High-Altitude Plants in Era of Climate Change: A Case of Nepal Himalayas
Biodiversity is the combination of all life-forms at genetic, species, and ecosystem level. Nepal has variation in biodiversity due to variation in geography, altitudinal range, and climate. But global climate is changing naturally, affecting various aspects of life. Long-term impacts of changes in climatic patterns have impacts on the forest resources. Decrease in snowfall and snow cover in the Himalayan region affects the Nomad groups to feed their livestock.
Gradual expansion of moisture sensitive Abies spectabilis forest in the Trans-Himalayan zone of central Nepal associated with climate change
Population structure and tree recruitment dynamics in the natural treeline ecotone of high mountains are strong indicators of vegetation responses to climate. Here, we examined recruitment dynamics of Abies spectabilis across the treeline ecotone (3439–3638 m asl) of Chimang Lekh of Annapurna Conservation Area in the Trans-Himalayan zone of central Nepal. Dendrochronological techniques were used to establish stand age structure by ring counts of adults, and by terminal bud scar count for seedlings and saplings.
Pinus roxburghii stand dynamics at a heavily impacted site in Nepal: Research through an educational fieldweek
Abstract
The fieldweek associated with the 4th Asian Dendrochronological Association Conference was an excellent opportunity for education, networking, and research. The participants and group leaders worked together for five days in an area that was new to some of the group leaders and new to some of the participants which enabled us to learn about forest ecology around Kathmandu and Nagarkot, Nepal.
Site- and species-specific treeline responses to climatic variability in eastern Nepal Himalaya
Alpine treelines act as bio-indicators and bio-monitors of environmental change impacts in high elevation forests. This dendro-ecological study carried out in treeline ecotones in the Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park (SNP), eastern Nepal Himalaya, aimed to assess treeline dynamics and to understand the response of treeline forming Abies spectabilis (D. Don, Mirb) and Betula utilis (D.