Gopal S. Rawat

• Ph. D., D. Sc., F.N.A.Sc.
• Emeritus Scientist at Uttarakhand Council for Science & Technology (UCOST)

Hay meadows are among the most species-rich habitats in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), as well as in other parts of the world. However, their ecological relevance, species diversity and conservation significance remain largely underexplored. During recent floristic explorations in western Ladakh, we surveyed a few semi-natural or artificially i...

The chapter reviews the current trends in the demand and extraction of wild medicinal herbs in the Western Himalaya. Using the case studies from the state of Himachal Pradesh, it provides information on highly traded species, current extraction pressure driven by market dynamics, and impact on the ecology and threat status of such species. The stud...

Protected areas play an important role in the conservation of biodiversity and provide life supporting ecosystem services to sustain the human well-being and their livelihood. In the present study, we aimed to provide a preliminary floristic checklist of Kazinag National Park, located in the Kashmir Himalaya. The checklist includes 186 plant taxa (...

The negative interaction between humans and wildlife in the Indian Himalayas has increased in recent decades. Studies on human-wildlife negative interactions have primarily focused on protected areas. However, research on such interactions is limited in regions like the Indian part of Kailash Sacred Landscape (KSL), where wildlife and humans share...

Present paper deals with the distribution and relative abundance of mammals in the Indian part of Kailash Sacred Landscape (KSL), using presence data obtained from different field methods and camera traps for the study period of four years between October 2014 and January 2017. The KSL India is among the neglected landscape in the context of fau...

A new distribution record of Sorbus tianschanica Rupr., a tree or shrub native to the temperate northern hemisphere, is reported for Ladakh. Thirty-one individuals of S. tianschanica were seen growing on exposed cliffs and also on shadowed cliff bases in a remote valley in the western Ladakh region of Kargil. A detailed taxonomic description, diagn...

Protected areas play an important role in the conservation of biodiversity and provide life supporting ecosystem services to sustain the human wellbeing and their livelihood. In the present study, we provide a preliminary floristic checklist of Kazinag national park, located in the Kashmir Himalaya. The checklist includes 186 taxa (182 species, 2 s...

Background Traditional knowledge (TK) in Ladakh encapsulates a repository of experimental wisdom cultivated over millennia. Despite this cultural wealth, dwindling interest among the younger generations in the region’s age-old practices underscores the urgency to document TK. The current study investigates the diverse usage of plants in Surru, Wakh...

Differences in the number of alien plant species in different locations may reflect climatic and other controls that similarly affect native species and/or propagule pressure accompanied with delayed spread from the point of introduction. We set out to examine these alternatives for Himalayan plants, in a phylogenetic framework. We build a database...

Chamabainia cuspidata Wight (Urticaceae), Debregeasia orientalis C.J.Chen (Urticaceae), and Hydrocotyle himalaica P.K.Mukh. (Araliaceae) are being reported here as new additions to the fora of Himachal Pradesh, India. All three species were collected from Khokhan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kullu district. Of these, H. himalaica also forms an addition to...

Differences in the number of alien plant species in different locations may reflect climatic and other controls that similarly affect native species and/or propagule pressure accompanied with delayed spread from the point of introduction. We set out to examine these alternatives for Himalayan plants, in a phylogenetic framework. We build a database...

Soil respiration (SR) is the largest source of CO2 released from the terrestrial ecosystem. It is greatly influenced by soil carbon pool, climate warming and daily fluxes i.e., daytime (DT) and night-time (NT) temperatures. However, there are hardly any studies relating to the effects of passive experimental warming on Ecosystem respiration (ER) an...

Introduction Riverine forests in the Himalaya represent a biodiverse, dynamic, and complex ecosystem that offers numerous ecosystem services to local and downstream communities and also contributes to the regional carbon cycle. However, these forests have not been assessed for their contribution to dry matter dynamics and carbon flux. We studied th...

Subalpine-alpine vegetation of Himalayan global biodiversity hotspot forms the highest and unique ecosystem of the world. These ecosystems inhabit diverse cold adapted plants, which are currently threatened by global warming. Deciphering vegetation forms and their ecological niches is pre-requisite for evolving conservation strategies. Emerging rem...

We conducted extensive surveys of two species of marmots from 2011 to 2014 in the Indian Trans-Himalayan region, covering parts of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. In all, 6,581 km of motorable road was traversed to cover nine different landscapes/watersheds during the survey. All possible marmot habitats within the visible range from the road were che...

The 'Orchids of Uttarakhand' is a first-of-its kind, lavishly illustrated field guide that provides a comprehensive photographic account of the orchid diversity of the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. It has been especially designed for nature lovers, students, researchers, and field foresters who are keen to explore different areas of Uttarakhand....

In the present work, a high-k dielectric hafnium dioxide and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) have been incorporated as a ferroelectric (FE) layer in the gate stack. The Ion/Ioff ratio obtained of the order of 10¹³, and the subthreshold swing 49.7 mV dec⁻¹ are the most captivating findings of the device which outshines earlier findings. There is a sig...

Abstract Background: This study focussed on the perception of Medical Health Care Professionals (MHCPs) and Local HealthCare Consumers (LHCCs) on traditional health-care systems (THCS) and collaboration of both traditional and modern health-care system in western Ladakh, India. Methods: The study area was based on the distribution of three differe...

In the current communication, we assessed the current spread and invasion pattern of a new invasive alien plant Wigandia urens along National Highway 58 in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The population status of this species was assessed using systematic vegetation sampling. Ecological niche modelling was performed using maxent to predict the fut...

Temperate broadleaf forests in the Western Himalaya support a large number of local agro-pastoral communities and provide numerous ecosystem services. Several authors have raised serious concerns about the sustainability of current extractive pressures in these forests. We conducted a detailed ecological study on different forests in Askot Wildlife...

This article highlights the need for conservation of aquatic ecosystem especially rivers and charismatic fish fauna in Uttarakhand.

Public trees such as those along highways, roads, canals and in urban green spaces play a vital role in making built-in environment livable. What is the conservation status accorded to these trees? The priority revealed that the state laws are designed to protect the trees from the actions of individuals but not from state projects that are emergin...

Carbon stock assessment in various ecosystems is vital for monitoring the health of these ecosystems and national accounting for the United Nations convention on climate change. The influence of various anthropogenic drivers on carbon stock in different ecosystems has not been examined comprehensively. This study aims to determine the impact of ant...

This is the first report of occurrence of Crab-eating mongoose west of Sharada River and Western Himalaya. So far it was known to occur mid Nepal eastwards.

A Crab-eating Mongoose Herpestes urva was camera-trapped in Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand state, India, on 15 March 2021. This locality lies within the Indian portion of the Terai Arc Landscape and represents the westernmost known distribution of the species.

A new species of Ceropegia: C. kumaonensis Kamal Kishor, G.S. Rawat & S.S. Samant from Western Himalaya, Kumaon region of Almora District, Uttarakhand, India is described and illustrated. This newly described species differs from its allied taxa C. attenuatula and C. parvissima in having fascicled cymes with multiple drooping flowers per node, flow...

Escape terrain is an integral component in species ecology for survival and predation avoidance, alongside other factors. For mountain ungulates, escape terrains are steep cliffs serving as refuge in case of predation or other disturbances. Mountain ungulates can exploit their habitat safely within certain distance from these escape terrains. This...

Background: There has been a spurt in revival of Traditional Health Care Services (THCS) in different parts of the world due to increasing awareness about their importance and the initiatives taken by the local governments. Ladakh, located in the Indian Trans-Himalaya represents an ethno-cultural landscape with well-established history of use of tr...

India is on track to meet the Bonn Challenge pledge by showcasing its ambitious compensatory afforestation programme. But a question remains regarding the extent to which this programme has achieved the restoration of degraded forests. Using the lens of ecological restoration, mitigation hierarchy and compensatory conservation, the performance of c...

Located between Gola and Sharda River, the Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary (NWS) is an important habitat for large mammals like tiger,Asiatic elephant and common leopard in the Terai-Arc landscape. Study represents the relative abundance and activity patterns of mammals in NWS. Data was collected through, sing survey, transect and camera trapping in an...

First photographic report of Fishing Cat from Uttarakhand

This study presents the first ever camera trap record of fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus in Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary and second record from Uttarakhand state of India. This record will help filling a distributional gap of the fishing cat in the Terai Arc. Systematic intensive camera trapping exercises are required to provide crucial informat...

Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) are considered the second most important agent after habitat destruction for species endangerment and extinction. Though dozens of alien invasive plant species (IAPS) occur in the Indian Himalayan region, information on distribution and perceived impact is lacking in the western Himalaya. In the present study, 70...

Most ecosystems are affected by various types of disturbances, which play an important role in shaping the structure of the individual population and the character of ecosystems as a whole. Perceptions and experiences of the local community about these disturbances play an important role in developing the various adaptation strategies and policies....

Ceropegia hookeri C.B. Clarke ex Hook.f. is being reported for the first time from the Western Himalaya. This contribution marks rediscovery of this taxon after a gap of nearly 140 years. Present collection of this species from Munsyari block of Eastern Uttarakhand (India) also marks its westernmost range of its global distribution. Detailed morpho...

All about professional contributions by Late Dr. Ranbeer S. Rawal, former Director, GBPNIHE and one of the finest ecologists of our times in the Himalayan region.

Communities living in Kailash Sacred Landscape India are often receiving damage from wildlife in the form of property damage, crop loss, and livestock depredation. This study was conducted to assess the use and effectiveness of traditional practices for minimizing human-wildlife conflict (HWC) by communities in KSL India. The fieldwork was carried...

In order to improve the performance of law enforcement monitoring in Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary (NWS), the monitoring system for tiger intensive protection and ecological status (MSTrIPES) software was used for the first time to collect information for management practices, between January 2018 to April 2019. During this period, a total of 120 for...

Shahtoosh, the most expensive and sought-after wool in the illegal wildlife trade is obtained from the underfur of a critically endangered species-the Tibetan Antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii). It is often adulterated or mixed with the wool of Pashmina goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) for making shawls, scarves and other woolen articles to maximize the p...

Community managed forest is one of the striking features of Himalayan forest ecosystems that not only help in their conservation but also in nurturing the well-being of adjoining communities. However, during the past few decades, human impacts have affected the sustainability of such ecosystems. Recognizing this, the present study was conducted to...

This article deals with the problem of invasive alien plants in the Indian Protected Areas and strategies to manage them.

Climate change causes an unprecedented increase in glacial retreats. The melting ice exposes land for colonization and diversification of bacterial communities leading to soil development, changes in plant community composition, and ecosystem functioning. Although a few studies have focused on macro-level deglaciation impacts, little is known about...

Internationally, illegal wildlife trade involves highly prized and charismatic species and their derivatives. At the same time, common or less known species and their parts are also encountered but receive less attention than charismatic species. Given the increasing demand for wildlife products in many parts of the world, profit, and short supply,...

Assessment of bacterial community distribution patterns along elevation gradients is invaluable in understanding the underlying mechanism involved in their diversity formation, sustenance, and response to environmental changes. However, no consensus has been reached as studies show contrasting patterns with different regulating factors due to habit...

In order to improve the performance of law enforcement monitoring in Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary (NWS), the monitoring System for tiger intensive protection and ecological status (MSTrIPES) software was used for the first time to collect information for management practices, between January 2018 to April 2019. During this period a total of 120 fore...

Water management is an important factor for sustainable agriculture development, since it is necessary to get a higher production per unit of applied water. This study aimed to determine the effect of different pulses, irrigation and fertigation levels through drip irrigation on growth parameters of carrot (Daucus carota L.), during the 2019-20 and...

Globally, orchids, especially epiphytic species, are increasingly threatened with extinction due to natural and anthropogenic influences. In order to conserve these species, it is crucial to gain insights into their distribution and the factors influencing it. Presently, patterns of distribution among epiphytic orchids and associated environmental...

This article deals with livelihood vulnerability of an indigenous ethnic community in eastern parts of Uttarakhand, India.

Globally, a number of leading countries have adopted biogeographic based protected area planning to conserve their natural resources. India, a mega-diverse country also has conceded with a massive exercise to prepare a biogeography based conservation planning. Undoubtedly, initiating such conservation planning at national or regional level requires...

Soil respiration (SR), a natural phenomenon, emits ten times more CO 2 from land than anthropogenic sources. It is predicted that climate warming would increase SR in most ecosystems and give rise to positive feedback. However, there are uncertainties associated with this prediction primarily due to variability in the relationship of SR with its tw...

Assessment of bacterial community distribution patterns along elevation gradients is invaluable in understanding the underlying mechanism involved in their diversity formation, sustenance, and response to environmental changes. However, no consensus has been reached as studies show contrasting patterns with different regulating factors due to habit...

The book ‘Sustainable harvesting and cultivation protocols of threatened medicinal and aromatic plants of the Western Himalaya’ namely Aconitum heterophyllum, Aconitum heterophylloides, Bunium persicum, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Fritillaria cirrhosa, Picrorhiza kurroa, Polygonatum verticillatum, Rheum australe, Rheum webbianum and Sinopodophyllum hex...

This Technical Report has been developed by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun under the assignment ‘Assessment of medicinal and aromatic plant species on their collection, usage, demand, markets, price trends and life cycle in Lahaul and Pangi landscape, Himachal Pradesh’ under the GEF-GoI-UNDP SECURE Himalaya Project

Recent changes in climatic conditions are expected to intensify the existing risk of hunger and malnutrition along with the vulnerability of livelihood in the developing nations, more so on the fragile Hindu-Kush Himalaya. Many communities in this region subsist on agro-pastoral practices, which hinge upon seasonal rhythmic cooperative farming and...

The present paper deals with the rediscovery of a rare root parasite Gleadovia ruborum, an interesting plant species of family Orobanchaceae during a recent floristic exploration at and around Surkanda in Uttarakhand, western Himalaya.

This paper gives an overview of the livestock grazing vis a vis status of wild mammals in alpine region of western and north-western Himalaya based on a landscape level survey conducted in 2004.

Raptors are high in trophic level and play an essential role in the functioning of an ecosystem, yet not much information about their distribution and abundance is available from the Indian Himalayan region. The present study was conducted in the Indian part of the Kailash sacred landscape, Western Himalayas, between February 2015–December 2017, do...

Plant–seed disperser interactions are critical for maintaining tropical plant diversity. However, these interactions are altered by habitat fragmentation, a pervasive threat to the tropics globally. We compared vegetation structure, richness and composition of plant–avian seed disperser interactions across two forest fragments (area: ~25 km ² ), an...

The Himalayan region is one of the global biodiversity hotspots. However, its biodiversity and ecosystems are threatened due to abiotic and biotic drivers. One of the major biotic threats to biodiversity in this region is the rapid spread of Invasive Alien Species (IAS). Natural forests and grasslands are increasingly getting infested by IAS affect...

Most tropical forests have undergone commercial logging. Even where logging has ceased, subsistence harvest of forest resources often persists especially in South-East Asia. Understanding of impacts of frequent forest resources extraction in areas recovering from past selective logging would be essential for designing the appropriate management int...

In recent years, an integrated landscape vision for ecological, production, development and livelihood outcomes has come forth. In this regard, management of vast rangelands outside protected areas has been given importance for sustaining a distinct kind of habitat for a unique biodiversity as well as social communities. In the IHR, rangelands incl...

Alpine ecosystems in the Himalaya, despite low primary productivity, store considerable amount of organic carbon. However, these ecosystems are highly vulnerable to climate warming which may stimulate ecosystem carbon efflux leading to carbon-loss and positive feedback. We used open-top chambers to understand warming responses of ecosystem respirat...

Anthoxanthum monticola (Bigelow) Veldkamp, (Poaceae), an alpine grass is reported here for the first time from two different localities in India. A detailed description, key to species in India, illustration, and photographs are provided for easy identification of the species.

We provide the first evidence of an apparent decline in optimal temperature for methane emissions with increasing elevation. These findings have been widely recognized as the most fundamental factor among the variables regulating methane emissions from wetlands, as it involves both production and oxidation processes of methane dynamics. We selecte...

A popular lecture on mountain biodiversity on the occasion of International Mountain Day 2020 - titled as Dr. R.S. Tolia Memorial Lecture. It focuses on current issues of biodiversity conservation in the Indian Himalayan Region and strategies for conservation for human well-being.

Soil heterotrophic respiration-driven CO 2 emissions, its impact on global warming and the mechanistic roles of soil bacterial communities in this process have been an area of active research. However, our knowledge regarding the effects of environmental changes on soil bacterial communities is limited. To this end, the climate-sensitive high-altit...

Nandhaur Landscape (NL), in eastern Uttarakhand, is extremely rich in avifauna. Scientific studies on the bird communities in this landscape are very few. We assessed the diversity and status Of birds in this area during 2018- 2019. Data on birds were collected along the trails covering various habitats. A total Of 218 species representing 18 order...

The Himalayan region is one of the global biodiversity hotspots. However, its biodiversity and ecosystems are threatened due to abiotic and biotic drivers. One of the major biotic threats to biodiversity in this region is the rapid spread of invasive alien species (IAS). Natural forests and grasslands are increasingly getting infested by IAS affect...

Dendrobium hesperis (Seidenf.) Schuit. & P.B.Adams (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Dendrobieae), an interesting but lesser‐known orchid, referred to in earlier literature as Flickingeria hesperis Seidenf., was formerly believed to be endemic to the Gori Valley (Uttarakhand), the westernmost orchid hotspot in the Indian Himalayas. Originally described...

Operating at the science, policy, practice interface (SPPI) is often contentious, as knowledge creators and end-users seldom engage, preferring to operate in their own worlds. The application of science to solve sustainability challenges has not received the desired attention, especially in developing countries. How to strengthen the credibility, r...

In this note, we report the opportunistic observation of Sapria himalayana a rare and endangered plant species in Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary during our camera trapping for mammals. We recorded the plant in two locations inside the sanctuary. We found three flowers near Mehao lake and five flowers near Sally lake. Considering the restricted distributi...

In this note, we report the opportunistic observation of Sapria himalayana a rare and endangered plant species in Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary during our camera trapping for mammals. We recorded the plant in two locations inside the sanctuary. We found three flowers near Mehao lake and five flowers near Sally lake. Considering the restricted distributi...

Himalayan region represents the highest and most diverse treeline over the world. As one of the most conspicuous boundaries between montane forests and alpine vegetation, the alpine timberline attracted the interest of researchers for many decades. However, timberline in the Himalayas is understudied compared with European counterparts due to remot...

Payment for ecosystem services (PES) has emerged as a promising tool to participatory natural resource management and sharing of benefits among the stakeholders. However, very few successful models of PES are available for replication. This study deals with an analysis of a PES model currently operational in the Dhauladhar Range, Western Himalaya,...

In-depth knowledge of distribution and factors influencing it is important for species conservation and management. Many forms of such data have led to the development of new analytical techniques for better interpretation. For mountainous terrains with certain limitations, species data are obtained in the presence-only form. The point process mode...

The study aimed to assess dry matter dynamics of forests along treeline ecotone concerning environmental variability, and four representative forests, birch, kharsu oak, Himalayan fr and mixed forest along treeline ecotone (3250–3400 m asl) were selected in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Himalaya. Temperature, precipitation and humidity da...

Making money by patenting the traditional knowledge of others has become a major business all over the world and intellectuals are now concerned about the rights of the indigenous people. Traditional knowledge can be vital for local or indigenous communities as it is mostly associated with their livelihood and it can also be an excellent tool for d...