Changing Perspectives of Biodiversity Status in the Himalaya
Author: G. S. Gujral
Publisher:
Published: 1996
Total Pages: 260
ISBN-13:
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Biodiversity Hotspot of the Himalaya
Author: T. Pullaiah
Publisher: CRC Press
Published: 2024-07-05
Total Pages: 539
ISBN-13: 1000988481
DOWNLOAD EBOOKBiodiversity is declining at an alarming rate due to anthropogenic activities around the world. This book is the second volume in the new series Biodiversity Hotspots of the World, which highlights the 36 hotspot regions of the world, regions that have been designated as reaping maximum benefit from preservation efforts. This series is our humble attempt to document these hotspots as a conservation and preservation measure. The concise volumes in this series focus on the most interesting and important properties of these hotspots, covering physiography and climatology; vegetation and forest types; amphibian and reptile biodiversity; genetic diversity of crops, plants, fishes, butterflies, insects, birds, mammals, angiosperms, and gymnosperms; and much more. And of course, the unique threats and conservation efforts for the areas are addressed as well. The Himalayan Mountains are the highest mountain range in the world and include Mount Everest as well as eight other highest peaks of the world. While it is difficult to document the biodiversity of this inhospitable terrain, we do know that out of the 9,000 different species of plants recorded in the area, 3,500 plants are endemic to the Eastern Himalaya region. Anthropogenic activities including deforestation, fragmentation of habitats, pollution, high population, climate change, and poaching of wildlife pose serious threats to the biodiversity of the region. The highlands have exceptionally rich biodiversity, high endemism, and over 160 globally threatened species, including the densest population of Bengal tigers and the three largest herbivores on the continent: the Asian elephant, greater one-horned rhinoceros, and wild water buffalo. The region boasts the world’s richest counts of alpine flora within its temperate broad-leaved forests, with a total of 10,000 species of plants. This volume, Biodiversity Hotspot of the Himalayas, as well as the other volumes in this series, will be essential resources for researchers and practitioners in the fields of conservation biology, ecology, and evolution as the series concisely records the existing biodiversity of these hotspots of the world.
Rethinking Himalaya: Its Scope and Protection
Author: KULBHUSHAN SHARMA
Publisher: Blue Rose Publishers
Published: 2022-01-11
Total Pages: 180
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe Himalaya has profoundly shaped the cultures of the Indian subcontinent, with many Himalayan peaks considered sacred in Hinduism and Buddhism. Some of the world's major rivers – the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra rise in the Himalayas. These rivers have abundant seasonal and annual water supply. The mountain ranges and river basins share trans-boundary connectedness. Still, mountain people living on hills have limited access to water for drinking and agriculture. Covering around 27% of the Earth’s land surface, the mountains contribute to the sustenance and wellbeing of over half the human population for water, food, and clean energy. Yet mountains are under threat from climate change, land degradation, overexploitation, and natural disasters, with potentially far-reaching and devastating consequences, both for mountain communities and downstream populations. The book covers interdisciplinary domains of science, humanities and commerce, hence beneficial for all types of readers equally. Promotion of awareness and education on conservation and sustainable utilization of bioresources and strengthening networks, coordination with the help of central government departments, state governments, NGOs and local institutions is urgently needed.
Climate Change and its Ecological Implications for the Western Himalaya
Author: V. L. Chopra
Publisher: Scientific Publishers
Published: 2013-01-01
Total Pages: 424
ISBN-13: 9387307352
DOWNLOAD EBOOKIn its thirteen chapters, this book deals with biophysical, biological, hydrological, meteorological and socio-economic aspects of western Himalayan region of India. It emphasizes on the need for strengthening institutional and research capacities that are critical to delivering meaningful and sustainable outcomes & impacts in return for the investments made. It also makes recommendations for the policy, planning and administrative interventions & reforms necessary for efficient and equitable delivery of benefits to the intended beneficiaries and for conservation of the valuable natural resources of the region. Each chapter has been prepared by a recognized expert in the identified area and the treatment bears the required mark of quality & authenticity.
Biodiversity of the Himalaya: Jammu and Kashmir State
Author: Ghulam Hassan Dar
Publisher: Springer Nature
Published: 2020-02-26
Total Pages: 1096
ISBN-13: 9813291745
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe Himalaya, a global biodiversity hotspot, sustains about one-fifth of the humankind. Nestled within the north-western mountain ranges of the Himalaya, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) State harbours more than half of the biodiversity found in the Indian Himalaya. The wide expanse of State, spread across the subtropical Jammu, through the temperate Kashmir valley, to the cold arid Ladakh, is typical representative of the extensive elevational and topographical diversity encountered in the entire Himalaya. This book, the most comprehensive and updated synthesis ever made available on biodiversity of the J&K State, is a valuable addition to the biodiversity literature with global and regional relevance. The book, arranged into 7 parts, comprises of 42 chapters contributed by 87 researchers, each of whom is an expert in his/her own field of research. The precious baseline data contained in the book would form the foundation for assessing current status of knowledge about the bioresources, identify the knowledge gaps, and help prioritization of conservation strategies to steer the sustainable use of biodiversity in this Himalayan region. Given the breadth of topics covered under the banner of biodiversity in this book, it can surely serve as a model for documentation of biodiversity in other regions of the world. The book will be of immense value to all those who, directly or indirectly, have to deal with biodiversity, including students, teachers, researchers, naturalists, environmentalists, resource managers, planners, government agencies, NGOs and the general public at large.
Biodiversity: An Overview
Author: Mukesh Kumar
Publisher: I K International Pvt Ltd
Published: 2011-07-15
Total Pages: 489
ISBN-13: 9380578881
DOWNLOAD EBOOKIndia’s phytodiversity is one of the most significant in the world. India is one of the twelve mega-biodiversity centers in the world and also an important center of origin of agrobiodiversity. It is therefore, very important to study, document and conserve the plant wealth of India and also of the world before its possible extinction. There are convincing scientific, economic and sociological reasons for giving priority to the conservation of the major centers of plant diversity throughout the world. The strategies to conserve the biodiversity include establishment of protected area network and corridors with emphasis on appropriate levels of management, reduction of anthropogenic pressure on natural populations by cultivating them elsewhere, programmes of augmentation, reintroduction and introduction of target taxa, restoration of degraded habitats, etc. The conservation strategies can be either, in-situ conservation of genetic resources within their ecosystem and natural habitat or ex-situ conservation of components of genetic material of biological diversity outside their natural habitat. The choice of conservation strategy depends upon the nature of the material to be conserved, i.e., the life cycle and mode of reproduction, size of individual population and ecological status. Ex-situ techniques include the establishment of botanical and zoological gardens, banks of pollen, seed tissue culture, DNA, etc. Establishment of forest reserves, national parks, protected areas and on farm conservation of valuable plant varieties is being promoted to facilitate their in-situ conservation.
Biological Diversity
Author: L. N. Petrov
Publisher: Nova Publishers
Published: 2003
Total Pages: 262
ISBN-13: 9781590335284
DOWNLOAD EBOOKOne of the cornerstones of life's wonders is the vast array of species filling the planet. From plants to animals to humans, there is no shortage of beings to provide 'spice of life' variety is said to be. Periodically, scientists announce the discovery of a 'new' form of life, so it seems as if Earth is capable of producing new species just to keep us on our toes. At times, the immense breadth of living things can even feel overwhelming, as one pauses to ponder how numerically insignificant humans are when compared to the insect population. Given the biological diversity of the planet, it is incumbent upon humans to safeguard the natural beauty of the environment. To that end, conservation takes on special importance, necessitating the balancing of industrial expansion with preserving the flora and fauna surrounding us. This book is an important tool in understanding and researching the many different life forms spanning the globe. Collected here is a substantial and carefully selected listing of relevant literature on biological diversity and its conservation. Following this bibliography are author, title, and subject indexes to allow for further access to this information. The sheer bulk of the works about biological diversity can be so intimidating that a book such as this one becomes useful in sorting through the resources about the importance of life's variety.
Climate Change and Environmental Issues
Author: Narayan Singh
Publisher: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
Published: 2016-06-01
Total Pages: 256
ISBN-13: 8179935906
DOWNLOAD EBOOKClimate change is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. Climate is changing across our planet, largely, as a result of human activities. The indicators of climate change include physical responses such as changes in the surface temperature, atmospheric water vapour, severe climatic events, melting of glaciers, and a rise in sea level. Mountain ecosystems being exceptionally fragile are prone to both natural and anthropogenic drivers of change, which ranges from volcanic and seismic events and flooding to global climate change and of vegetation and soils, resulting from inappropriate agricultural and forestry practices and extractive industries. Environmental issues directly affect agricultural productivity, famine and pandemics, health, economy, and ecology. In this light, environmental protection, the practice of protecting the environment on individual, community, organizational, or governmental level, assumes a significant role. This book provides a holistic coverage of the basics of climate change, changes in biodiversity, phytosociological changes, and thus proposes a comprehensive set of solutions to resolve various issues related to environment and climate change. This book would be beneficial for researchers, policy makers, academicians, environmentalists, and university students.
Conservation Agriculture
Author: Jaideep Kumar Bisht
Publisher: Springer
Published: 2016-11-15
Total Pages: 561
ISBN-13: 9811025584
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThis book showcases a compilation of case studies presented by scientists, teachers and academics and covers contemporary technologies for combating climate change, including sustainable agricultural management practices and conservation agriculture. It highlights the situations that future generations in the Indian Himalayas will face, and addresses the major challenges for tomorrow’s generations in their efforts to ensure sufficient food production for the global population. It also sheds light on the factors that are routinely ignored in connection with agricultural management practices for sustainable food production and risk assessment. Lastly, it illustrates the need to develop a comprehensive master plan for strategic planning, including conservation agriculture practices that address poverty and food security in the wake of climate change impacts.
Climate Change
Author: Seema Rani
Publisher: Springer Nature
Published: 2022-03-07
Total Pages: 346
ISBN-13: 3030927822
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThis book provides the world community with the most up-to-date and comprehensive scientific and technical knowledge based on climate change impact assessment, adaptation and mitigation strategies in the Indian Himalayan region. It identifies major issues related to climate change on environmental sustainability, focusing on impact measurement, policy, adaptation and mitigation strategies at national, regional and local scales. There is a need to strengthen the global response in order to cope with the threat of climate change. The main objective of this book is to update the understanding of scientific analysis and to promote evidence-based policy formulation at regional and local levels. This book on climate change is used as a reference material to climate change for new learners interested in the mountainous region of the Indian Himalayas. This comprehensive book covers a wide range of potential research areas including climate change scenarios, science and its applications, adaptation to climate change theory and assessment, water resources, agriculture, human health, forest, biodiversity, ecosystems, indigenous knowledge, etc.
