Authors: Laxmi Raj Joshi, Suresh Kumar Ghimire, Jan Salick and Katie M. Konchar
Introduction
- Himalayan alpine ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots and inhabited by a substantial number of rare and endemic taxa important from economic, ecological and evolutionary perspectives in addition to their conservation significance.
- Alpine ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to climate change than other areas because the main climatic factors shaping plant life in such ecosystems are directly influenced by global warming.
- Most of the endemic species so far reported from Himalaya have a very narrow range size and shows high habitat specificity (Shrestha & Joshi, 1996). Such range restricted species are more vulnerable to rapid climate change compared to the lowland species.
- Studying the impacts of climate change on range restricted species has wider implications for preparing/re-defining species and habitat conservation strategies in the Himalaya.
- The aim of this study is to assess the predicted changes in Himalayan alpine flora with the anticipated future warmer climate led by climate change at the end of 21s t Century.
