Himalayan Forests in a Changing World, Volume 1 Understanding Structure, Function and Environmental Drivers

About this book

This first volume on Himalayan forests discusses the synthesis of Himalayan forest ecosystems. It begins with contextual foundations that establish the environmental background and climate patterns crucial for understanding these mountains. The chapters provide context through detailed examination of Himalayan climate dynamics and a novel leaf-based classification system, setting the framework for understanding major forest types and associations across elevational gradients. This book places particular emphasis on forest hydrological processes through a critical review of water-forest interactions. This then further reveals topographic and climatic factors that govern forest distribution and crucial water regulation services these ecosystems provide to downstream communities. This book covers forest phenology, nutrient cycling, carbon dynamics and productivity and thus demonstrates the intricate functioning of these high-altitude ecosystems.

By collating scattered research and enhancing understanding of ecological processes, hydrology and ecosystem functioning, this volume establishes a comprehensive knowledge foundation. The chapter on forest fire focuses on the nature of the fire regime and its ecological implications. The integration of traditional ecological approaches with cutting-edge methodologies provides both theoretical depth and practical applications. Essential for forest researchers, ecosystem ecologists, and graduate students, this volume serves as the definitive reference for understanding Himalayan forests in their unique environmental context.

Contents

Chapter 1. Introduction and Environmental Background
Chapter 2. Himalayan Climate and the availability of Water
Chapter 3. Himalayan vegetation and a leaf based classification
Chapter 4. Major Forest types and Associations in the Himalayas
Chapter 5. Forest Phenology
Chapter 6. Tree Nutrient Concentration and Forest Nutrient Cycling
Chapter 7. Biomass, Carbon and Productivity
Chapter 8. Net ecosystem productivity and carbon sequestration: methodological concepts and initial learning from the Himalayan forests
Chapter 9. Understanding photosynthetic characteristics of Himalayan forests through Remote Sensing lens
Chapter 10. Tree Water relations of Monsoonal Forests
Chapter 11. Community structure and ecophysiology in major forest types of Himalayas in response to slope aspects
Chapter 12. Forest hydrological processes in the Lesser Himalaya: a critical review
Chapter 13. Tree Seed Ecology in the Himalayan Forest Ecosystem: How much do we know?

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Biography

Dr S. P. Singh is easily among the top Himalayan ecologists. His research systems range from a leaf blade to inherently fragile and disaster-prone Himalayan landscapes and regions. He, along with his associates have studied almost all dimensions of the Himalayan forest ecosystems, including biomass and productivity, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, phenology, tree water relations, forest fire adaptation, and ecosystem services. He is widely known for his research on the pine and oak forest ecosystems. Coordinating a team of researchers, he has recently added critical knowledge on the Himalayan treelines. He developed the concept of incorporating Himalayan ecosystem services in national accounting at the country level. National academies, such as the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), have acknowledged Prof. Singh's work by recognising him as their Fellow. He has published ~250 research articles, supervised 35 doctoral students, and coauthored a major book on the ecology of Himalayan forests way back in 1992. He held several major positions, such as Vice Chancellor of Garhwal University and advisor, Planning Commission.

Dr Rajesh Thadani works on regeneration ecology, impacts of chronic disturbance, and ecosystem services emanating from Himalayan forests. He has an MF and PhD in Forest ecology and physiology from the Yale School of the Environment and is particularly interested in the oak-pine forests of the central Himalayas. He is the Founder Executive Director, and currently a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Ecology Development and Research (CEDAR), a research and advocacy organisation, and Chair of Himmotthan and North East Initiative Development Agency (NEIDA), which together promote sustainable rural livelihoods in over 2,000 villages across the Indian Himalayas from Ladakh in the west to Arunachal in the east. He helped establish and is the Chair of Kumaon Grameen Udyog, a Himalayan social enterprise, and is the President of Jai Hind College in Mumbai.