Abstract Detail

Recent Topics Posters

Salick, Jan [1], Ghimire, Suresh K. [2], Fang, Zhendong [3], Dema, Sangay [4], Konchar, Katie [5].

Himalayan alpine vegetation, climate change and mitigation.

The Himalaya are experiencing the most drastic global climate change outside of the poles, with predicted temperature increases of 5-6^oC, rainfall increases of 20-30%, and rapid melting of permanent snows and glaciers. We have established a 1,500 km trans-Himalayan transect across Nepal, Bhutan and the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (TAP), China to document the effects of climate change on alpine plants and peoples. Data show that Himalayan alpine plants respond to environmental and climate change variables including elevation, precipitation, and biogeography and that people use alpine plants mostly for medicines and grazing. Mitigation of climate change in the Himalaya takes place through carbon negative livelihoods informed by traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) including: conservation of sacred sites, afforestation, tree crops, and soil carbon sequestration through incorporation of mulch and manure.

Broader Impacts:

Related Links:
GLORIA Project, TROPICOS
Global Observational Research Initiative in Alpine Environments

1 - Missouri Botanical Garden, PO Box 299, St. Louis, MO, 63166-0299, USA
2 - Tribhuvan University, Central Department of Botany, Post Box 26429, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
3 - Shangri-La Alpine Botanical Garden, 21 Heping Road, Shangri-la County, Diqing Prefecture, Yunnan, 674400, China
4 - National Biodiversity Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Post Box 875, Serbithang, Thimphu, Bhutan
5 - Missouri Botanical Garden, William L. Brown Center, Post Office Box 299, St. Louis, MO, 63166, USA

Keywords:
alpine plants
Climate Change
mitigation
GLORIA
Himalaya.

Presentation Type: Recent Topics Poster
Session: P
Location: Grand Salon A - D/Riverside Hilton
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2013
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PRT002
Abstract ID:1288
Candidate for Awards:None