Himalayan State Of India Research Articles

Analyzing trend and forecasting of temperature and rainfall in Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh, India using non-parametric and bagging REPTree machine learning approaches

The changing pattern of climate variables has caused extreme weather events and severe disasters, especially in mountainous regions. Such events have a detrimental impact on resources, environment and society. Thus, it has become imperative to examine the trends and forecasts of meteorological variables using a scientific modelling approach. This study investigates temperature and rainfall trends using the modified Mann-Kendall test and Sen's slope estimator between 1980 and 2021. A Bagging-REPTree machine learning model was utilized for forecasting temperature and rainfall trends for the next 30 years (2022–2051) to understand the temporal dynamics in Shimla district of the Indian Himalayan state. The mean absolute percentage error, mean absolute error, root mean squared error and correlation coefficient were determined to assess the effectiveness and precision of the model. The findings revealed that the frequency of intense rainfall in the district has increased during the monsoon season (June–September) from 1980 to 2021. Significant trends were found in annual rainfall, maximum, minimum and mean temperatures while rainfall during the winter, summer and post-monsoon seasons has shown a declining trend. The forecast analysis revealed a significant trend for rainfall during the monsoon season and an increasing trend in the maximum temperature has been observed during the winter and summer seasons. The analysis has provided sufficient evidence of variability and uncertainty in the behavior of meteorological variables. The outcome of the study may help in devising suitable adaptation and mitigation strategies to combat climate change in hilly regions. The methodology adopted in the study may help in the future progression of the research in different geographical regions for trend and climate forecasting.

Integrating real-time sensor data for improved hydrogeotechnical modelling in landslide early warning in Western Himalaya

This study presents a comprehensive investigation into developing a real-time monitoring framework for a localized landslide early warning system (LEWS), focusing on the hydrological dynamics of an unsaturated slope near the Joshimath Badrinath Highway in Uttarakhand, India. Considering the steepness of the slope and its adjacency to the highway, continuous monitoring and stability assessment are crucial. The framework encompasses primary phases of monitoring, modelling, forecasting, and warning. Monitoring collected hydrological and meteorological data, used for modelling and calibration. Validation using Taylor diagrams ensured accuracy by comparing predicted and monitored data. The calibrated hydrological model guided slope stability modelling to identify instability factors. A machine learning algorithm detected potential instability. Forecasting predicted unstable periods, triggering warnings if the factor of safety (Fs) values drop below 1.5. The study provided important insights into slope stability, highlighting the significance of vegetation parameters in accurately assessing slope stability using the Fs. Calibration of the hydrogeological model, particularly considering rainfall, climate, and vegetation data, improved the alignment between predicted and observed volumetric water content (VWC), especially in shallower depths. However, modelling hydrological dynamics at greater depths remains challenging, emphasizing the need for refined approaches. Machine learning techniques, specifically a Random Forest model, achieve high accuracy in predicting Fs, identifying VWC at 0.3-m and 3-m depths as pivotal variables. Temporal evaluation suggests a 12-month simulation as optimal, showing consistent performance across depths. Overall, the study advances slope stability modelling and offers insights into sustainable slope management practices, highlighting the complex interplay between climate, vegetation, and hydrological dynamics in unsaturated slopes. This approach lays a foundation for effective LEWS in Indian Himalayan states.

Caffeine consumption among medical students: an exploratory study in a medical school in a sub–Himalayan state of India

Caffeine consumption among medical students: an exploratory study in a medical school in a sub–Himalayan state of India

Carbon stocks and sequestration potential of community forests in Bhutan

Community Forestry (CF) is recognized globally as a forest management regime with the potential to address deforestation and forest degradation, provide forest goods and services to local communities and contribute to climate change mitigation. Around 4% of Bhutan's forests are currently under CF management and these forests provide essential goods and services for local communities. However, the potential of CF in Bhutan to contribute to climate change mitigation is not well understood and has not been researched.In this study, we estimated the carbon stock and carbon sequestration of community forests in Bhutan by using data from the 2015 National Forest Inventory (NFI). The total biomass carbon in community forests was 130.3 Mg ha−1 (107.3–153.2) and the soil organic carbon was 52.8 Mg ha−1 (30.4–75.1). Carbon sequestration was 0.7 Mg ha−1 yr⁻¹. Other attributes: basal area, stem density and tree height, were also determined to assess forest condition and the potential to increase carbon sequestration.The values for biomass carbon in Bhutan's community forests as well as the non-community forests (all other forests) were similar to those reported from Forest Resource Assessment and NFI for forests in Nepal and the Indian Himalayan states respectively. Disaggregation of data from 38 research studies across the Himalayan region indicated that biomass carbon in Bhutan's forests was significantly lower than that in well-stocked (non-degraded) forests in the Indian and Nepal Himalayas. It was also much lower than that in Bhutan's Forest Management Units, which were used as an indicator of the potential upper limit of biomass carbon in Bhutan's forest environment. Similarly, basal area, stem density and mean tree height were also lower in Bhutan's community forests than in well-stocked forests in other Himalayan countries.The Bhutan Government is currently exploring the potential to generate revenue from the sale of carbon sequestered in its forests. This study confirms that there is potential to increase carbon sequestration by improving management of existing forests. Currently, the 107,866 ha of community forests in Bhutan store about 19 million Mg of carbon. With improved management by Community Forest Management Groups, which have the institutional capacity to control local management outcomes, the carbon stock could likely be doubled (to 40 million Mg of carbon), thereby demonstrating the potential of Community Forestry to play an important role in climate change mitigation, while not jeopardizing the provision of day-to-day goods and services to local communities.

Economic analysis of milk production in Himalayan state of India

Economic analysis of milk production in Himalayan state of India

An Innovative Approach for Biocontrol of Meloidogyne incognita in Ginger Using Potential Bacteria Isolated from Indian Himalayas.

The prevalence of Meloidogyne incognita, a severe root-knot nematode, is alarmingly high in the production of ginger-a main cash crop of Himachal Pradesh, a Himalayan state of India. In order to control this through natural means, the nematicidal potential of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) against M. incognita was analyzed. This is an effective alternative solution to manage nematode incidence as compared to hazardous chemicals under protected and field cultivation of ginger. In the present study an attempt has been made to isolate, characterize, and identify potential rhizobacteria associated with ginger rhizosphere and endosphere. In total, 169 bacterial isolates were isolated from ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizosphere and endosphere of 4 different sites of Sirmaur district, screened out for multifarious PGP traits showing positive results. The combined cluster analysis and 16S rRNA genotypic analysis of selected bacterial isolates revealed that Serratia marcescens FS-23, Pseudochrobacter sp. GS-15, Stonotrophomonas pavanii HER-9, Pseudomonas brassicacearum HER-20 and Serratia marcescens IS-2 exhibited highest PGP traits. All tested bacterial isolates were capable of exerting a significant effect on mortality of juvenile M. incognita ranging upto 40-90% in laboratory experiments. Further a consortium of these screened isolates showed 86.67% reduction in gall formation by M. incognita in lab conditions. The remarkable increase to 93.24% with 138.73q/ha with application of charcoal based bio-formulation of consortium without adding any chemical fertilizer was observed in field trials of Nohradhar of Sirmaur district. An alternative choice as a biocontrol agent as well as for PGP activities, the novel and most robust isolate Serratia marcescens IS-2 had revealed to have a variety of bioactive metabolic products with abilities against nematodes, bacteria, and fungi.

Preserving Offerings, Prolonging Merit: Efficacy, Skillful Means, and Re-purposing in Plastic Buddhist Material Culture in Contemporary Sikkim

Despite official bans, public criticism and concern over pollution, plastics are widely used in Buddhist material culture in the Indian Himalayan state of Sikkim. Using the framework of the seven bowls of water offerings, undertaken every morning to the Buddhas and deities in domestic shrine rooms, and ethnographic observations, as a way to frame discussions of changing material culture, I will interrogate how plastics are used and waste is re-purposed in Sikkimese interdimensional engagements in offerings to the deities and spirits. I will argue that plastics continue to be seen as efficacious and generative for Buddhist communities due to their ability to be re-purposed and recycled, acting as exemplars of skillful means that allow for Buddhist communities to exercise their own agency in determining the efficacy of material culture and the making of new futures. This paper engages with scholarship from anthropologists and Buddhist studies scholars on Buddhist materiality, plastic, and waste studies to consider the malleability of plastics, even when they are not malleable, and demonstrate how this malleability generates positive and creative engagements across dimensions that allow for nuanced and complex responses to the anxieties people have about plastic waste in the Himalayas.

Mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) of the Indian Himalaya and future challenges

A concise overview of the diversity and distribution of Ephemeroptera of Indian Himalaya, a global biodiversity hotspot, is presented. The current study summarizes the diversity and distribution of Ephemeroptera of the seven Himalayan states of India: Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Utter Pradesh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. This study documents 10 families, 34 genera, 89 species. A total of 57 species are considered endemic to the region. The richest diversity is reported from the states of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh and the maximum diversity is seen within three families and three genera. Updated information on Ephemeroptera of the Himalaya parts of Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and China is required to comprehensively understand the diversity and endemicity of the hotspot. Further, to advance our knowledge of Ephemeroptera of the region, a synthesis of the taxonomy of adults and larvae with description of all life history stages within a molecular phylogenetic framework is urgently required.

Comparative efficacy of polyethylene glycol 3350 monotherapy against polyethylene glycol 3350 plus sodium picosulfate combined therapy in treating fecal impaction in pediatric functional constipation patients

Background: Functional constipation (FC) is a common pediatric problem worldwide. The management of FC comprises of a short initial disimpaction phase followed by long-term maintenance phase. Currently, polyethylene glycol (PEG) is considered as standard disimpaction therapy in pediatric FC patients. The aim of our study was to compare the efficacy of polyethylene glycol 3350 monotherapy with polyethylene glycol 3350 and sodium picosulfate combined therapy in treating fecal impaction in pediatric FC patients. Methods: All children (aged >1 year) diagnosed with FC as per ROME IV criteria and presenting to the out-patient department of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition unit of a tertiary health centre in north Indian Himalayan state were randomized into two open label, prospective, parallel groups, namely group A (receiving PEG 3350 monotherapy) and group B (receiving combined PEG 3350 plus sodium picosulfate therapy), over a period of 13 months. The outcome was evaluated as successful disimpaction with onset of loose/watery stools (Type-7 of Bristol stool chart scale). The success rates and mean time to disimpaction for two groups were computed and compared. Results: Eighty-one patients were randomized into two groups. The mean time to disimpaction was found to be significantly lower (p<0.001) for group B (2.37±1.16 days) when compared to group A (4.00±1.43 days). There was successful resolution of impaction in both groups. No adverse events were reported in either group. Conclusions: Combined PEG 3350 and sodium picosulfate therapy significantly reduces the disimpaction time when compared with PEG 3350 monotherapy in pediatric population, however both the therapies appear similar in achieving successful disimpaction.

Chir pine forest and pre-monsoon drought determine spatial, and temporal patterns of forest fires in Uttarakhand Himalaya.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42965-023-00306-9.

Extreme value analysis of precipitation and temperature over western Indian Himalayan State, Uttarakhand

Extreme value analysis of precipitation and temperature over western Indian Himalayan State, Uttarakhand

An Integrated Study of Natural Springs to sustain water security:Case Study of three villages from a Himalayan State of India

An Integrated Study of Natural Springs to sustain water security:Case Study of three villages from a Himalayan State of India

Quality Index Approach for Analysis of Urban Green Infrastructure in Himalayan Cities

In fast urbanizing cities, fragmentation of urban green infrastructure (UGI) commonly arises due to lack of efficient planning to maintain the quantity and improve their quality. As ecological processes and landscape patterns are closely intertwined, it is a prerequisite to investigate landscape structure when aiming at better provision of ecosystem services. This study integrates remote sensing, geographic information system, combination of landscape metrics, and multi-variated statistics to delineate structural attributes influencing UGI Quality (UGIQ). We exemplify our methodology in three capital cities of Indian Himalayan states at administrative ward level. The UGIQ is derived by comparing landscape characters defined by nine metrics denoting area, shape, and aggregation attributes. By employing principal component analysis (PCA) and multi-collinearity diagnosis, a set of quality defining metrics are obtained for each city. Further, to gain insightful spatial basis for improving connectivity, Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) is used to visualize and classify patches into seven morphological classes. Landscape characterization highlights a pattern of low-quality wards having a limited number and area of UGI patches in urban centers, and high-quality wards with complex and aggregated patches towards fringes. PCA identifies the positive influence of area (LPI, AREA_MN) and shape (LSI, FRAC_AM, CONTIG) metrics and negative influence of patch distance (ENN_MN) and fragmentation (PD) on UGIQ in different combinations across the cities. Higher shares of morphological core and edge classes are recognized for overall UGIQ improvement. The results provide quantitative measures to develop integrated spatial planning strategies.

When pastoralists urbanize: Intersecting spatiotemporalities of small town Himalaya

ABSTRACT Development scholars have noticed the decoupling of rural poverty and well-being from agriculture and other traditional livelihoods, and the greater importance of highly mobile and delocalized livelihoods across the Global South. In this context, the Indian Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh has been hailed as a development exemplar. While there is undeniable though uneven economic mobility across the state, what of its spatiotemporality? As more capital makes its way to interior regions, where and how is it fixed, and how do these processes reconfigure prevalent rhythms of life? This paper considers the changing materiality of the urbanizing settlement of Bharmour, the centre of the agri-pastoralist Gaddi community in Himachal, alongside the intersecting temporalities experienced by its residents. The pastoralist seasonal time has historically structured the rhythms of the region. Since the late colonial period, but with greater intensity since the 1970s, the state has sought to discipline time through the broader discourse of tribal development. More recently, state-backed capitalism aims to flatten time towards the accelerated circulation of people, information, and commodities. Theorizing spatiotemporality from the perspective of Bharmour shows that despite these changes, pastoralist rhythms continue to shape the settlement, producing a form of the urban the paper terms ‘the seasonal town’.

Comparative efficacy of polyethylene glycol 3350 and psyllium in treatment of pediatric functional constipation: A randomized and controlled trial

Background: Functional constipation (FC) is a common childhood problem worldwide. At present, polyethylene glycol (PEG) is considered as standard therapy in pediatric FC patients. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of PEG 3350 versus psyllium in treatment of pediatric FC. Materials and Methods: All children (aged >1 year) diagnosed with FC according to Rome IV criteria and presenting to the outpatient department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Unit of a tertiary health center in North Indian Himalayan state were randomized into two open label, prospective, parallel groups, namely, Group A (receiving PEG 3350) and Group B (receiving psyllium), over a period of 16 months. The comparative efficacy was evaluated by comparing the percent of patients with successful outcomes in two groups at 4, 8, and 12 weeks of therapy and the rate of recurrence of impaction in two groups was also assessed and compared over same period. Results: Eighty-one patients were randomized into two groups. A significantly higher number of patients in Group A was successfully treated after 4 weeks (Group A 68.3% vs. Group B 42.5%; P = 0.026), 8 weeks (Group A 80.0% vs. Group B 57.9%; P = 0.049), and 12 weeks (Group A 92.3% vs. Group B 67.6%; P = 0.009) of treatment compared with Group B. Impaction recurred in two patients in Group B while no recurrence was observed in any of the Group A patients but the difference observed was not statistically significant (P = 0.494). No significant adverse events were reported in either groups. Conclusion: PEG 3350 was found to be significantly more effective than psyllium in improving the symptoms of constipation in pediatric patients.

Growth of Area and Production of Selected Horticulture crops in the States under the Scheme Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States of India

Utilizing the secondary data the paper examines the growth rates of area and production of vegetables and fruits among the states under the scheme Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States for the time periods 1991-92, 2001-02, 2010-11 and 2017-18. Our study reveals that growth rates of vegetables and fruits were fluctuating in the reference period. However, growth rate in fruits was less fluctuated compared to the growth rate of vegetables. Among the states under the scheme, Uttarakhand was found to be the most remarkable in terms of improvement in the productivity of fruit crops and Himachal Pradesh in terms of productivity of vegetables. It is found that among the states under study, the change in production of fruits and vegetables was the least in Arunachal Pradesh over the same period.

Flood Management Issues in Hilly Regions of Uttarakhand (India) under Changing Climatic Conditions

Uttarakhand, an Indian Himalayan state in India, is famous for its natural environment, health rejuvenation, adventure, and a pilgrimage centre for various religions. It is categorised into two major regions, i.e., the Garhwal and the Kumaon, and geographically, the Bhabar and the Terai. Floods, cloudbursts, glacier lake outbursts, and landslides are the major natural hazards that cause the highest number of mortalities and property damage in this state. After becoming a full 27th state of India in 2000, the developmental activities have increased many folds, which has added to such calamities. This study briefly summarises the major incidents of flood damage, describes the fragile geology of this Himalayan state, and identifies the natural as well as the anthropogenic causes of the flood as a disaster. It also highlights the issue of climate change in the state and its adverse impact in the form of extreme precipitation. Besides these, it reviews the challenges involved in flood management and highlights the effective flood risk management plan that may be adopted to alleviate its adverse impacts.

Spatio-temporal trends in precipitation and temperature means/extremes in the Himalayan states of India

AbstractCovering 60 years (1955–2016), this paper analyzed the spatio-temporal trends of daily annual and seasonal means of precipitation, temperature, and extreme climate indices. The long-term decadal change analysis was carried out in two timeframes for consecutive analysis periods of 1955–1985 and 1986–2016 to capture the relative regional variations. The trends were evaluated using the modified Mann-Kendall (MMK) and Sen's slope (SS) statistical tests. The pattern visualized on maps was assessed for regions and districts located in the four states of the Indian Himalayan Region. The results revealed significant increases in the annual mean precipitation (1.61 mm/year) and temperature (0.07°/year) in Uttarakhand, followed by Himachal Pradesh from 1986 to 2016. The seasonal monsoonal precipitation showed a significantly increasing trend in parts of Himachal Pradesh, followed by Uttarakhand. The maximum and minimum temperature values increased in all the states, increasing temperature extremes. Significant trends in climate indices were observed in the second period of analysis. A rise of 0.02 °C/year in temperature extremes was observed in Uttarakhand. There is a progressive rise in precipitation indices, specifically in Uttarakhand (0.49 mm/year), and a drop in cold extremes with an increase of hot events in most states. The spatio-temporal variations were driven by multiple dominant mechanisms like orography, anthropogenic activities, land-use changes, teleconnections, and the emission of greenhouse gases. This study highlights the influence of climate change in different divisions of the Himalayas.

A review on the urban municipal solid waste management system of an Indian Himalayan state

A review on the urban municipal solid waste management system of an Indian Himalayan state

Predicting wasteful spending in tree planting programs in Indian Himalaya

Tree planting is widely promoted as a cost-effective natural climate solution, yet there are few evaluations of the implementation of tree planting. Our analysis of a unique dataset on tree planting in the Indian Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh shows that over half of the state’s budget for tree planting is wasted on plantations that are unlikely to survive and/or are poorly designed to achieve the state’s goal of increasing forest cover. Himachal Pradesh (and India more generally) has been identified as a high potential area for natural climate solutions due to high government capacity, adequate funding, and government agencies with extensive planting experience. We combine data on the location and financial outlay for plantations, which allow us to analyze the relationship between plantations and social and biophysical conditions, with a machine learning model, trained on past land cover change, which predicts the likelihood of future tree cover loss in plantation areas. Our finding that even in this high potential area tree planting programs involve considerable wasted expenditure on ineffective plantations raises questions about optimistic assessments of the potential for tree planting to serve as a cost-effective natural climate solution. We suggest deemphasizing the target-based approaches that dominate present policy-making and high-profile scientific publications, which we argue are the cause of wasted expenditures in Himachal Pradesh. Instead policy-makers and scientists interested in natural climate solutions should focus on developing solutions that respond to local biophysical, social, and economic realities, and are implemented through transparent procedures that increase accountability to and reinforce the rights of forest dependent people.