Detection of snow surface thawing and refreezing in the Eurasian Arctic with QuikSCAT: implications for reindeer herding

Snow conditions play an important role for reindeer herding. In particular, the formation of ice crusts after rain-on-snow (ROS) events or general surface thawing with subsequent refreezing impedes foraging. Such events can be monitored using satellite data. A monitoring scheme has been developed fo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecological applications 2010-12, Vol.20 (8), p.2346-2358
Main Authors: Bartsch, Annett, Kumpula, Timo, Forbes, Bruce C, Stammler, Florian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
active microwave
Agriculture
Animal Migration
Animals
Arctic Regions
Caribous
Climate Change
Freezing
Herding
Ice
Microwaves
Reindeer
Reindeer - physiology
Remote sensing
scatterometer
Seasons
Siberia
Snow
Thawing
Time Factors
Winter
Yamal Nenets
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Summary:Snow conditions play an important role for reindeer herding. In particular, the formation of ice crusts after rain-on-snow (ROS) events or general surface thawing with subsequent refreezing impedes foraging. Such events can be monitored using satellite data. A monitoring scheme has been developed for observation at the circumpolar scale based on data from the active microwave sensor SeaWinds on QuikSCAT (Ku-band), which is sensitive to changes on the snow surface. Ground observations on Yamal Peninsula were used for algorithm development. Snow refreezing patterns are presented for northern Eurasia above 60° N from autumn 2001 to spring 2008. Western Siberia is more affected than Central and Eastern Siberia in accordance with climate data, and most events occur in November and April. Ice layers in late winter have an especially negative effect on reindeer as they are already weakened. Yamal Peninsula is located within a transition zone between high and low frequency of events. Refreezing was observed more than once a winter across the entire peninsula during recent years. The southern part experienced refreezing events on average four times each winter. Currently, herders can migrate laterally or north-south, depending on where and when a given event occurs. However, formation of ice crusts in the northern part of the peninsula may become as common as they are now in the southern part. Such a development would further constrain the possibility to migrate on the peninsula.
ISSN:1051-0761
1939-5582
DOI:10.1890/09-1927.1