How has global warming changed your life? Perhaps you experience hotter summers. But for reindeer herders (驯鹿游牧民), the influence goes far beyond that.
Living in the Arctic region spreading from Russia to Sweden, local reindeer herders make a living by herding. For generations, they have been living in harmony with the cold winters with their deep understanding of snow and ice types, weather patterns and animal behaviors. This allows them to predict and prepare for winters.
However, the warming Arctic is messing up these traditional signals, making herders’ traditional ways of predicting weather less useful. In 2014, during the winter migration (迁徙) southward with their reindeer in North Russia, something unexpected happened. Heavy rainfall formed an ice shield above the lichen (地衣), normally covered by soft snow. Unable to access the lichen beneath the ice, the reindeer suffered from hunger, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of them.
The warming climate goes beyond threatening reindeer herders’ livelihood; it also threatens their culture. “We are an Arctic people, and our culture is written in snow. But climate change means the snow will get less and less,” Henrik Blind, a member of Sami herding family in Sweden, told The Guardian. In his language, there are over 300 words to describe snow. But with less snow, the Sami culture faces the risk of losing elements of its cultural identity.
Despite these challenges, herders have been cooperating with scientists to better deal with climate change. For example, for scientists, the difference between various types of snow is hard to tell. But local people who live with snow every day can see what scientists fail to see. At the same time, satellite data from modern scientists could help predict disasters for the local people. To combine these two different knowledge systems together, the US National Science Foundation set up the Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledge and Science this September. The goal is to recognize the value of indigenous (土著) knowledge alongside modern research methods.
“We must realize we can’t over-consume our planet. This is urgent. We need to listen to all the indigenous people who know how to live in harmony with the planet,” Blind told The Guardian.
12. What led to the deaths of many reindeer during their winter migration southward in 2014?
A.A disease outbreak after heavy rainfall. |
B.Food shortage due to ice-covered lichen. |
C.Attacks by other wildlife. |
D.Unexpectedly strong snowstorms. |
13. How is global warming posing a risk to Arctic culture?
A.By reducing language diversity | B.By threatening their cultural elements. |
C.By changing traditional eating habits. | D.By challenging ice type descriptions. |
14. Why are scientists and herders cooperating?
A.To spread indigenous customs. | B.To test modern research methods. |
C.To predict global natural disasters. | D.To bridge their knowledge gap. |
15. What might be Blind’s attitude toward the establishment of the Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledge and Science?
A.Supportive. | B.Opposed. | C.Worried. | D.Uninterested. |