and summer fogs, keeps the lichens moist and resilient and less sub- 
ject to crumbling than in a drier atmosphere or during the winter. 
At the time of the study, summer reindeer range on St. Matthew 
Island showed no significant permanent damage as a result of reindeer 
activity. Evidence, from other reindeer ranges in Alaska, indicates 
that summer range seldom suffers from over-utilization, while winter 
range conditions appear to be the most important population control- 
ling factors. However, the importance of summer range, in the ecol- 
ogy of reindeer, may be greater on an island where opportunity for 
movement is restricted. In addition, the favorable condition of the 
summer range, under the present stocking of about 1,350 reindeer, is 
not necessarily indicative of the carrying capacity of the area, in 
view of the short time this number has been present on the range. 
By referring to the growth curve in Figure 2, it is apparent that in 
1955 there were only about 800 reindeer, while two years earlier less 
than 500 were present on the island. Unfortunately, the indicators 
of range deterioration on summer range are much less apparent than 
on winter range, yet the importance of high quality summer forage for 
growth and development of all grazing animals is of unquestionable 
value. 
Winter Range Use 
Winter reindeer range on St. Matthew Island is necessarily re- 
stricted to windswept areas which are blown free, or nearly free, 
of snow by the prevailing northeast winds of winter. Stream valleys, 
depressions and the lee side of hills, accumulate drifted snow which 
greatly restricts availability of vegetation in these areas. By 
nature of their exposure and lack of significant snow cover, the 
windswept areas support xeric plant communities, which reflect their 
harsh microclimatic environment. A lichen-willow-sedge complex pre- 
dominates on the winter range. The analyses of the vegetative com- 
plex of sections of the winter range are included in Appendix Tables 
2, 3, 4 and 5 under Stations 1, 2 and 3 and Transects 2, 6, 7, 9, 
1l and le. 
Up to the present, the greatest concentration of winter use by 
reindeer, has been on the two areas of large dry flats and adjacent 
low ridges on the southeast end of the island (Figs. 13 and 15). 
Late winter aerial observations, made by Rhode in 1955, revealed 
large numbers of reindeer using these areas. As one travels north- 
westward, up the length of the island, evidence of winter utilization, 
such as winter droppings, shed antlers and lichen deterioration, 
becomes less common and finally disappears completely at the extreme 
end. The northwest end of the island, north of 940 in Figure l, 
has no extensive flats and is interrupted by many small valleys and 
intervening ridges. There are also extensive areas of "rock pave- 
ment! where soil development has not taken place. These veritable 
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