In the captivating pages of this free book, readers embark on an insightful journey through the intricate world of mountain ecosystems and the essential strategies for responsible resource management. This book serves as an enlightening guide for understanding the unique dynamics of these awe-inspiring landscapes and the challenges they face in an ever-changing world. Through a harmonious blend of scientific exploration and practical approaches, this research-based literary expedition unveils the delicate balance between human development and the preservation of these remarkable ecosystems.
Spanning 24 chapters, the book first delves into the enchanting beauty and biodiversity of mountain ecosystems. This section not only highlights the intrinsic value of these ecosystems but also sheds light on their vulnerability to climate change and human activities. Moving forward, the book meticulously dissects resource management strategies that hold the key to sustaining the delicate equilibrium of mountain environments, through capturing the topics of Mountain Agrobiodiversity, Mountain Forests, Mountain Watersheds, River Basin Management, Ecotourism, Animal Genetic Diversity, Mountain Identity, Environmental Psychology and Mountain Policies. Thus, whether it is water resources crucial for downstream communities, sustainable tourism that respects local cultures, or responsible land use planning, the book offers a wealth of insights to empower policymakers, environmentalists, and local communities alike.
Overall, the narrative transcends from theory to action as the book presents inspiring case studies of successful resource management initiatives from around the globe. These stories of collaboration, innovation, and resilience demonstrate that a harmonious coexistence between humans and mountain ecosystems is not only attainable but also imperative for a sustainable future. "Mountain Ecosystems & Resources Management" serves as a beacon of knowledge, guiding readers toward a deeper appreciation of these majestic landscapes and inspiring them to become stewards of their preservation. As we stand at a crossroads of environmental consciousness, this book paves the way for informed decisions that will safeguard these natural treasures for generations to come.
Excerpt:
So, embark with us upon this voyage of discovery. May the insights gathered within these chapters kindle a fire of awareness and inspire actions that reverberate across peaks and valleys. As stewards of this planet, our choices today will reverberate through the ages, echoing our reverence for the grandeur of mountain ecosystems and our dedication to securing their splendor for generations yet to come.
Chapter 2 by Sining Zhang, 'Applying the Landscape Services Concept in Landscape Research: A Review‛, exposes to the concept of landscape services and unanswered issues regarding landscape services are described. This chapter offers an overview of various assessment and quantification methods used for mapping and studying landscape services, synonymous to the ecosystem services in mountain contexts. Similarly, in chapter 3 on ‚Mountain Biodiversity in Romania‛, Daniela Antonescu emphasizes that mountains operate as true refuge for endemic species being affected by uncontrolled human actions. According to the author, negative impact of economic activities in mountain regions is becoming more visible, therefore, necessitating a sustainable approach to preserve the biodiversity and habitat in order to salvage the fragile ecological balance. Through a review of relevant literature, this chapter presents the current knowledge of mountain biodiversity in Europe and Romania and its relationship with sustainable development process.
The chapter 4 on 'Fish Diversity of Hill Streams of South Kamrup, Assam, India‛ is uniquely authored by 4 Ellora Choudhury and Saibal Sengupta. A big pool of diversity of ichthyofauna in hilly streams of Southern Kamrup rivulet was documented in 2017 revealing 60 fish species belonging to 42 genera, 24 families and 9 orders. This study recommends that streams and riparian zones need systematic investigation, as the lotic ecology has significant effect on the aquatic biota. Hyunshik Moon and Tamirat Solomon have written chapter 5 entitling ‘Mountain Forests: Challenges and Management’ in which they highlighted the importance of forests in the mountains. According to them, many mountain forests are playing the role of carbon sinks to mitigate climate change. They reiterated that, for the sustainability of the ecosystem, proper actions should be taken to save and maintain the productive, protective, socio-cultural roles of mountain forests. In chapter 6 about the grassland ecosystems, Fayiah et al. made an interesting case of the ‚Dynamics of Grassland Vegetation Composition across different Land-use Types on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau‛. The degree of grassland degradation divided the Tibetan grasslands into four land-use types, i.e., healthy grassland (HG), restored grassland (RG), moderately degraded (MD) grassland, and severely degraded (SD) grassland. About 32 plant species were recorded in Tiebujia county, 28 in Maqin county, and 18 in Maduo county of Tibet. The richness of species in grasslands ranged from 8 to 12 species per land-use, suggesting low richness and diversity in restored and degraded grassland. A positive non-significantly mean change (p<0.05) was detected for richness and evenness indices while a negative mean change (p<0.05) was detected for Simpson and Shannon indices in the alpine meadow and steppe in both Maqin and Maduo county. The results of this study imply that degradation affects grassland vegetation, health, and distribution.
Very interesting study by Pragya Sherchan is presented in chapter 7 on 'Understanding the Nexus of Climate Change and Migration: A Case of Dhye Peoples from Upper Mustang, Nepal‛. This chapter discusses that people of Dhye in Nepal have migrated mainly to look for livelihood options, water availability and land for cultivation in the sever climatic events. Prof. Sanjay-Swami in his chapter 8 on ‚Integrated Management of Land, Water and Bioresources for Sustainable Agriculture in North Eastern Region of India‛ documented the environment, local conditions, socio-economic and socio-cultural life of different tribal communities and the rituals associated with agricultural practices that have developed many Indigenous farming systems, which have in-built eco-friendly systems for conservation, preservation and utilization of natural resources in the mountains. However, with the passage of time, some of these practices have been further refined and modified to cater the location-specific present day needs for conservation of natural resources, particularly soil and water resources. Emphasizing ‚Integrated River Basin Management‛, Thapa et al. have authored chapter 9 encompassing water and watershed resources. The chapter aims to review the progress made in the political, legislative, and institutional arenas for the implementation of IRBM in Nepal. It highlights that Nepal is in the preparatory phase of establishing a legal-institutional framework for IRBM and lacks proper institutional mechanisms for translating the principles of IRBM to actions on the ground. The chapter identifies the strengths and gaps in existing institutional arrangements and sheds light on the practical aspects of IRBM implementation, which would be useful learning for the countries aiming to implement IRBM in similar landscapes globally.