Representatives of indigenous peoples of the North have spoken at an international seminar on SecNet to point out the everyday effects of climatic change, the Tomsk State University (TSU) website reports.

"One of the gravest problems for native peoples is the delayed onset of cold weather, causing winter roads, crossings and reindeer migration paths to set later. This involves additional difficulties with food deliveries, access to medical care, etc.," the university press release reads.

It notes that "in addition, insufficiently frozen soil hampers reindeer migration and sometimes causes animal injuries because reindeer have to search for food in any weather conditions."

"Indigenous peoples are the first to notice many things that we, scientists, do not suspect, and they are willing to share this knowledge.  At the same time, native peoples do not understand many processes currently taking place in the environment, and they expect explanations from us, researchers," said Sergei Kirpotin, head of the TSU BioClimLand Center of Excellence.