Track 3-3-1: Sustainable Use of Tropical vis‐a‐vis Temperate Grasslands
Description
The 2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment broadly classifies Alaska as a Polar Ecosystem, characterized as being frozen most of the year and underlain by permafrost. Despite this bleak portrayal, some of the largest herds of grazing ungulates are indigenous to Alaska - and thriving. This is both a testament to the resilience of grazing systems in general as well as a statement to the suitability of grazing systems specifically for Alaska. In a state economy dominated by nonrenewable resource extraction, agricultural production has remained largely undeveloped (Fried 2013). However, today there is increasing interest in local agricultural production with the goal of developing an economically diverse, sustainable agricultural model for Alaska.
Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are uniquely adapted to the arctic. They thrive on local forages, do not require protection from the cold and adapt well to many traditional husbandry practices. Muskoxen have been farmed since the 1960’s for their fiber, known as qiviut, a luxurious and highly valued underwool that is their primary insulation during the arctic winter. Adult muskoxen annually shed 1.5-2.5 kg of qiviut throughout their life. While muskoxen can be farmed for qiviut, the question remains whether this endeavor is a sustainable enterprise for northern farms? What impact will grazing practices have on pasture and soil health in sub-arctic environments? In this research, we investigated two aspects of the sustainability triad with respect to farming a non-traditional species, musk oxen, in Alaska: i) economic feasibility ii) potential impact of managed grazing on sub-arctic pasture ecology.
Citation
Starr, Laura; Greenberg, Joshua; Zhang, Mingchu; Seefeldt, Steven; and Rowell, Janice, "Utilizing Grassland Resources for Sub-Arctic Agriculture: Sustainable Muskox Farming in Alaska" (2020). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 8.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/23/3-3-1/8
Included in
Utilizing Grassland Resources for Sub-Arctic Agriculture: Sustainable Muskox Farming in Alaska
The 2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment broadly classifies Alaska as a Polar Ecosystem, characterized as being frozen most of the year and underlain by permafrost. Despite this bleak portrayal, some of the largest herds of grazing ungulates are indigenous to Alaska - and thriving. This is both a testament to the resilience of grazing systems in general as well as a statement to the suitability of grazing systems specifically for Alaska. In a state economy dominated by nonrenewable resource extraction, agricultural production has remained largely undeveloped (Fried 2013). However, today there is increasing interest in local agricultural production with the goal of developing an economically diverse, sustainable agricultural model for Alaska.
Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are uniquely adapted to the arctic. They thrive on local forages, do not require protection from the cold and adapt well to many traditional husbandry practices. Muskoxen have been farmed since the 1960’s for their fiber, known as qiviut, a luxurious and highly valued underwool that is their primary insulation during the arctic winter. Adult muskoxen annually shed 1.5-2.5 kg of qiviut throughout their life. While muskoxen can be farmed for qiviut, the question remains whether this endeavor is a sustainable enterprise for northern farms? What impact will grazing practices have on pasture and soil health in sub-arctic environments? In this research, we investigated two aspects of the sustainability triad with respect to farming a non-traditional species, musk oxen, in Alaska: i) economic feasibility ii) potential impact of managed grazing on sub-arctic pasture ecology.
