当地的生物多样性，并在努纳特西亚武特（加拿大拉布拉多）创造了新颖的植被群落

摘要

解释当今的生物多样性模式需要了解文化习俗对生态系统的累积的历史和当代影响。生态学研究越来越认识到文化习俗在塑造景观方面所产生的广泛而持久的影响，但是在北极洲，土著人民对景观的长期变革影响却鲜为人知。这项研究的目的是确定与在同一地点的视觉不受干扰的斑块相比，渔场的建成环境（BE）是否在植物群落中表现出持久的差异；以及因因纽特人和商业捕鱼传统而造成的植物群落是否不同。这项工作发生在Makkovik因纽特人社区（Nunatsiavut；加拿大拉布拉多）附近。我们调查了因纽特人和商业捕鱼史的BE斑块上的维管植物群落组成，以及未受干扰的斑块，并测量了土壤特征，包括深度，pH和化学成分。具有BE遗迹的栖息地的植物群落具有独特的物种组成和丰富度。此外，具有因纽特人文化遗产的BE的植物群落具有独特的物种组合，包括很大比例的本地抗干扰亲缘生物。因纽特人收获实践的土壤养分投入对小规模生物多样性有积极影响。土壤分析表明，一些不受视觉干扰的斑块具有无法通过植被模式表达的文化遗产，并且机械干扰也是影响BE植物群落的一个因素。因纽特人的文化习惯增加了极地景观中的beta多样性。我们建议，有效的生物多样性保护规划必须积极支持推动生物多样性的土著文化习俗。