Influence of Permafrost Landscapes Degradation on Livelihoods of Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Rural Communities

Vasylii Lytkin, Alexander Suleymanov, Lilia Vinokurova, Stepan Grigorev, Victoriya Golomareva, Svyatoslav Fedorov, Aitalina Kuzmina and Igor Syromyatnikov
Additional contact information
Vasylii Lytkin: Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, The Institute for Humanities Research and Indigenous Studies of the North, 677027 Yakutsk, Russia
Alexander Suleymanov: Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, The Institute for Humanities Research and Indigenous Studies of the North, 677027 Yakutsk, Russia
Lilia Vinokurova: Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, The Institute for Humanities Research and Indigenous Studies of the North, 677027 Yakutsk, Russia
Stepan Grigorev: Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, The Institute for Humanities Research and Indigenous Studies of the North, 677027 Yakutsk, Russia
Victoriya Golomareva: Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, The Institute for Humanities Research and Indigenous Studies of the North, 677027 Yakutsk, Russia
Svyatoslav Fedorov: Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, The Institute for Humanities Research and Indigenous Studies of the North, 677027 Yakutsk, Russia
Aitalina Kuzmina: Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, The Institute for Humanities Research and Indigenous Studies of the North, 677027 Yakutsk, Russia
Igor Syromyatnikov: Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Melnikov Permafrost Institute, 677010 Yakutsk, Russia

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 2, 1-21

Abstract: Climate change and the degradation of permafrost prove to be severe challenges for humanity. At present, the northern communities and those living in rural areas are already facing the consequences. This article is based on field research conducted in the Yunkyur, Olyokminsky, and Amginsky Districts of Sakha Republic (Yakutia) during 2018–2020. These settlements have one of the richest agricultural traditions in the region; however, the inhabitants of these villages now face serious consequences of permafrost degradation. The authors rely on a mixed set of methods and approaches, including sociological surveys, expert and in-depth interviewing, and appropriate archival and museum materials. Methodology of remote sensing and landscape–geocryological research was integrated. The resulting studies made it possible to demonstrate increasingly widespread thermokarst processes in the key areas studied. The authors determined that the degradation of permafrost has led to problems with the safety and development of the housing stock, especially deformation of houses and outbuildings, and reduction of areas suitable for construction. Territories affected by thermokarst also drop out of agricultural use. Finally, the authors identify some adaptation mechanisms to mitigate the effects of changes in permafrost landscapes.

Keywords: Yakutia; permafrost; climate change; thermokarst; rural communities; life-sustaining system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/2/101/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/2/101/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:10:y:2021:i:2:p:101-:d:485270

Access Statistics for this article

Land is currently edited by Ms. Carol Ma

More articles in Land from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().