Journal of Ecosystem & Ecography
Open Access

Abstract

The present study attempts to provide an insight into the local climate change perspective in Rakhaposhi valley to make it simpler via bringing the factual illustrations of changing climate in mountain communities to stakeholders, resource managers and policy makers at local and national level. The finding of the study identifies the state of high altitude ecosystem services and the living standards of mountain communities, bearing the brunt of climate change. Increasing temperature, decreasing and more intense short-duration rainfall, and decline in snowfall together corroborate that climate has changed its pattern in the high mountain areas during the last 25 years. As an impact, in line to this, diminishing glaciers, waning water resource availability, relegating quality of alpine pastures and agricultural land aided by vegetation shifts, and increased pest infestation have worsened both the quantity and quality of ecosystem functions. Consequences of these combined effects have affected the local and so the per capita economy of the region in multiple ways. Resettlement is desirable due to lack of irrigation as well as drinking water supplies supporting life and livelihoods. In addition to the encumbering natural hazards i.e. GLOFs, flash floods, avalanches, droughts and landslides, outbreaks of seasonal, water and vector borne diseases have made local survival highly exigent. Therefore, this situation calls for an emergence of implementing an adaptive strategy against climate change in natural ecosystem, enabling the custodian communities to manage ecosystem functions for life, livelihoods and other ecosystem services and building community resilience against climatic anomalies.

Biography