Domestication and adaptation of pastoral animals and human livelihoods to the Arctic: An integrated genetic-anthropological approach

This chapter investigates the added value of genetic-anthropological integrated research on Arctic pastoralism for contributing to the question how the adaptation of living organisms to an environment is determined by both natural and socio-cultural influence. Rather than testing one vs the other, we follow a ʼnatureculture approach’ (Valkonen et al. 2022). In doing so, we stand on the shoulders of anthropological giants, who 20 years ago, urged for overcoming the divide between ʼnature’ and ‘culture’ in our perception of the environment (Ingold 2004). Correspondingly, research design on domestication and adaptation can strive to dismantle disciplinary borders between natural and social sciences. We review, on the one hand, the evidence from genetics on the adaptive capacity of native domestic pastoral animal breeds in the Arctic to adapt to a harsh environment. On the other hand, we document how people have contributed with management and selection practices to the specific character traits of these animal breeds that enhance their ‘Arctic fitness.' This allows us to illustrate our main argument: native breeds of Arctic domesticated pastoral animal species are a co-creation of humans jointly with other beings in the environment. Hence, they are a ʼnaturalcultural’ heritage, an outcome of reciprocal human-animal intentional relationality.