Biogeophysical history, fragility and future of a global biodiversity and cultural hotspot: the Himalaya

摘要

The Himalaya is one of the most important and influential assemblages of ecosystems on Earth. It spans 3.4 million km~2 across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, China, Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Pakistan and harbors 1.5 billion people within and bordering its watersheds. It supports more than one-third of the Earth’s human population in 18 countries and is essential to a globally significant diversity of life. The Himalaya contains multiple global biodiversity hotspots, some of which are critical, and exerts a predominant influence on local, regional, and global climate regimes. Despite their robust facade and perceived power, these mountain ecosystems, along with their biodiversity and human cultures, are some of the most vulnerable and endangered on Earth.