Download Bhuju, D.

Dinesh R. BHUJU
Chief, Faculty of Science
Nepal Academy of Science & Technology
SPECIES RESPONSE TO
CLIMATE CHANGE
IN HIGH ALTITUDES
initiative of a national organization
in the Himalayan discourse
_____________________________________________________
Nepal Academy of
Science & Technology
Advancing science and technology
for all-round national development
• Establishment 1982
• Autonomous &
Statutory
• Role envisaged:
Think Tank
Innovator
Catalyst
Facilitator
The Initiation
PYRAMID LABORATORY



MOU between NAST
& EvK2CNR in 1988
Pyramid Lab. built in
1990
Features:
Glass & Aluminium, 3storied, Ht 8.4m,
Alt. 5,050m asl
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 Inventories
1) Agrobiodiversity
2) Mushroom diversity
3) Herbaceous vegetation

Dendro-climatological
Studies
1) Reconstruction of env.
history
2) Relationship between temp.
& vegetation shift
Baseline Inventories
AGRO-BIODIVERSITY

Study Area
Namche, Khumjung, Phortse,
Dole, Luza, Fanga, Machermo,
Gokyo, Tengboche, Debuche,
Pangboche, Dingboche,
Pheriche, Jorsalle, Monju and
Phakdin (16 settlements)

Methodology
Questionnaire survey, sample
collection & analysis
Baseline Inventories
AGRO-BIODIVERSITY

Major Findings
Upper Limits (m asl)
Staple crops: Barley 4,350;
Buckwheat 3,930
Vegetables: Coriander 4,480,
Radish/Turnip/Onion/Peas 4,359
Cauliflower, Carrot 3,930
Potatoes 4,700 (Tarnak)

Ref. D Bhuju, A Giri, P Rana 2007
Baseline Inventories
MUSHROOM BIODIVERSITY

Study Area: SNP

Methodology
Field visit, Collection &
analysis

Major Findings
Richness 150 spp.
Used locally 29 spp.
Highest 3,500-4,000m asl

Ref. A Giri, P Rana 2006
Baseline Inventories
HERBACEOUS DIVERSITY

Study Area
Imja Valley 3,400-4,650m asl



Methodology
Sampling, Collection, Analysis
Major Findings
Richness 180 spp, Location
recorded, 32 spp in higher
range than previously reported
Ref. E Paudel, D Bhuju, K Shrestha
2007
Climatic Impact
DENDRO-CLIMATOLOGICAL STUDY



Objective
Understand the impact of
climate change on the
distribution of forest vegetation
in the Himalaya
Methodology
1. Set-up permanent plots
2. Tree inventory
3. Tree core collection & analysis
Site
Tree-line
Climatic Impact
DENDROCHRONOLOGY



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 proxyclimate indicators
Dendro-climatological Study
PERMANENT PLOTS
Pangboche, 4,050m asl
Deboche, Alt. 3,850m
Dendro-climatological Study
RESULT: FOREST STRUCTURE
BA (cm2/ha)
SPECIES
Panboche
Debuche
Panboche
Debuche
79059.2
68228.8
120
359
27831.9
84990.3
204
149
4785.0
15030.5
117
279
111862.1
186107.6
445
1034
Abies spectabilis
Betula utilis
Sorbus microphylla
TOTAL
DENSITY (n/ha)
____________________________________________________
MEAN DBH
SPECIES
MAX DBH
Panboche
Debuche
Panboche
Debuche
Abies spectabilis
24.9
8.5
68
99
Betula utilis
11.6
24.0
40
63
Sorbus microphylla
5.7
13.6
7.4
10.4
39
68
36
99
TOTAL
Dendro-climatological Study
TREE CORE COLLECTION

Core Collection
Abies spectabilis
Juniperus recurva
Betula utilis


Total About 300
from various sites
Preservation,
Mounting &
Sanding
Dendro-climatological Study
TREE CORE ANALYSIS
Bell shaped, poor
regeneration in recent
years
Inverse J, accelerating
recruitments in recent
years
Average age:
Panboche 64 yrs;
Debuche 64 yrs
Max. age:
Panboche 147 yrs;
Debuche 207 yrs
Climatic Impact
DENDRO-LAB
Lab Facility:
1. Lin-Tab digital
positioning table for
tree-ring analysis
2. Leica S4E stereo
microscope
3. LintabTm swing arm
stand
4. TSAP-Win Prof.
software
Climatic Impact
DENDRO-TRAINING WORKSHOP
Date: 15-22 Jan 2008
Total Participants: 18
Resource Persons: Univ.
of Padova
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-CLIMATOLOGICAL STUDIES
 Langtang National Park
NP Gaire, YB Dhakal, H Lekhak 2008; TU
Abies spectabilis; Core: 210
 Manaslu Conservation Area
M Suwal 2009 UIB-TU; Gaire & Bhuju 2010
Abies spectabilis; Core: 148+
 Manang (trans-Himalaya)
KB Shrestha 2009; UIB, Norway
Pinus roxburghii; Core: 133
 Mustang (trans-Himalaya)
E Udas; UG; Germany
Abies spectabilis; Core: 109
 Kathmandu Valley
NP Gaire & DR Bhuju, NAST
Pinus roxburghii; Core 65
Climatic Impact
RESULTS: MANASLU
There 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
Climatic Impact
RESULTS: MANASLU
Abies
spectabilis
Transect
1
Transect
2
Betula utilis
Transect
1
Transect
2
Species 3984
limit/line
3955
3996
4003
Tree
line
3830
3996
4003
3907
Preliminary result:
upward migration of
Abies spectabilis by >1m/yr
Ref. Gaire & Bhuju 2010
Climatic Impact
RESULTS: LANGTANG
1. 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
area
Strengthen the
Dendro-Lab
International
collaboration