Indian Himalayan Region Research Articles

Effect of using Agrogeotextiles on soil carbon sequestration in the Indian Himalayas

Agrogeotextiles (AGT) have potential for soil conservation, but limited information is available on effect of AGT on C sequestration and soil aggregation in Indian Himalayan region (IHR). Hence, the study was conducted on a 4% slope at Selakui, Dehradun in a maize-based cropping system where Arundo donax mats were used as AGT mats for soil conservation. Soil sampling was done in December 2021 after vegetable pea harvest and results indicated that in 0–15 cm soil depth, Maize + Arundo donax mat (10 cm thick) on 0.5 m vertical interval vegetable pea - wheat (M+A10D0.5-V-W) had ~23% higher total soil organic C (TSOC) in bulk soils than the control (M-W) plots. Plots with Arundo donax mats exhibited ~12% higher TSOC than plots without the mats. Plots under M+A10D0.5-V-W and maize-vegetable pea-wheat under bench terracing (M-V-W)B showed similar impacts on C sequestration. M+A10D0.5-V-W plots had ~36% greater macroaggregate and ~35% higher mean weight diameter (MWD) than M-W plots in the 0–15 cm soil depth. Microbial biomass C (MBC) enhanced by ~86% under M+A10D0.5-V-W over M-W in the 0–15 cm soil depth due to higher root biomass, root exudates and metabolizable C. Thus, microbial quotient (MQ) was also increased. Mean annual soil loss value of 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 ranged from 0.4 t/ha/yr to 2.9 t/ha/yr which was correlated with carbon management index (CMI) value. The CMI was ~38% higher in M+A10D0.5-V-W plots than M-W due to emplacement of Arundo donax mats, resulting in better soil aggregate stability. Thus, AGT application can be a potential practice for soil aggregation stability and C sequestration in the IHR. Conservation soil practices along with AGT are more profitable than conservation soil practices alone which had ~10% less benefit : cost ratio (B:C) on 4% land slopes of IHR.

In-silico Study of an Ethnobotanical Plant; Urtica dioica for Assessing Anti-diabetic Potential

Urtica dioica L (Bicchu buti) is anethnobotanical plant.It is a wild herbaceous perennial plant found in the Himalayan region of India and commonly known as stinging nettle. It has ethnobotanical importance, and is used to treat various disorders since ancient times.The aim of this paper is in-silico study of the U. dioica’s phytochemicals on the glucose metabolism related to alpha-amylase. Therefore, in this research, we have assessed the anti-diabetic potential of U. dioica found in Ranikhet tehsil, by in-silico method. Hence, weconducted molecular docking of phytochemicals with a molecular anti-diabetic target i.e., alpha-amylase. From our study, we found4 potential phytochemicals namely; Ursolic acid, Pinoresinol , Beta-Sitosterol, and (-)-Pinoresinol which could be useful in effective drugdevelopment and helpful in the treatment of diabetes problems

Detection of Meloidogyne graminicola (RRKN) in Kumaon region of the Indian Himalayas

Rice root-knot nematode (RRKN), Meloidogyne graminicola is a serious pest of rice (Oryza sativa L.) reported globally. In India, RRKN has been reported from various parts of the rice growing region and causing 17–30% yield loss. In the present study, RRKN population infesting rice growing region of Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand, Indian Himalayan region was isolated during 2019–20, characterized using integrative taxonomy by combining molecular analysis using ITS, morphology of male, juveniles, adult female and morphometry measurements of different stages. The data presented in the comparative analysis of morphometry parameters for Meloidogyne graminicola isolate from the Kumaon region of the Indian Himalayas, as compared to the original description by Golden and Birchfield (1965) from Louisiana, USA, reveals some differences in the morphological characteristics of adult females, adult males, and 2nd stage juveniles (J2) of M. graminicola. The ITS sequence from the present study appeared as a single clade between the Fujian isolate (KM111531.1) and the Brazilian M. graminicola isolate (KY962651). To our knowledge, this is the first authentic characterization and report of RRKN from the Hilly region of Uttarakhand state. The detection of M. graminicola in the mid Indian Himalayan region provides valuable information for further studies on the natural population dynamics and distribution patterns of this nematode species. The findings highlight the need for regular monitoring and surveillance of nematode populations in the region to better understand their distribution and potential impact on rice production.

Floristic diversity of Binsar wildlife sanctuary, Uttarakhand, India

The present study documented the floristic diversity of Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand, India. A total of 604 vascular plants belonging to 421 genera and 103 families were reported. Poaceae was the dominant family followed by Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae and Rosaceae whereas Crotalaria, Eragrostis and Euphorbia were the dominant genera. Herbaceous forms were the dominant growth forms representing 54% of the total plants followed by shrubs (16%), grasses (13%), trees (8%), climbers (3%), orchids and sedges (2%). Out of the total documented plant species, 03 species were endemic and 44 species were near endemic to Indian Himalayan Region. Based on threat assessments, 13 plant species were categorized to be threatened represented by 02 Endangered, 07 Vulnerable and 04 Least concern species. In view of conservation of plant diversity proper monitoring, awareness programs and appropriate management plans required for conserving the natural ecosystem.

Unravelling geospatial distribution and genetic diversity of greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) from Himalayan Region

The Greenhouse whitefly (GWF), Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is a destructive pest that affects protected cultivation worldwide. The Indian Himalayan region is particularly vulnerable to GWF introduction, invasion, and spread due to the expansion of protected cultivation and climate change. In this study, we collected 32 naturally occurring GWF populations, mainly from the Uttarakhand state in the Indian Himalayan region, to investigate the distribution pattern and genetic diversity of T. vaporariorum. Our sampling was representative of the region's vegetation diversity and geographical location, and we collected samples from multiple sites within each locality to account for local variations. The mtCOI gene was used to accurately detect and identify GWF and to sequence haplotypes prevalent in the Uttarakhand state. The maximum likelihood method used for phylogenetic studies revealed that all 32 whitefly samples in this study belonged to T. vaporariorum and were prevalent in all the collected localities. Our population genetic study using mtCOI showed variation within T. vaporariorum populations, with 20 distinct haplotypes present. Notably, haplotype 2 (H2) was the most dominant haplotype among the sampled populations. These results provide fundamental knowledge for understanding the geographical distribution and ecology of T. vaporariorum in the Uttarakhand state of the Indian Himalayan region. The discovery of geospatial and genetic diversity of GWF in the Himalayan region underscores the importance of pest alertness, research prioritization, and the development of sustainable management strategies to protect crops.

Role of tourism on disaster recovery: A case study of Uttarakhand, India

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is a tectonically active region, making it susceptible to natural and man-made hazards. The Himalayan state of Uttarakhand has a history of disasters that cause huge loss of life and property every year. Tourism plays an imperative role in the state's economy due to its natural resources and pilgrimage sites. To foster tourism, the Government of India proposed the Char-Dham National Highway project to connect the four major pilgrimage sites with other tourist destinations. However, development projects related to tourism, such as road construction, blasting, muck disposal, mining, deforestation, etc., may even increase the frequency of disasters. Hence, this study examines how tourism contributes to disaster impact and recovery. A survey of 716 households was conducted in 32 villages in Uttarakhand where major disasters happened in the past decade. Using the Mann-Whitney U test, differences between households on on-touristic and on off-touristic routes are highlighted. The findings revealed that people in both categories have suffered the same harsh effect of disasters, but their socioeconomic conditions are significantly different. Overall, disaster recovery in off-touristic route villages appears to be slower than in on-touristic route villages because of a lack of livelihood opportunities, alternative income sources, poverty, and a lack of disaster coping skills. A special recovery assistance is needed for off-touristic route villages as they are more vulnerable to hazards. Development projects related to tourism seem to facilitate disaster recovery, but still are connected with considerable disaster impacts. Thus, developing sustainable tourism solutions with resilient planning is an important step in improving disaster resilience of hill communities.

Widespread butterflies follow inconsistent trends in the Bergmann's rule and flight morphometry: Implications for conservation in the Western Himalaya

The Bergmann's rule relating eco-geographic pattern in body size of species with latitude/elevation, remain unexplored among different animal taxa including insects from the Indian Himalayan Region that ranges in elevation and environmental conditions. The applicability of the rule was tested using body size data set of natural adult male populations of six butterfly species that were common in abundance and occur over a range of elevations in the Western Himalaya. The influence of changes in body size on flight related morphometry was also explored to understand the adaptative and dispersal strategies of the species across elevations. Among the various morphometric traits, the principal component analysis revealed that the forewing length was the most reliable measure of determining the body size clinal pattern in butterflies. Species Danaus chrysippus, Danaus genutia and Vanessa indica strongly followed the Bergmann's rule, while Papilio polytes followed the converse Bergmann's rule. By contrast, Pieris brassicae and Catopsilia pomona exhibited a moderate clinal pattern and partially followed the converse of the rule. The flight related morphometric indices namely, wing load and aspect ratio varied among species and showed no regular pattern along elevational gradients. The results suggested inconsistent trends in intra-specific morphometric variations of widespread butterfly species, crucial to comprehend their conservation strategies in the Western Himalaya.

Terpenoid diversity and antimicrobial activity of five Himalayan Senecio species

The terpenoid composition of essential oils from the leaves of five Senecio species, viz., S. chrysanthemoides DC., S. rufinervis DC., S. graciliflorus DC., S. kunthianus and S. alatus Wall.ex DC., collected from the Indian Himalayan Region, was examined by GC, GC/MS, and NMR analysis. Comparison of the results with previous reports revealed new chemotype of S. chrysanthemoides and S. graciliflorus, whereas, S. kunthianus have been explored first time for their terpenoid composition. The analysis was carried out in order to discern the similarities and differences within the essential oil composition at their subspecies/chemotype level. Based on the major constituents of the essential oils, seven chemical groups were obtained. The antibacterial activity tests were also performed against five pathogenic bacteria and two fungi.

Analysis of physiological and proteomic changes in marigold (Calendula officinalis) in response to short term cold stress

C. officinalis, pot marigold, is an important plant growing in China, Europe and USA which can withstand harsh winters in Kashmir Himalayan region in India. We investigated the cold stress tolerance mechanism in Calendula officinalis by assessing various physiological dimensions and two dimensional (2D) proteomic analysis on exposure to 4 °C at different time intervals. Seeds of C. officinalis were grown at 25 °C for two weeks, transferred to growth chamber set at 4 °C and tissues were analyzed every after 24 h for one week for physiological and proteomic alterations. Differentially expressed proteins were subjected to MALDI-TOF-MS analysis. The plant shows an increased dry weight with an increased relative water content maintaining the cell turgidity and photosynthetic activity during cold stress. The enhancement of ascorbate-glutathione pathway and accumulation of various non-enzymatic antioxidants (AsA, GSH and GSSG) protects the plant against the oxidative damage during cold stress. Total of 24 proteins spots exhibit significant changes at least after 24 h cold stress. The up-regulated proteins in response to cold stress belonged to photosynthesis, respiration, stress resistance, fatty acid metabolism, antioxidant defense, plant development and signal transduction. Three proteins corresponding to spot 90, 136 and 356 were found to be unique which may play a crucial role in cold tolerance mechanism in C. officinalis. Besides, some cold responsive proteins identified in C. officinalis are also involved in salt, heavy metal and abiotic stress response, which strongly suggest their cross-tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. The transcript expression of some selected cold responsive proteins demonstrates a correlation with the proteomic data, which suggests that the proteomic data is reliable and can be used for further studies. Furthermore, this is the first report of proteomic study on C. officinalis in response to cold stress that opens novel insights in understanding the mechanism of cold tolerance in ornamental plants, which are important source of gene pool for plant breeding initiatives leading to the development of cold resilient commercial crops.

Patterns and determinants of soil CO2 efflux in major forest types of Central Himalayas, India.

Soil CO2 efflux (Fsoil) is a significant contributor of labile CO2 to the atmosphere. The Himalayas, a global climate hotspot, condense several climate zones on account of their elevational gradients, thus, creating an opportunity to investigate the Fsoil trends in different climate zones. Presently, the studies in the Indian Himalayan region are localized to a particular forest type, climate zone, or area of interest, such as seasonal variation. We used a portable infrared gas analyzer to investigate the Fsoil rates in Himalayan tropical to alpine scrub forest along a 3100-m elevational gradient. Several study parameters such as seasons, forest types, tree species identity, age of trees, distance from tree base, elevation, climatic factors, and soil physico-chemical and enzymatic parameters were investigated to infer their impact on Fsoil regulation. Our results indicate the warm and wet rainy season Fsoil rates to be 3.8 times higher than the cold and relatively dry winter season. The tropical forest types showed up to 11 times higher Fsoil rates than the alpine scrub forest. The temperate Himalayan blue pine and tropical dipterocarp sal showed significant Fsoil rates, while the alpine Rhododendron shrubs the least. Temperature and moisture together regulate the rainy season Fsoil maxima. Spatially, Fsoil rates decreased with distance from the tree base (ρ = - 0.301; p < 0.0001). Nepalese alder showed a significant positive increase in Fsoil with stem girth (R2 = 0.7771; p = 0.048). Species richness (r, 0.81) and diversity (r, 0.77) were significantly associated with Fsoil, while elevation and major edaphic properties showed a negative association. Surface litter inclusion presented an elevation-modulated impact. Temperature sensitivity was exorbitantly higher in the sub-tropical pine (Q10, 11.80) and the alpine scrub (Q10, 9.08) forests. We conclude that the rise in atmospheric temperature and the reduction in stand density could enhance the Fsoil rates on account of increased temperature sensitivity.

Introduction pages, Nova Geodesia 3(2), 2023

Nova Geodesia (https://novageodesia.ro), Issue 2, Volume 3, 2023: The papers published in this issue represent interesting novelties in different topics of geodetic science or related fields. Nova Geodesia publishes significant papers in geodesy and close topics related to cartography, engineering projects and construction, planetology, hydrography, geography, sociodemographic factors, urban planning, environmental administration, landscape, biodiversity, and ecology. Among the exciting articles, we invite readers to find news about: Assessing ethno-veterinary practices in Kashmir Himalayas: Traditional knowledge and its role in animal healthcare; Bryomonitoring of atmospheric elements in Sphagnum sp. commonly growing bryophyte in the Indian Himalayan region of Uttarakhand; GIS-remote sensing-based village-level hydrological balance approach for agricultural water planning.&#x0D;

The complete mitogenome of blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) from the Indian Himalayan Region and its comparative phylogenetic relationship with other related species

The ‘Bharal’ or ‘Himalayan Blue Sheep’ (Pseudois nayaur) is endemic to the Himalayan and Tibetan Regions. There are gaps in the available database for the blue sheep mitogenome sequencing from the Indian region. We sequenced and characterized the whole mitogenome of one blue sheep individual using the Illumina Nova-seq 6000 platform, which was 16,718 bp in length. It included 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), and one non-coding control region (D loop). It was compared with other complete mitochondrial DNA sequences of blue sheep from the NCBI database. The whole mitogenome of blue sheep was found to be highly AT-biased (60%) and had a positive AT skew (0.121) and a negative GC skew (−0.341). In 13 PCGs of blue sheep, Leucine (15.58%) and tryptophan (2.72%) occurred most frequently. A typical secondary cloverleaf structure was observed for all tRNA genes except for tRNA-Ser, where a stable structure of dihydrouridine did not develop. The phylogenetic analysis showed Indian blue sheep population formed a separate clade with a genetic distance of 3.7 to 4.1% from the Chinese blue sheep population, suggesting it to be of a different lineage and genetically qualifies the status of distinct subspecies. The results of this study will help in further phylogenetic analysis of Indian blue sheep populations in the Western and Eastern Himalayan regions and in understanding lineage identification and evolution for further research.

Bryomonitoring of atmospheric elements in Sphagnum sp. commonly growing bryophyte in the Indian Himalayan region of Uttarakhand

For a range of metals originating from both natural and anthropogenic sources, bryophytes are helpful biological markers of environmental contamination. This research focuses on recent changes in air quality and uses a passive biomonitoring technique to estimate atmospheric metal deposition and its seasonal trend in Sphagnum sp., as well as its substrate, from Nainital, Bhimtal, and Mangoli of Uttarakhand, India. Bryophyte samples from the summer, winter and monsoon seasons were collected from equally spaced locations. Due to the large volume of travel, a high metal concentration was discovered in Nainital. The metal deposition loads were reported in the following order: Zn &gt; Cu &gt; Pb &gt; Cd. Quantitative analysis of these elements in vegetative/plants and substrate/soil showed an increase in metallic content during summer. The results indicate this moss may serve as an important tool in estimation of both aerial pollution and mineral enrichment in soil. Such research is vital since development is frequently accompanied by unfavourable changes in air quality and negative impacts of air pollution on human health, agricultural production, and natural ecosystems that need to be monitored and mitigated.

IHM-DB: a curated collection of metagenomics data from the Indian Himalayan Region, and automated pipeline for 16S rRNA amplicon-based analysis (AutoQii2).

Indian Himalayan metagenome database (IHM-DB) is a web-based database consisting of information on metagenomic datasets from various databases and publications that are specifically reported from the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). The online interface allows users to view or download the dataset-specific information for the respective states, category-wise, or according to the hypervariable region. The IHM-DB also provides an opportunity for the users to access the metagenomic publications from the IHR as well as upload their microbiome information to the website. Additionally, an open-source 16S rRNA amplicon-based automated bioinformatics pipeline, AutoQii2, allows users to analyze the single-end and paired-end raw reads. AutoQii2 provides an automated approach for performing analysis such as quality check, adapter and chimera removal and exploits the latest ribosomal database project classifier for taxonomic assignments. The source code of the AutoQii2 pipeline is available at https://gitlab.com/khatriabhi2319/autoqii2. Database URL https://ham.ihbt.res.in/ihmdb and https://fgcsl.ihbt.res.in/ihmdb.

Role of Different Moisture Sources in Driving the Western Himalayan Past-glacier Advances

The fragmented pattern and the rapidly declining preservation of older glacial features/evidences limits the precision, with which glacial chronologies can be established. The challenge is exacerbated by the scarcity of datable material and limitations of dating methods. Nevertheless, the preserved glacial landforms have been fairly utilized to establish glacial chronologies from different sectors of the Indian Himalayas. The existing Himalayan glacial chrono-stratigraphies have revealed that in a single valley, past glacial advances rarely surpass four stages. Thus, local and regional glacial chronologies must be synthesized to understand glacial dynamics and potential forcing factors. This research presents an overview of glacier responses to climate variations revealed by glacial chrono-stratigraphies in the western Indian Himalayan region over the Quaternary (late). The synthesis demonstrated that, although the glacial advances were sporadic, glaciers in western Himalayas generally advanced during the Marine isotope stage (MIS)-3/4, MIS-2, late glacial, Younger Dryas (YD) and Holocene periods. The Holocene has witnessed multiple glacial advances and the scatter is significant. While previous glacial research revealed that Himalayan glaciers were out of phase with the global last glacial maximum (gLGM), weak Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) has been implicated (ISM was reduced by roughly 20%). Recent research, however, has shown that gLGM glaciation responded to the global cooling associated with the enhanced mid-latitude westerlies (MLW). Further, the magnitude of gLGM glacier advance varied along and across the Himalayas particularly the transitional valleys located between the ISM and MLW influence. It is also evident that both the ISM and MLW have governed the late Quaternary glacial advances in the western Himalayan region. However, the responses of glaciers to ISM changes are more prominent. The insights gained from this synthesis will help us understand the dynamics of glacier response to climate change, which will be valuable for future climate modelling.

Chemical Characterization and Source Apportionment of PM10 Using Receptor Models over the Himalayan Region of India

This study presents the source apportionment of coarse-mode particulate matter (PM10) extracted by 3 receptor models (PCA/APCS, UNMIX, and PMF) at semi-urban sites of the Indian Himalayan region (IHR) during August 2018–December 2019. In this study, water-soluble inorganic ionic species (WSIIS), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), carbon fractions (organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC)), and trace elements of PM10 were analyzed over the IHR. Nainital (62 ± 39 µg m−3) had the highest annual average mass concentration of PM10 (average ± standard deviation at 1 σ), followed by Mohal Kullu (58 ± 32 µg m−3) and Darjeeling (54 ± 18 µg m−3). The annual total ∑WSIIS concentration order was as follows: Darjeeling (14.02 ± 10.01 µg m−3) &gt; Mohal-Kullu (13.75 ± 10.21 µg m−3) &gt; Nainital (10.20 ± 6.30 µg m−3), contributing to 15–30% of the PM10 mass. The dominant secondary ions (NH4+, SO42−, and NO3−) suggest that the study sites were strongly influenced by anthropogenic sources from regional and long-range transport. Principal component analysis (PCA) with an absolute principal component score (APCS), UNMIX, and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) were used for source identification of PM10 at the study sites of the IHR. All three models showed relatively similar results of source profiles for all study sites except their source number and percentage contribution. Overall, soil dust (SD), secondary aerosols (SAs), combustion (biomass burning (BB) + fossil fuel combustion (FFC): BB+FFC), and vehicular emissions (VEs) are the major sources of PM10 identified by these models at all study sites. Air mass backward trajectories illustrated that PM10, mainly attributed to dust-related aerosols, was transported from the Thar Desert, Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), and northwestern region of India (i.e., Punjab and Haryana) and Afghanistan to the IHR. Transported agricultural or residual burning plumes from the IGP and nearby areas significantly contribute to the concentration of carbonaceous aerosols (CAs) at study sites.

The ethnic food system of Jaad Bhotiya tribal community in the Gangotri landscape of western Himalaya: a transition in traditional practices

Traditional foods of Indigenous peoples are composed of ingredients from the local environment that are culturally acceptable. The Indian Himalayan region is known for its diverse tribal population, and each of them exhibits a distinct food culture. The present study has been conducted first time to document the diverse traditional food practices of Jaad Bhotiya, a lesser-known tribe of the Gangotri landscape, Uttarakhand, India. The community holds a varied range of ethnic foods; however, 13 traditional dishes are described in the present article. This study reflects a clear understanding of their preference, importance, and causes of transitions. It is noteworthy that the elders were highly attached to ethnic foods while the younger generation has limited fondness for it. The current transitional pattern is an issue of concern for policymakers, anthropologists, and the community itself. Nonetheless, a holistic policy approach to conserve traditional foods may provide an opportunity to sustain these unique practices.

Status of homestay tourism in Indian Himalayan region: Analysis of customer review and policy support for sustainable tourism

Homestays, which have emerged as a popular idea in the growing tourism industry, act as the most suitable alternative to encourage sustainable tourism activities in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). Homestay tourism not only provides economic benefits to rural communities but also promotes local art, architecture, traditions, and food habits. The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of homestays in the IHR and to evaluate and compare homestay management facilities between states; between rural and urban homestays; and based on reviews and ratings from previous guests. The study included all of IHR’s states and union territories. The data for the number of homestays, ratings, and reviews of guests were taken from the popular travel booking sites with the help of a data extracting tool. According to the findings, Himachal Pradesh had the highest number of homestays (968), while Tripura had the least number of homestays (3), compared to all other states and union territories. The homestays in Jammu and Kashmir received the highest ratings. In Himachal Pradesh, homestays were available at a variety of pricing points, ranging from 300 to 38,000 INR a night. Overall, it was observed that rural homestays were equally good as their counterparts in urban areas when the hospitality standards of the rural and urban homestays were compared. To boost the effectiveness of this programme in IHR, the study’s findings may be used to design local policies, rules, and incentive programmes for the areas in which they will be put into practise.

Alien flora causes biotic homogenization in the biodiversity hotspot regions of India

Biotic homogenization by invasive alien species is one of the dominant drivers of global environmental change. However, little is known about the patterns of biotic homogenization in global biodiversity hotspots. Here, we fill this knowledge gap by studying the patterns of biotic homogenization and associated geographic and climatic correlates in Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). For this, we use a novel biodiversity database comprising 10,685 native and 771 alien plant species across 12 provinces of the IHR. The database was assembled by screening 295 and 141 studies published from 1934 to 2022 for natives and aliens, respectively. Our results revealed that each native species on average was distributed among 2.8 provinces, whereas the alien species in 3.6 provinces, thereby indicating wider distribution range of alien species in the IHR. The Jaccard's similarity index between the provinces was higher for alien species (mean = 0.29) as compared to natives (mean = 0.16). Addition of alien species pool has homogenized most of the provincial pairwise floras (89.4 %) across the IHR, with greater dissimilarity in their native floras. Our results revealed that the alien species have strong homogenization effect on the provincial floras, regardless of their differences in geographic and climatic distances. The biogeographic patterns of alien and native species richness in the IHR were better explained by a different set of climatic variables, the former by precipitation of driest month and the latter by annual mean temperature. Our study contributes to better understanding of the patterns of biotic homogenization in the IHR and its geographic and climatic correlates. Looking ahead, in an era of Anthropocene, we discuss the wide implications of our findings in guiding biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration in global hotspot regions.

“Little Tibet”

Abstract With the Chinese invasion of Tibet, exile-Tibetan Buddhist leaders have found new bases for their monastic endeavors in the Himalayan regions of India and Nepal. This article highlights how the northwest Himalayan region of Ladakh has become a homeland for Tibetan-led Buddhism in India. While previously an independent kingdom, Ladakh has been dubbed “Little Tibet” because of its close geographical, political, cultural, and religious association with the central Tibetan empire. Ladakhis themselves promote the region as “Little Tibet” and the “last Shangri-la” to emphasize the identity of the region as Buddhist. In this way, Ladakhis utilize the moral economy of “Tibetanness” as a means for cultural survival, but also to promote tourism and gain the economic benefits of being “Little Tibet.” By highlighting multiple and ongoing processes of Tibetanization, such as historical/political, cultural/religious, and imagined, this article illuminates the complex Ladakhi-Tibetan relations within projects of cultural preservation in India. Ladakhis are not passive recipients of the cultural domination of Tibetan religious leaders in the area; instead they adopt selective processes of Tibetanization to help safeguard their distinct religious and cultural identity as a religious and ethnic minority in India.