Dinesh R. BHUJUChief, Faculty of Science

Nepal Academy of Science & Technology

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SPECIES RESPONSE TOCLIMATE CHANGE

IN HIGH ALTITUDESinitiative of a national organization

in the Himalayan discourse

• Establishment 1982• Autonomous &

Statutory• Role envisaged:

Think TankInnovatorCatalystFacilitator

Nepal Academy of Science & Technology

Advancing science and technology for all-round national development

MOU between NAST & EvK2CNR in 1988

Pyramid Lab. built in 1990

Features:Glass & Aluminium, 3-storied, Ht 8.4m, Alt. 5,050m asl

The Initiation

PYRAMID LABORATORY

The Activities

PYRAMID LABORATORY

Research Areas:i. Environment, ii. Biodiversity, iii. Earth Sc, iv. Medicine & Human Physiology, and v. Clean Technology

Missions conducted >500 involving143 scientific institutions from several nations.

NAST’s Initiatives

RESEARCH IN HIGH ALTITUDES

Anthropogenic Activities

Biodiversity Knowledge

Climate Change Impact

Climate Change Studies

MAJOR AREAS

Baseline Inventories1) Agrobiodiversity2) Mushroom diversity3) Herbaceous vegetation

Dendro-climatological Studies1) Reconstruction of env. history2) Relationship between temp. & vegetation shift

Baseline Inventories

AGRO-BIODIVERSITY

Study AreaNamche, Khumjung, Phortse, Dole, Luza, Fanga, Machermo, Gokyo, Tengboche, Debuche, Pangboche, Dingboche, Pheriche, Jorsalle, Monju and Phakdin (16 settlements)

MethodologyQuestionnaire survey, sample collection & analysis

Major FindingsUpper Limits (m asl)Staple crops: Barley 4,350; Buckwheat 3,930

Vegetables: Coriander 4,480, Radish/Turnip/Onion/Peas 4,359Cauliflower, Carrot 3,930

Potatoes 4,700 (Tarnak)

Ref. D Bhuju, A Giri, P Rana 2007

Baseline Inventories

AGRO-BIODIVERSITY

Baseline InventoriesMUSHROOM BIODIVERSITY

Study Area: SNP

MethodologyField visit, Collection & analysis

Major FindingsRichness 150 spp.Used locally 29 spp.Highest 3,500-4,000m asl

Ref. A Giri, P Rana 2006

Baseline InventoriesHERBACEOUS DIVERSITY

Study AreaImja Valley 3,400-4,650m asl

MethodologySampling, Collection, Analysis

Major FindingsRichness 180 spp, Location recorded, 32 spp in higher range than previously reported

Ref. E Paudel, D Bhuju, K Shrestha 2007

ObjectiveUnderstand the impact of climate change on the distribution of forest vegetation in the Himalaya

Methodology1. Set-up permanent plots2. Tree inventory3. Tree core collection & analysis

SiteTree-line

Climatic Impact

DENDRO-CLIMATOLOGICAL STUDY

Climatic ImpactDENDROCHRONOLOGY

Trees are nature’s ultimate environmental monitoring stations, make annual rings

Dendrochronology, Method of scientific dating based on the analysis of tree-ring growth patterns

Tree rings are called proxy-climate indicators

Pangboche, 4,050m asl

Dendro-climatological Study

PERMANENT PLOTS

Deboche, Alt. 3,850m

 BA (cm2/ha) DENSITY (n/ha)

SPECIESPanboch

eDebuch

ePanboch

eDebuch

e

Abies spectabilis 79059.2 68228.8 120 359

Betula utilis 27831.9 84990.3 204 149Sorbus microphylla 4785.0 15030.5 117 279

TOTAL 111862.1186107.

6 445 1034

 MEAN DBH MAX DBH

SPECIESPanboch

eDebuch

ePanboch

eDebuch

e

Abies spectabilis 24.9 8.5 68 99

Betula utilis 11.6 24.0 40 63Sorbus microphylla 5.7 7.4 39 36TOTAL 13.6 10.4 68 99

Dendro-climatological Study

RESULT: FOREST STRUCTURE

____________________________________________________

Dendro-climatological Study

TREE CORE COLLECTION

Core CollectionAbies spectabilisJuniperus recurvaBetula utilis

Total About 300 from various sites

Preservation, Mounting & Sanding

Bell shaped, poor regeneration in recent yearsInverse J, accelerating recruitments in recent yearsAverage age:Panboche 64 yrs; Debuche 64 yrsMax. age: Panboche 147 yrs; Debuche 207 yrs

Dendro-climatological Study

TREE CORE ANALYSIS

Climatic Impact

DENDRO-LAB

Lab Facility: 1. Lin-Tab digital positioning table for tree-ring analysis2. Leica S4E stereo microscope3. LintabTm swing arm stand4. TSAP-Win Prof. software

Participating Institutions• Central Dept of Env Sc. Tribhuvan Univ.• Department of Plant Resources, GON• The Standard Nursery Pvt Ltd• Nepal Academy of Science & Technology• College for Applied Sciences• Dept. of Forest Research & Survey, GON• Dept of Hydrology & Meteorology, GON• National Trust for Nature Conservation• Dept. of National Parks & Wildlife Cons. • Ethnobotanical Society of Nepal• Madan Puraskar Guthi• Central Dept. of Botany, TU

Climatic Impact

DENDRO-TRAINING WORKSHOP

Date: 15-22 Jan 2008Total Participants: 18Resource Persons: Univ. of Padova

Climatic Impact

DENDRO-CLIMATOLOGICAL STUDIES Langtang National Park

NP Gaire, YB Dhakal, H Lekhak 2008; TUAbies spectabilis; Core: 210

Manaslu Conservation AreaM Suwal 2009 UIB-TU; Gaire & Bhuju 2010Abies spectabilis; Core: 148+

Manang (trans-Himalaya)KB Shrestha 2009; UIB, NorwayPinus roxburghii; Core: 133

Mustang (trans-Himalaya)E Udas; UG; Germany

Abies spectabilis; Core: 109 Kathmandu Valley

NP Gaire & DR Bhuju, NASTPinus roxburghii; Core 65

Climatic Impact

RESULTS: MANASLUThere was new recruitments of seedlings and saplings in tree-line ecotone. The species limit has advanced from 3,673m asl in 1958 to 3,841m asl in 2007 with a total of 168 m upslope shift at the average rate of 34.29 m per decade. The seedlings below tree-line have comparatively faster growth.______________________________

Ref. M. Suwal 2010

Abies spectabilis

Betula utilis

Transect 1

Transect 2

Transect 1

Transect 2

Species limit/line

3984 3955 3996 4003

Tree line

3907 3830 3996 4003

Preliminary result:upward migration of Abies spectabilis by >1m/yr

Ref. Gaire & Bhuju 2010

Climatic Impact

RESULTS: MANASLU

Climatic Impact

RESULTS: LANGTANG1. There was significant -ve

correlation between the tree growth & mean monthly min. temp. of Mar & Apr of the current year, Oct of the previous year, and mean of Mar-May temp. of the current year.

2. Though statistically insignificant, there was +ve correlation between ring width and mean monthly precipitation of the most of the months of current year and -ve correlation with previous year’ precipitation.

________________ Ref. NP Gaire 2008

Climatic Impact

RESULTS: MUSTANG

The positive response of temperature (previous Nov, current Feb-Mar-May) during the early and mid 20th century was either both discontinuous and showed no correlation with tree growth at later period (Feb-Mar) or it turned to be negatively associated with growth (previous Nov and current May). This recent change in sensitivity of tree growth and temperature variability was unclear. ____________________

Ref. E Udas 2010

Climatic Impact

WHAT NEXT

Extend the study areaStrengthen the Dendro-LabInternational collaboration