Today, climate change and competing land use practices are threatening rangelands around the world and the pastoral societies that rely on them. Reindeer husbandry practised by the indigenous Sami people is an example. In Sweden, approximately 70% of the most productive lichen pastures (important in winter) has been lost, either completely or because of a reduction in forage quality, as a result of competing land use (primarily commercial forestry). The remaining pastures are small and fragmented. Yet, the number of reindeer in Sweden shows no general decline. We investigated the strategies that have allowed reindeer herders to sustain their traditional livelihood despite a substantial loss of pastures and thus natural winter forage for their reindeer. Changes in harvest strategy and herd structure may partially explain the observed dynamics, and have increased herd productivity and income, but were not primarily adopted to counteract forage loss. The introduction of supplementary feeding, modern machinery, and equipment has assisted the herders to a certain extent. However, supplementary feeding and technology are expensive. In spite of governmental support and optimized herd productivity and income, increasing costs provide low economic return. We suggest that the increased economical and psychosocial costs caused by forage and pasture losses may have strong effects on the long-term sustainability of reindeer husbandry in Sweden.

中文翻译：

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管理层可以为瑞典的萨米族驯鹿放牧缓冲草场损失和支离破碎吗？

如今，气候变化和竞争性的土地利用方式正威胁着全世界的牧场以及依赖它们的牧民社会。萨米土著人民实行的驯鹿饲养就是一个例子。在瑞典，由于土地使用的竞争（主要是商业林业），全部或部分由于牧草质量下降而丧失了生产力最高的地衣牧场（冬季重要）的约70％。其余的牧场很小且零散。但是，瑞典的驯鹿数量没有普遍下降。我们调查了使驯鹿牧民维持传统生计的策略，尽管牧场损失惨重，因此驯鹿自然采食。收割策略和牧群结构的变化可能部分解释了观察到的动态，并提高了牧群的生产力和收入，但主要不是用来抵消草料损失。补充饲料，现代机械和设备的引入在一定程度上对牧民有所帮助。但是，补充喂养和技术昂贵。尽管获得了政府的支持并优化了畜群的生产率和收入，但增加的成本却带来了较低的经济回报。我们认为，草料和牧场损失造成的经济和社会心理成本的增加可能对瑞典驯鹿饲养业的长期可持续性产生重大影响。辅助喂养和技术昂贵。尽管获得了政府的支持并优化了畜群的生产力和收入，但增加的成本却带来了较低的经济回报。我们认为，草料和牧场损失造成的经济和社会心理成本的增加可能对瑞典驯鹿饲养业的长期可持续性产生重大影响。辅助喂养和技术昂贵。尽管获得了政府的支持并优化了畜群的生产力和收入，但增加的成本却带来了较低的经济回报。我们认为，草料和牧场损失造成的经济和社会心理成本的增加可能对瑞典驯鹿饲养业的长期可持续性产生重大影响。