Showing papers in "Mountain Research and Development in 2012"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a review of the literature on mountain ESS to investigate whether the term was understood correctly by the community, and address the question whether ESS is a suitable concept to protect mountain regions.
Abstract: Mountain regions provide diverse goods and services to human society. At the same time, mountain ecosystems are sensitive to rapid global development. Over the past 2 decades the number of papers mentioning “ecosystem services” (ESS) has risen exponentially. While the concept holds great potential to improve the societal relevance of conservation efforts, it is at risk of dying of misuse and reduction to a buzzword. The definitions of the term often compete and the utility of the concept is under debate. The present article reviews the literature on mountain ESS to investigate whether the term was understood correctly by the community, and addresses the question whether ESS is a suitable concept to protect mountain regions. We link land use and other physical properties of terrestrial ecosystems with their capacity to provide ESS with a view to mapping the global supply of ESS and we contrast it with population density data as a proxy for the demand for ESS. The spatially explicit assessment show...
261 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors use simulations from the Hunza River Basin in the Karakoram region obtained with the hydrological model TOPKAPI to quantify the predictive power of discharge and snow-cover data sets, as well as the combination of both.
Abstract: hydrological components. In this work, we use simulations from the Hunza River Basin in the Karakoram region obtained with the hydrological model TOPKAPI to quantify the predictive power of discharge and snow-cover data sets, as well as the combination of both. We also show that shortterm measurements of meteorological variables such as radiative fluxes, wind speed, relative humidity, and air temperature from glacio-meteorological experiments are crucial for a correct parameterization of surface melt processes. They enable detailed simulations of the energy fluxes governing glacier–atmosphere interaction and the resulting ablation through energy-balance modeling. These simulations are used to derive calibrated parameters for the simplified snow and glacier routines in TOPKAPI. We demonstrate that such parameters are stable in space and time in similar climatic regions, thus reducing the number of parameters requiring calibration.
136 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied the characteristics of mountain springs emanating naturally from unconfined aquifers in the Sikkim Himalaya region and demonstrated methods for reviving them.
Abstract: Mountain springs emanating naturally from unconfined aquifers are the primary source of water for rural households in the Himalayan region. Due to the impacts of climate change on precipitation patterns such as rise in rainfall intensity, reduction in its temporal spread, and a marked decline in winter rain, coupled with other anthropogenic causes, the problem of dying springs is being increasingly felt across this region. This study was taken up in the Sikkim Himalaya, which has received limited attention despite being a part of the Eastern Himalaya global biodiversity hot spot. The objective of this study was to understand the basic characteristics of the springs and to demonstrate methods for reviving them. We found the rural landscape dotted by a network of microsprings occurring largely in farmers' fields, with an average dependency of 27 (±30) households per spring. The spring discharge generally showed an annual periodic rhythm suggesting a strong response to rainfall. The mean discharge o...
130 citations
TL;DR: A review of the available evidence of the impacts of climate change on glacier hydrology and the wider implications upon water resources within the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra basins is presented in this paper.
Abstract: Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns across the Hindu Kush–Himalaya (HKH) region resulting from climate change have an influence on water resource availability and food security for the downstream population. This review seeks to objectively assess the available evidence of the impacts of climate change on glacier hydrology and the wider implications upon water resources within the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra basins. Glacier meltwater contribution to river flows is scale dependent and varies considerably across the east–west climatic zones of the HKH. For the Ganges and Brahmaputra this contribution is estimated to be significantly less than for the Indus to the west, with summer monsoon rains dominating flows from central and easterly areas, whereas meltwater remains a significant contributor to downstream flow of westerly basins, which receive most precipitation during winter. No corroborated trends exist in observed discharge for any basin, and such analyses are hindered by a lack of good-quality long-term data. Predicted increases in temperature will drive increased shrinkage of glaciers, leading to initial increases in meltwater produced, followed by subsequent declines with reduced glacier mass. The impacts of such changes are predicted to be minimal for the overall discharge of the Ganges and Brahmaputra, where increases in rainfall may in fact lead to increased flows but with greater variability. Within the Indus basin, reduced meltwater will have significant impacts upon available runoff; however, increased uncertainties surrounding precipitation and socioeconomic changes limit any conclusive assessment of how water availability will be affected; moreover, seasonality of runoff may be a more important factor. Scientific challenges and research recommendations are identified for the region. This review proposes the need for the scientific evidence pertaining to the region's glacier systems to be approached objectively in the future, such that a robust assessment of change can be attained.
118 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used glaciers as a proxy to quantify the vertical precipitation lapse rate in the Hunza basin in the Karakoram region of Pakistan, where they assumed a neutral mass balance for the glaciers for the period from 2001 to 2003, and they inversely modeled the precipitation lapse by balancing the total accumulation in the catchment area and the ablation over the glacier area for the 50 largest glacier systems in the 30 largest glaciers.
Abstract: Accurate quantification of the spatial distribution of precipitation in mountain regions is crucial for assessments of water resources and for the understanding of high-altitude hydrology, yet it is one of the largest unknowns due to the lack of high-altitude observations. The Hunza basin in Pakistan contains very large glacier systems, which, given the melt, cannot persist unless precipitation (snow input) is much higher than what is observed at the meteorological stations, mostly located in mountain valleys. Several studies, therefore, suggest strong positive vertical precipitation lapse rates; in the present study, we quantify this lapse rate by using glaciers as a proxy. We assume a neutral mass balance for the glaciers for the period from 2001 to 2003, and we inversely model the precipitation lapse by balancing the total accumulation in the catchment area and the ablation over the glacier area for the 50 largest glacier systems in the Hunza basin in the Karakoram. Our results reveal a vertic...
104 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors provide a synthesis of the tropical Andes biodiversity patterns and highlight their importance for humans by linking them to ecosystem services, highlighting the importance of long-term monitoring and predictive modeling.
Abstract: as the Bohemo-Austrian geographer and botanist Thaddäus Haenke wrote in 1810 (published posthumously in Haenke 1901: IX), with reference to the tropical Andes. More than 200 years later, climate change is affecting the ‘‘inestimable treasure’’ of biodiversity, as the title of this book suggests. The book is published under the Creative Commons Public License and includes 4 chapters on cross-cutting topics and 19 that provide background information. At first glance, this free publication stands out due to its online-only characteristic; a printed version in English is not available. In the introduction, the editors state that the aim is to provide a synthesis of the tropical Andes’ biodiversity patterns and highlight their importance for humans by linking them to ecosystem services. Chapter 1 introduces the topic of climate change patterns in the tropical Andes by linking it with observed and hypothesized effects on different ecosystems: from cloud forests to dry and humid puna grasslands. Provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural ecosystem services are distinguished, and their strong relationship to human societies is underlined. Chapter 2 analyzes the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on the biodiversity of the tropical Andes and offers a synthesis on conservation management tools and methods. With respect to possible obstacles that face biodiversity conservation, the authors mention a lack of institutional capacities, for example, that the Comunidad Andina de Naciones should play a decisive role in promoting practices of climate change adaptation. The authors of chapter 3 draw on the previous discussions, turning their attention to the effects of range shifts that may increase the risk of extinction to species. In addition, the authors request the—probably meaningful—adaptation of existing management tools to the geographic peculiarities of the tropical Andes, although without reasoning why. Part I finishes with a contribution on the impacts of climate change on phenology and interspecific interactions of Andean organisms, highlighting the differentiation between proximate and ultimate causes, and underlining the importance of long-term monitoring and predictive modeling. Chapters 5–7 have a clear focus on the climate of the Andes; after some introductory notes on paleo-climate by Holm Tiessen, an overview of the current understanding of tropical Andean climatology is given through an analysis of decadal, interannual, and seasonal variability, followed by some explanations on the diurnal cycle. The authors distinguish between the very moist climate of the northern part (Colombia, Ecuador) and the tropical Andes’ drier south (Peru and Bolivia). Subsequently, insights on climate-change evidence and future scenarios are offered. The contribution also includes several useful summary tables, which enable a comparative view on climatic tendencies, glacier retreat, and change projections. Chapters 8–12 treat topics that relate to land use and ecosystem services. The ‘‘Introduction to Andean Geographies’’ aims at facilitating the assessment of the impacts of global change on plants, animals, and ecosystems. The authors cover aspects of geomorphology, atmospheric peculiarities, soil conditions, and Andean hydrogeography. However, the human dimension of ‘‘Andean Geographies’’ is reduced to the doubtlessly important impacts of rural land use on biodiversity; the manifold effects of Andean urbanization on local or regional climatic conditions, as well as on biodiversity, are simply ignored. Chapter 9 gives an interesting overview of Andean land use, which ranges from pre-Columbian to present times but, again, is confined to rural activities. After an interesting contribution on plant geography and floristic regions of the northern and central Andes, a well-structured overview on the vulnerability and resilience of Andean ecosystems is offered (for aquatic habitats, páramo, humid and dry puna as well as for cloud, seasonal, and dry Andean forest). Finally, climatic stress is exemplified by the Colombian Cordillera Central. Chapters 13–20 address research on biodiversity. Articles on plant-diversity patterns are followed by others about climate-change impacts on fungi and mosses, insects, birds, and small mammals, and on the biodiversity of aquatic systems (lakes, rivers, and wetlands). Most of these contributions emphasize the existing elevation gradients and patterns; identify knowledge gaps; and, against the background of climate change, propose future directions of biodiversity research. The final chapters, 21–23, concentrate on adaptation and mitigation strategies that relate to changes in climate and biodiversity. First, the limits and opportunities of species distribution modeling for biodiversity management are examined. Second, the role of protected areas as a tool for addressing global change is underlined, with an emphasis on these protected areas’ suitability as monitoring sites. The last chapter identifies 5 priorities for sustainable flow management of Andean rivers, a need that MountainMedia Mountain Research and Development (MRD) An international, peer-reviewed open access journal published by the International Mountain Society (IMS) www.mrd-journal.org
103 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the temporal development and the extent of the diverse immigration and circulation patterns for the individual countries of the Alps and identify knowledge gaps, opportunities and risks of the new immigration for both the new highlanders as well as the indigenous communities.
Abstract: After a long period of emigration from the rural areas in the European Alps, a trend reversal can be observed in the last quarter of the 20th century. However, this “new immigration” affects the Alpine countries unevenly in terms of both timing and intensity. Furthermore, growing spatial mobility and consequential transformation of settlements involve several population segments with diverse motives for their movements. This article sketches the temporal development and the extent of the diverse immigration and circulation patterns for the individual countries of the Alps and identifies knowledge gaps. Furthermore, opportunities and risks of the new immigration for both the “new highlanders” as well as the indigenous communities are briefly discussed. The authors conclude with an outline of further needs for basic research in this field and an appeal to leverage the new immigration for rural development. The article was already discussed within the “Demography and Employment” working group of the...
73 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented two local case studies on the village level and an overview of Central Ladakh based on multi-temporal remote sensing analyses, qualitative interviews, and regional background information.
Abstract: This article deals with the development of irrigated agriculture in the Upper Indus Basin of Central Ladakh in Northern India. Artificial irrigation, fed by meltwater from glaciers and snow cover, forms the backbone of regional food production in this semiarid Trans-Himalayan environment. Following an integrated socio-hydrological approach, we present 2 local case studies on the village level and an overview of Central Ladakh based on multi-temporal remote sensing analyses, qualitative interviews, and regional background information. The remote sensing analyses reveal both persistence and change of land use structures over the past 4 decades. In order to understand the characteristics and variations of this land use system, the role and influence of different stakeholders are analyzed. We show how land use dynamics reflect the interplay of local practices and external interventions in mountain development.
72 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors synthesize research findings on contemporary mountain pastoralism in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, based on a longer review characterizing mountain agropastoralism in Central Asia.
Abstract: This paper synthesizes research findings on contemporary mountain pastoralism in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, based on a longer review characterizing mountain agropastoralism in Central Asia. We focus here on the principal issues that have been emphasized over the past two decades in policy, programs, and projects regarding pastoralism in Central Asia's mountains. We conclude that this emphasis has largely been driven by two unproven orthodoxies about The extent and causes of pasture degradation; and The need for decentralization and pasture land privatization. The paper proposes that new research should critically assess these orthodoxies through more empirical and long-term field research. This will yield practical applications to improve conditions for Central Asian mountain pastoralists and their environment. Pursuing measures for addressing pasture degradation will require determinations of whether, where, how, and why degradation and desertification are occurring. Detailed field research is a...
62 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used the particular case of Korzok homestays, implemented by the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF-India) near the Ramsar wetland.
Abstract: Ladakh presents some unique challenges for development and nature conservation initiatives. Since opening to tourism in 1974, its unique landscapes, biodiversity, and culture have attracted adventure-seeking tourists from all over the world. Tourism, especially in the past few decades, has developed very rapidly, bringing many economic and social changes with adverse environmental impacts. By recognizing the threats posed by unplanned tourism, a number of organizations and institutions working in the area felt the urgency to initiate sustainable community-based tourism projects that would protect the local wildlife and natural resources and offer alternative livelihood opportunities to the local population. The homestay model in Ladakh is designed on the principle of equitable access and hence is available for adoption by households across economic classes. This article uses the particular case of Korzok homestays, implemented by the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF-India) near the Ramsar wetland ...
59 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the main connection between highland and lowland processes in mountain watersheds is identified: water flows downhill while human impacts flow uphill while geology determines which watersheds are surface runoff-dominated and which are groundwater-dominated.
Abstract: From both social and environmental perspectives, water is the main connection between highland and lowland processes in mountain watersheds: Water flows downhill while human impacts flow uphill. For example, in the Oregon Cascades mountain range, geology, vegetation, and climate influence the hydrologic connections within watersheds. Geology determines which watersheds are surface runoff-dominated and which are groundwater-dominated. In this Mediterranean climate with dry summers, surface runoff watersheds will consistently experience near-zero late summer discharge, so declining snowpacks will have little effect on low flows. This contrasts with groundwater-dominated watersheds, where a shift from snow to rain or a decline in precipitation will reduce recharge, thereby reducing late summer groundwater contributions to streamflow. Earlier snowmelt causes forests to transpire earlier, resulting in decreased springtime streamflow. Reduced snowpacks lead to soil moisture stress, making forests more ...
TL;DR: In the absence of natural pollinators for a variety of natural reasons, farmers in Maoxian County of southwestern China employ human pollinators to pollinate apple and other fruit crops to secure yields as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The third dimension of mountain agricultural productivity, pollination, helps to maintain crop productivity and thus makes a great contribution to agricultural economy. In the absence of natural pollinators for a variety of reasons, farmers in Maoxian County of southwestern China employ “human pollinators” to pollinate apple and other fruit crops to secure yields. In 2001, we conducted a study to gain an understanding of the process and significance of hand pollination of apples, which revealed that 100% of the apples in Maoxian were hand pollinated. Because it was a unique approach developed by these Chinese farmers the authors were curious to revisit the site in 2011 to assess the sustainability of human pollination and see whether farmers had invented better alternatives. The findings suggest that, recently, Maoxian farmers have been working toward phasing out apples and replacing them with plums, walnuts, and loquats along with vegetables. These new fruit and vegetable crops are economically ...
TL;DR: The 2010 Global Change and the World's Mountains (GLP) conference as mentioned in this paper provided a unique opportunity to analyze the state and progress of mountain research and its contribution to sustainable mountain development, as well as reflect on required reorientations of research agendas.
Abstract: The conference on Global Change and the World's Mountains held in Perth, Scotland, in 2010 offered a unique opportunity to analyze the state and progress of mountain research and its contribution to sustainable mountain development, as well as to reflect on required reorientations of research agendas. In this paper we provide the results of a three-step assessment of the research presented by 450 researchers from around the world. First, we determined the state of the art of mountain research and categorized it based on the analytical structure of the Global Land Project (GLP 2005). Second, we identified emerging themes for future research. Finally, we assessed the contribution of mountain research to sustainable development along the lines of the Grand Challenges in Global Sustainability Research (International Council for Science 2010). Analysis revealed that despite the growing recognition of the importance of more integrative research (inter- and transdisciplinary), the research community gat...
TL;DR: In this article, two inventory phases were conducted on the basis of 278 aerial survey topography maps from the 1970s and 38 Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) images from the 2000s.
Abstract: To assess changes in glacial lakes in the Chinese Himalaya, 2 inventory phases were conducted on the basis of 278 aerial survey topography maps from the 1970s and 38 Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) images from the 2000s. In the past 30 years, the number of glacial lakes has decreased, from 1750 to 1680 (a decrease of 4.0%), whereas the average area of glacial lakes expanded from 166.48 to 215.28 km2 (an increase of 29.7%). Between 3400 and 6000 m, glacial lake areas expanded at rates of 2–84% in almost all 100-m elevation bands, and the dominant expansion rates at different elevations were inversely correlated with glacier area retreating rates to some degree. Glacial lake expansion was a dominant contributor to the increase in glacial lake area, accounting for about 67% of the net changes in lake area, whereas newly formed lakes accounted for the remaining 33%.
TL;DR: In this paper, a classification of phenomena describing the effects of global warming on high Alpine trails and routes is presented, based on an in-depth study in the Austrian Alps, and examples collected show that numerous different types of phenomena can affect both the occurrence of natural hazards along high Alpine trail and routes, and the accessibility of the terrain.
Abstract: The high Alpine landscape is significantly shaped by glacial and periglacial processes. It is sensitive to effects caused by global warming, such as glacier retreat and permafrost degradation. Trails and mountain huts form the infrastructure basis for hiking and mountaineering in the Alps. This infrastructure is a decisive factor for summer mountain tourism. This article presents a classification of phenomena describing the effects of global warming on high Alpine trails and routes. The classification was developed based on an in-depth study in the Austrian Alps. The examples collected show that in the context of global warming, numerous different types of phenomena can affect both the occurrence of natural hazards along high Alpine trails and routes, and the accessibility of the terrain. Depending on the specific situation, threats and difficulties can increase or decrease. Trail holders have to adapt the high Alpine trail network to these changes. The classification presented here can serve to ...
TL;DR: The history of mountain research is most fascinating as mentioned in this paper, and three names for 3 centuries may give an idea of the growing knowledge about the world's mountains: Horace Benedict de Saussure, who climbed and studied the Mont Blanc in 1787; Alexander von Humboldt, ever investigating the environment during his attempt to ascend the Chimborazo in 1802; and Carl Troll, who founded the International Geographical Union's Commission on High-altitude Geoecology in 1968.
Abstract: The history of mountain research is most fascinating. Three names for 3 centuries may give an idea of the growing knowledge about the world's mountains: Horace Benedict de Saussure, who climbed and studied the Mont Blanc in 1787; Alexander von Humboldt, ever investigating the environment during his attempt to ascend the Chimborazo in 1802; and Carl Troll, who founded the International Geographical Union's Commission on High-altitude Geoecology in 1968. Awareness of the growing impact of human activities on the environment led to scientific and political initiatives at the global level, beginning in the 1970s. The Perth conference in 2010 has offered an opportunity to both look back on these developments and explore the future of the world's mountains in a time of rapidly growing “global change” problems and processes.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used remote sensing climatic data from NASA's MODIS instrument platform to develop a spatial characterization of the climatology of remote and rugged regions such as the Upper Indus Basin (UIB).
Abstract: The Upper Indus Basin (UIB) covers an area of more than 200,000 km2 and has an elevation range from below 1000 to over 8000 m above sea level. Its water resources underpin Pakistan's food security and energy supply. Vertical and horizontal variations in key climate variables govern the runoff contributions of the UIB's various elevation zones and subcatchments. Remote sensing climatic data products from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) instrument platform provide an opportunity to develop a spatial characterization of the climatology of remote and rugged regions such as the UIB. Specifically, snow-covered area (SCA) and land surface temperature (LST) have been shown to provide good analogues, respectively, for precipitation and air temperature. As such, SCA and LST quantify regional variations in mass and energy inputs to runoff generation processes. Although the 10-year (2000–2010) MODIS observational record is not adequate to evaluate long-term trends, it does provide a c...
TL;DR: In this paper, a detailed review of atmospheric pollution observed in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) region and its implications for regional climate is presented. But the authors focus on the atmospheric brown cloud loadings over the Himalayas, particularly black carbon (BC) and ozone, which have links to regional climate and air-pollution-related impacts.
Abstract: This paper presents a detailed review of atmospheric pollution observed in the Hindu Kush–Himalaya (HKH) region and its implications for regional climate. Data from in situ measurements made at high-altitude stations in the HKH region, observations from satellite-based instruments, and global climate modeling study results are discussed. Experimental observations discussed include both atmospheric measurements and data from snow and ice core sampling from different glaciers in the HKH region. The paper focuses on the atmospheric brown cloud loadings over the Himalayas, particularly black carbon (BC) and ozone, which have links to regional climate and air-pollution–related impacts. Studies show elevated levels of anthropogenic ozone and BC over the Himalayas during the pre-monsoon season with concentrations sometimes similar to those observed over an average urban environment. The elevated concentration observed over the Himalayas is thought to come from the lowlands, especially the highly populat...
TL;DR: In this paper, a qualitative case study about pasture governance practices in Naryn oblast in Kyrgyzstan is presented, which investigates the relationship between shifts in pasture legislation and herders' mobility.
Abstract: This article reports on a qualitative case study about pasture governance practices in Naryn oblast in Kyrgyzstan. It investigates the relationship between shifts in pasture legislation and herders' mobility. The article describes a study of the outcomes of 2002 pasture management legislation that introduced pasture lease agreements. It specifically looks at the implications of dispersed administrative responsibility for livestock mobility. Contrary to what other studies have found, results of this study suggest that, in the case study, municipality, administrative hurdles were not a major cause of the abandonment of seasonal migration. Based on this finding, the results of the study suggest that a second reform approach, which started in 2009 and replaced the previous administrative arrangement with community-based pasture management would not necessarily improve the sustainable use of pastures and boost livestock mobility. The author points to the importance of designing effective local enforce...
TL;DR: In this paper, the relations between grazing practices, pasture potential, and property rights in the Eastern Pamirs of Tajikistan 10 years after the privatization of 1999 were discussed. But the authors did not consider the relationship between pasture potential and animals' forage needs.
Abstract: This paper deals with the relations between grazing practices, pasture potential, and property rights in the Eastern Pamirs of Tajikistan 10 years after the privatization of 1999. It provides an overview of the spatiotemporal variability of current pasture use and livestock numbers. Assumptions about pasture potential are reconsidered in relation to animals' forage needs in order to draw field-based conclusions regarding over- or underuse in particular areas. Data are derived from interdisciplinary research on post-Soviet pastoralism and associated human–environment interactions. We show that pastoralists in the Eastern Pamirs face several problems: As the land cover resources are meager and variable and hay meadows for winter fodder are rare, herd mobility or external forage inputs are necessary to compensate for weather-related shortages. The current multiseasonal pasture use—a change from the mono-seasonal use of Soviet state farms—discourages plant regeneration. Competition between pastoralis...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined community perceptions of the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of these projects in 3 rural areas and considered implications for future sustainable livelihoods, arguing that there is a need to support new types of land-based economic activities on abandoned agricultural lands, reclaim degraded lands, and introduce new products and production methods.
Abstract: Mountain economies are undergoing transformation from traditional agrarian to more industrial or service-oriented economies. Such changes invariably have socioeconomic impacts on nearby communities and lead to fragmentation and rural depopulation. Sikkim, a small state of India in the Eastern Himalayas, has recently embarked on a program of hydroelectricity project construction. This study examined community perceptions of the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of these projects in 3 rural areas and considers implications for future sustainable livelihoods. While benefits such as employment have accrued to the rural community from these economic development projects, changes in land use and in people's occupations may have adverse impacts on their future livelihoods. We argue that there is a need to support new types of land-based economic activities on abandoned agricultural lands, reclaim degraded lands, and introduce new products and production methods.
TL;DR: In this article, Steimann et al. used an actor-centered approach to examine local processes of transformation in rural Kyrgyzstan and found that the majority of poor households are trapped in a negative livelihood trajectory, unable to secure their property rights and dependent upon state welfare and affluent households for their survival.
Abstract: Bernd Steimann’s work is a timely contribution to the scholarship on postsocialist transformation and provides a much needed microlevel analysis of postindependence institutional changes and their implications for agropastoral livelihoods in Kyrgyzstan. Often the scholarship on Central Asian postsocialist development focuses on macroinstitutions, such as the economy, geopolitics, and national elite networks, and neglects local actors and processes at the microlevel. As a result, the postsocialist transformation is poorly understood, and the academic community lacks the conceptual tools to explain many developments in the region. Steimann uses an actor-centered approach to examine local processes of transformation in rural Kyrgyzstan. The study focused on agropastoral livelihoods and institutional and organizational context, which embeds these processes of production, to explore transformational processes at the household level. The book consists of 3 key sections and 12 chapters. Section 1 evaluates key theoretical approaches on postsocialist development and offers its own conceptual framework, which draws upon new institutional economics, property rights theory, and legal pluralism. In being critical of the transition paradigm, Steimann also uses a set of sociological concepts, such as path dependency, hybridity, bricolage, and uncertainty, to interpret postsocialist developments in rural Kyrgyzstan. In addition, this section discusses the research methodology, which integrates qualitative and quantitative methods, to evaluate the socioeconomic status of households and their livelihood strategies. The empirical evidence is based on household surveys and semistructured interviews carried out in 2 villages in Naryn region between 2006 and 2009. The study compares how household livelihood strategies vary in the 2 villages, which have different levels of resources. Section 2 presents the results of the household survey data of the 2 villages, which show significant socioeconomic disparities among the households. The study finds that the rich households constitute no more than 3% in both villages, and they own large tracts of land and livestock. Most households have little or no livestock, and are unable to generate cash income and are dependent upon state welfare. Steimann argues that the socialist legacy is partly responsible for the socioeconomic disparities, because the soviet kolkhoz introduced inequality in the agricultural economy. Although the path dependency can account for the first decade of social inequality into postindependence Kyrgyzstan, the introduction of ill-conceived neoliberal reforms in the agricultural sector in the 1990s exacerbated existing inequalities, because existing elites exploited the privatization process. Section 3 illustrates how socioeconomic disparities have had a considerable impact on people’s property rights and their use of property. Livestock breeding, land cultivation, and access to pastures are dependent upon household assets, including cultural and social capital (such as practical knowledge, negotiating skills, networks, and bargaining power). Affluent households often abuse local regulations on land and pasture use to accrue economic wealth, a process referred to as ‘‘forum shopping.’’ Most households cannot undertake sustainable farming because of high cultivation costs and inadequate institutional support in the form of credit or machinery, and are forced to abandon cultivation. They lack the resources and capabilities to be efficient and sustainable. This section illustrates how the neoliberal agrarian reforms failed to transform most actors into market participants. Steimann argues that there are 2 livelihood trajectories in the context of institutional hybridity and uncertainties of rural Kyrgyzstan. The majority of poor households are trapped in a negative livelihood trajectory, unable to secure their property rights, and dependent upon state welfare and affluent households for their survival. The minority of rich households operate on a positive livelihood trajectory, able to develop long-term coping strategies. This difference in the rural trajectories, Steimann argues, ‘‘provides a good example of the continuing impact of the neoliberal shock therapy of the 1990s on rural livelihoods and institutions up to the present day’’ (p. 227). Steimann suggests that poor households’ negative livelihood trajectory can be changed either by reducing their uncertainties or by improving their negotiating power. But he seems to be unclear on how to achieve such empowerment or to reduce uncertainties. In the conclusion, he states that the introduction of new institutions, such as communal resource user associations, is unlikely to reduce institutional uncertainties and might even exacerbate existing social inequalities. This book is essential reading for academics and practitioners who specialize in the region or postsocialist developments. Few studies examine the emergence of socioeconomic disparities and their implications on livelihood trajectories. This book is of particular benefit to international policy-makers and donors, who are engaged in democratization and MountainMedia Mountain Research and Development (MRD) An international, peer-reviewed open access journal published by the International Mountain Society (IMS) www.mrd-journal.org
TL;DR: A medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) project was implemented in Nepal and parts of India from 2005 to 2009 by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development to enhance the livelihood options and reduce the poverty of poor rural households.
Abstract: A medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) project was implemented in Nepal and parts of India from 2005 to 2009 by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development to enhance the livelihood options and reduce the poverty of poor rural households. The present study assesses the impact of the project on poverty and livelihood security using quantitative and qualitative data collected in a household survey, focus group discussions, and interviews with key informants. The project improved the skills and knowledge of producers and collectors MAPs in production, management, processing, and marketing, as well as their negotiating power with traders. This helped increase household income and alleviate poverty. However, the project's impact varied across project sites. While an impact was quite visible in Nepal and Chhattisgarh, India, it was less visible in Himachal Pradesh, India. Factors responsible for the different levels of impact are analyzed, and lessons are drawn for future programs and ...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed the social and ecological characteristics of diverse pastures in the walnut fruit forest region in southwestern Kyrgyzstan and analyzed the ways in which historical preconditions, current socioeconomic conditions, laws and regulations, and administrative and management practices influence current pasture problems.
Abstract: Kyrgyzstan's vast grasslands are mountain ecosystems that provide many ecological services (such as water cycling and filtration, nutrient cycling, and soil formation) as well as economic services (such as fodder supply). During the post-Soviet transformation, pasture-related challenges arose in new forms and intensities and came to endanger the continued provision of these services. Degradation leads to a worsening shortage of grassland resources, and pasture-related conflicts jeopardize Kyrgyzstan's social integrity. Socioecological problems vary in type and intensity and cannot be explained solely in terms of excessive use by local people. This study looks at the ways in which historical preconditions, current socioeconomic conditions, laws and regulations, and administrative and management practices influence current pasture problems. We analyzed the social and ecological characteristics of diverse pastures in the walnut fruit forest region in southwestern Kyrgyzstan. This study offers an int...
TL;DR: In this paper, a power regression relationship between precipitation and spring flow was developed, with high correlation, based on 2 to 11 years of daily data collected from Chandrabhaga and Danda watersheds in Uttarakhand.
Abstract: One of the most important parameters of the hydrological cycle, precipitation, is directly affected by global warming; as a result, natural spring flow that receives input from rainfall in the midwestern Himalayan hills is affected as well. Spring flow is of prime importance in this area: Springs are the backbone of all of the population's agricultural, social, and financial activities. The deterioration of spring flow results in outmigration and adversely affects the economy of the region. An 11-year study was undertaken of 2 watersheds in Uttarakhand, Chandrabhaga and Danda. These watersheds were observed using 9 automatic rain gauges and 2 river gauging sites. Spring flow measurements were made daily, covering almost all springs used by local inhabitants. A power regression relationship between precipitation and spring flow was developed, with high correlation. The time lag between precipitation and spring flow was investigated for different springs, based on 2 to 11 years of daily data. The s...
TL;DR: The Project Snow Leopard (PSL) project in Gilgit-Baltistan as discussed by the authors has been shown to have a positive impact on the local mountain societies by developing and supporting local governance structures, improving access to education and offering a range of tools to reduce the conflict that can be implemented locally.
Abstract: While the world is becoming increasingly interconnected and interdependent, physically and culturally, the wildlife of remote mountain regions is being affected both positively and negatively by such interconnectedness. In the case of snow leopards, the conservation impact has been largely, and rather unexpectedly, positive: Species-focused conservation projects, such as Project Snow Leopard (PSL) in Gilgit-Baltistan, remain mainly externally driven initiatives. PSL, initiated as a small pilot project in 1998, has relied on an approach that includes the use of an insurance scheme, the deployment of mitigation measures, and the empowerment of local governance. This approach has been successful in reducing the conflict with snow leopards and has built greater tolerance toward them. PSL is managed by local communities and cofinanced by them. PSL communities throughout the region are bearing the burden of carnivore conservation, and they are unwittingly subsidizing their populations by “feeding” them their livestock even though they are an economic threat to them. In this article, we argue that external intervention in the form of efforts that help alleviate the consequences of conflict through local empowerment have had a positive impact on the local mountain societies. We also show that such interventions have resulted in tangible conservation results, with the number of snow leopards staying at least stable. Our experience also shows that while the incentive component is critical, it is also part of a larger approach—one that includes developing and supporting local governance structures, improving access to education, and offering a range of tools to reduce the conflict that can be implemented locally. Finally, we suggest that investing in this approach—one that recognizes the species and local-context complexities surrounding the implementation of conservation incentives—can continue to inform international practices and guidelines for reducing human–wildlife conflicts worldwide.
TL;DR: In this paper, the primacy of collective determinations of the worth of their activities and the focus on collective entitlements by assuring the viability of community processes for individual participation is proposed.
Abstract: Based on our work in mountain communities in Mexico (and in other parts of Latin America), we suggest the need for a “dialogue of knowledge systems” or dialogo de saberes, a concept used in Latin America that is akin to the concept of transdisciplinarity used by some European scholars. If these societies are to liberate themselves from the globalized straitjackets imposed by international economic integration with its imperatives of “free” trade and markets, then communities have to expand beyond the improvement of individual capabilities and the exercise of individual freedoms. Although individual improvement and self-betterment continue to be significant objectives for direct intervention, we focus on the primacy of collective determinations of the worth of their activities and the focus on collective entitlements by assuring the viability of community processes for individual participation. An alternative strategy for participating communities is proposed.
TL;DR: In this article, a case study of a conflict over the building of a centralized biogas plant to produce renewable energy from livestock manure in an Italian Alpine valley is presented, highlighting how this conflict raises issues of distributional justice and procedural justice with regard to the implementation of the green economy model, and pointing out the need to embed green economy technologies in the local context and conditions.
Abstract: This article aims to contribute to the analysis of the complex relationship between sustainable development and green economy in mountain areas by focusing on a conflict over the building of a centralized biogas plant to produce renewable energy from livestock manure in an Italian Alpine valley. The case study shows that the project for a large-sized biogas plant promoted by the local political institutions as environmental modernization of local agriculture, and supported by the most important professional organizations, became increasingly controversial at the local community level and was eventually abandoned. By drawing in particular on the literature concerning the social acceptance of renewable energies, the article highlights how this conflict raises issues of distributional justice and procedural justice with regard to the implementation of the green economy model, and it points out the need to embed green economy technologies in the local context and conditions. These concerns should be ...
TL;DR: In this article, a qualitative approach is used to examine the tension between these views and address current land use practices and related narratives about pasture degradation in rural Kyrgyzstan, focusing on meanings ascribed to pastures, showing how people closely relate current practices to the experiences and value systems of the Soviet period and to changing identities emerging in the post-Soviet transformation process.
Abstract: Pasture use in the Kyrgyz Republic has changed significantly as a result of fundamental political, economic, and societal changes following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent changes in people's livelihoods. Government institutions criticize current land use patterns as unsustainable and the cause of degradation. But at the local level, pasture quality is rarely seen as a major problem. This article uses a qualitative approach to examine the tension between these views and addresses current land use practices and related narratives about pasture degradation in rural Kyrgyzstan. By focusing on meanings ascribed to pastures, it shows how people closely relate current practices to the experiences and value systems of the Soviet period and to changing identities emerging in the post-Soviet transformation process. It argues that proper understanding of resource degradation issues requires adequate consideration of the context of meaning constructed by local resource users when they ma...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a volume dedicated to tropical cloud forest conservation and management, with a focus on ecosystem ecology and particularly on hydrology, which is very much a Bruijnzeelian overview.
Abstract: Few people would question the ecological and socioeconomic importance of tropical cloud forests, so it is a pleasure to discover a new book dedicated to their conservation and management. In fact, the cloud forest cause has been diligently promoted by a dedicated community of researchers and conservationists over the past couple of decades and produced a series of notable publications in the process. What does this new publication bring to the feast? The first thing that strikes you is its size; at more than 700 pages, this is not light reading in any sense. In the immortal words of Laurie Anderson, it really is thick enough to stun an ox. Perhaps this is testament to the amount of research that is now being devoted to this exceptionally important forest type. The book is presented in a high standard throughout, with a visually attractive design and ample illustrations (although not in color). The text is divided into 72 chapters, organized into 7 sections, a structure that arises from the book’s genesis as the proceedings of a conference held in 2004. These sections include assessments of regional floristic and animal diversity, hydrometeorology, nutrient dynamics, water use, climate impacts, and conservation management. It is a shame that these proceedings have taken so long to appear in print, because, inevitably, some of the information presented is a little out of date, in spite of the best efforts of the editors to refresh the text. Despite its size, the book’s coverage is incomplete; for example, there is little here on autecology or on conservation genetics, although there have been significant research advances in these areas in recent years. The focus of the text is very much on ecosystem ecology and particularly on hydrology. This is perhaps not surprising, because the original symposium was cosponsored by UNESCO’s International Hydrology Programme. One of the book’s main contributions is to provide a valuable overview of the results of a series of major research programs into the hydrology of cloud forests that were undertaken approximately a decade ago. Many readers will be familiar with the seminal work on this theme by L. A. Bruijnzeel, who is the senior editor of this volume, and clearly deserves a great deal of credit for the herculean efforts required to bring this book into being. As he is a coauthor of onefourth of the chapters as well as a coeditor of all sections, this is very much a Bruijnzeelian overview. The book, consequently, has undoubted value in providing an introduction to this body of work, but arguably it suffers from its symposium format. With so many concise accounts of individual case studies, the effect induced in the reader is more akin to overindulging on canapés than eating a satisfying main course. Given the allencompassing nature of the title, the reader might legitimately have expected far greater focus on synthesis. Nevertheless, much useful and interesting information is presented here, for example, on the influence of fog and the potential impacts of climate change on cloud forests. Evidence that cloud forests are slow to recover from disturbance and are relatively costly to restore, although unsurprising, provides further justification for strengthening conservation efforts in the future. Despite the ample evidence provided of the significant progress in research that has been achieved over the past 20 years, it is also striking how much remains to be discovered. Even issues of such crucial importance as the hydrological consequences of cloud forest loss or the impacts of climate change on biodiversity remain highly uncertain. By identifying such knowledge gaps, this book provides a valuable platform on which to base future research, and certainly no one active in cloud forest research can afford to be without a copy. It is to be hoped that the key messages of this important volume will find their way into the hearts and minds of those involved in cloud forest conservation and management, but they may need to be presented in a more digestible format if they are to be widely consumed.