Widespread Climate Change in the Himalayas and Associated Changes in Local Ecosystems

摘要: Background Climate change in the Himalayas, a biodiversity hotspot, home of many sacred landscapes, and source eight largest rivers Asia, is likely to impact well-being ∼20% humanity. However, despite extraordinary environmental, cultural, socio-economic importance their rapidly increasing ecological degradation, not much known about actual changes two most critical climatic variables: temperature rainfall. Nor do we know how these parameters might ecosystems including vegetation phenology. Methodology/Principal Findings By analyzing rainfall data, NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) values from remotely sensed imagery, report significant temperature, rainfall, phenology across Himalayas between 1982 2006. The average annual mean during 25 year period has increased by 1.5°C with an increase 0.06°C yr−1. precipitation 163 mm or 6.52 mmyr−1. Since are immediately manifested as local ecosystems, examined phenological all major ecoregions. start growing season (SOS) seems have advanced 4.7 days 0.19 yr−1 length (LOS) appears yr−1, but there been no end (EOS). There considerable spatial seasonal variation climate parameters. Conclusions/Significance This first time that large scale at landscape level documented for Himalayas. rate warming greater than global average, confirming among regions vulnerable change.