Snow, Ice and Permafrost Landscapes as ‘Frozen Commons’: Examples from Northern Mongolia

Authors

Mariia Kuklina, University of Northern IowaFollow
Vera Kuklina, The George Washington UniversityFollow
Nikolay Shiklomanov, The George Washington UniversityFollow
Alexander Shiklomanov, University of New Hampshire Durham
Kelsey Nyland, The George Washington University
Khadbaatar Sandag, Mongolian National University of Education
Enkh Amgalan Sandag, Ulaanbaatar
Natalia Krasnoshtanova, Institute of Geography of the Siberian Branch of the RASFollow
Dmitrii Kobylkin, Institute of Geography of the Siberian Branch of the RASFollow
Alexander Kholodov, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Andrey Petrov, University of Northern IowaFollow

Comments

First published in Environmental Research Letters, v20 n6 published by IOP Publishing DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/adc7cb

Document Type

Letter

Publication Version

Published Version

Keywords

frozen commons, indigenous peoples, Khövsgöl Aimag, northern Mongolia

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Environmental Research Letters

Volume

20

Issue

6

First Page

1

Last Page

17

Abstract

Cryosphere has a global role as a biogeophysical phenomenon. It affects the livelihoods of people inhabiting permafrost areas and is affected by human activity within and outside of the cryosphere’s geographical span. ‘Frozen commons’ (FCs) are cryosphere resources and landscapes, defined by snow, ice, and permafrost, that are experienced, used, protected and managed by groups of people together. This paper highlights collaboration between herders and scientists aimed at improving the understanding of FCs in northern Mongolia, a region of rapid cryosphere transformation. The impact of climate change on Indigenous and pastoralist communities in Mongolia is profound, leading to the damage or loss of FCs critical to local livelihoods. Therefore, Indigenous and local knowledge becomes crucial in assessing and predicting the climate-driven dynamics of FCs. In 2022, 2023, 2024 a team of permafrost scientists, geographers, and economists conducted interviews in reindeer and cattle herder camps in Khövsgöl Aimag (Province) located in the northern part of Mongolia. Local livelihoods do not depend only on cattle, which allows us to examine a variety of animal-environment interactions and impacts on pastoralism. The analysis of interviews indicates that FCs are a vital resource for the Khövsgöl communities and holds significant importance in their daily lives. Permafrost plays a key role for herders as it provides water resources for pastures and local rivers, which is critical during dry summers. Ice and snow also have many uses, such as a source of water, winter transport and the basis of cultural events. As winters become shorter and ice conditions become less predictable, the sustainability and availability of these resources for local people are under threat. In light of these challenges, it is imperative to formulate climate adaptation and mitigation strategies through collaborative efforts that actively involve and respect the perspectives of Indigenous and local people.

Department

Department of Geography

Original Publication Date

5-30-2025

Object Description

1 PDF File

DOI of published version

10.1088/1748-9326/adc7cb

Repository

UNI ScholarWorks, Rod Library, University of Northern Iowa

Copyright

©2025 The Author(s)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Kuklina, Mariia; Kuklina, Vera; Shiklomanov, Nikolay; Shiklomanov, Alexander; Nyland, Kelsey; Sandag, Khadbaatar; Sandag, Enkh Amgalan; Krasnoshtanova, Natalia; Kobylkin, Dmitrii; Kholodov, Alexander; and Petrov, Andrey, "Snow, Ice and Permafrost Landscapes as ‘Frozen Commons’: Examples from Northern Mongolia" (2025). Faculty Publications. 6781.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/facpub/6781