Sunil Nautiyal

Institute for Social and Economic Change · Centre for Ecological Economics and Natural Resources

The multi-functionality of landscapes sculpted by Hindu, Buddhist, and Animist communities in tropical, temperate, and alpine biomes in Indian Himalaya was analyzed using remote sensing, ground sampling, and participatory/rural appraisal tools. All across, traditional people articulated business as common and confined interlinked “professions.” Cul...

Globally, the agricultural landscape is the most exposed due to urbanisation. Therefore, finding the spatial and temporal patterns of changes in agricultural landscapes is essential for sustainable development. This study developed a workflow to address this information gap and determine the spatial patterns and characteristics of agricultural land...

Carbon footprint is used as a standard approach for quantifying the total amount of greenhouse gases released from diverse sources responsible for global warming. It is crucial to understand the exact amount of greenhouse gases that each individual, product, and activity contributes. Large scale scientific studies have been conducted globally to cr...

Climate change is a key concern, along with other environmental, biological, and technological risks encountered by different types of ecosystems globally. The impact of climate variability is evident in tropical regions, specifically in crop yields of rain-fed agroecosystems. To implement efficient adaptation methods, it is crucial to comprehend t...

Temperate and alpine ecosystems are considered the most sensitive and vulnerable region towards climate change in the Indian Himalayan region. The current study investigates forest composition in relation to environmental and edaphic factors, which is critical for determining plant community patterns. The impact of climatic and soil properties was...

The COVID-19 outbreak has highlighted the importance of utilizing traditional Ecological knowledge (TEK) to address the health risks linked to the pandemic. Mountain communities have traditionally relied on wild plant species and indigenous crops to enhance their immune system and maintain nutritional security. Recognizing the significance of indig...

The concept of vulnerability overarches as a multidisciplinary subject. The umbrella term is widely used in several disciplines namely sociology, public health, geography, and disaster studies. Broadly, people at risk and having potential losses are vulnerable. However, the majority of the researchers in the field consider that vulnerability is mos...

The COVID-19 outbreak has highlighted the importance of utilizing traditional Ecological knowledge (TEK) to address the health risks linked to the pandemic. Mountain communities have traditionally relied on wild plant species and indigenous crops to enhance their immune system and maintain nutritional security. Recognizing the significance of indig...

This systematic literature review explores the transformative potential of passive solar heating architecture in advancing building sustainability within the Indian Himalayan Region. The primary objective is to elucidate the role of passive solar heating system in advancing carbon neutrality within the specific environmental constraints and cultura...

This chapter examines the pattern of shifting cultivation and Land Use Land Cover (LULC) status in different parts of India. A detailed analysis has been carried out on the changes in LULC and soil degradation status in Northeastern states in India. Analysis on Global Rainfall Erosivity data along with Rainfall Erosivity map, Soil Erosion and State...

This chapter analyses the trend and pattern of climatic variables mainly rainfall and temperature for all the Northeastern states of India.

This chapter analyses the findings from the sample data from Khonoma village, one of the sample village selected for conducting a field survey in the state of Nagaland, which is situated in the southern part of the state. The farmers in this village have been successfully transformed the shifting cultivation practices to settled one through terrace...

This chapter presents a detailed analysis on the profile and current status of the states of the Northeastern region of India. The analysis has been carried out focusing on features of economy, socio-economic conditions of the indigenous tribal societies, land use changes and livelihood pattern across the region.

This chapter analyses the result of the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) calculated using the seven major components: Socio-Demographic Profile, Livelihood Strategies, Social Networks, Health, Food, Water, and Natural Disasters and Climate Variability. Each of the seven major parts of the LVI comprises several indicators or sub-components and t...

This chapter analyses another case study from the state of Sikkim, which is the 8th state of Northeast India. Sikkim is a part of the Eastern Himalaya and is known for its biodiversity, including alpine and subtropical climates. The state has been declared as 100% usage of organic cultivation of its cropping area.

This chapter reviews literature on climate change, different dimensions of climatic variables, cause and effects on shifting agriculture, technological interventions, coping and mitigation strategies. The analysis helps to identify research gap and other key issues relating to this study.

This chapter concludes the findings of the study and policy recommendations.

This chapter analyses socio-economic characteristics of the sample households across states in the Northeastern region of India. Also, the impact of climate change on livelihood vulnerabilities among the people as perceived by the respondents has also been included in this chapter.

Forest restoration based on the concepts of integrated, adaptive and co-management with active community participation was attempted in a village in the temperate region of Indian Himalayan region. Mixed plantation of multipurpose broad-leaved trees, bamboo and medicinal herbs selected by the inhabitants based on pooled traditional and scientific k...

The amount of household solid waste generated in a developing economy is increasing with a changing composition due to rising consumerism and aspirations. Improper management of waste results in a linear flow of materials with adverse environmental consequences. To understand the status of solid waste generation in households and management practic...

Circular economy draws attention as a macro-level sustainability approach that can pave the way for a sustainable future. Agroecosystems in city peripheries undergo a range of transformations in terms of environmental quality, cropping patterns, and practices. It is important to understand the kind of changes influencing the functioning of agroecos...

The impact of large-scale phenomena like climate change or natural disasters often turns out to be local. As a result, emphasis on local adaptation and mitigation strategies has emerged in the global discussion on climate change. Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), called Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK), refers to the knowledge base developed...

Climate change has shown visible impacts on different spheres of our planet, affecting the structures and functions of all the sub-systems. It has the potential to alter or eliminate certain ecosystem services drastically. It can exhibit severe consequences in the viewpoint of delivery of ecosystem services, for which substitutes usually are costly...

It is evident as well as predicted in different research studies that climate change has potential impacts on food security either in directly or indirectly. Agricultural systems must adapt to climate change in order to both meet the growing demand for food from a population with varying dietary preferences and reduce the harmful effects of agricul...

Climate and climate change are complex subjects with immense contemporary importance. With the growing evidence of the impacts of climate change, more attention to research and development has been gained through adaptation research in the last three decades. While a simultaneous line of scientific advancements is going on scientific underpinning o...

This book shares experiences and knowledge on climate change impacts and adaptation, risk reduction strategies, communities’ responses, and best practices from different landscapes of India. It provides insights into climate change risk reduction in trans-disciplinary frameworks. The findings and discussions put forward in the chapters, largely bas...

Anthropogenic chemicals are substances that are created mainly in industries for agriculture, medicine, and other commercial purposes. When exposed to the environment at moderate to high levels, they become toxic to plants, humans, and animals. The continuous addition of toxins to the environment causes their accumulation in the tissues of the orga...

Plastic waste is under environmental scrutiny due to its potential to cause pollution particularly in the oceans and mountains. The Himalayan region has recently witnessed a surge in plastic pollution, which is affecting the environment and human health. With reference to the Prime Minister's Mann ki Baat, where the issue of plastic pollution and S...

Global climate change is clearly visible in the form of changing temperatures, an increase in the frequency of severe storms, heat waves, melting ice sheets, etc. Agriculture, being a vulnerable system, is overwhelmed by the impacts of climate change, such as changing temperature, rainfall patterns and the occurrence of extreme events, including fl...

Climate change is a harsh reality that has a significant impact on livelihood strategies in general, and agricultural-based ones in particular. Agriculture is the principal source of livelihood in the majority of North Eastern states, including Tripura. In the absence of alternate employment opportunities and planned activities, people’s livelihood...

Plastic products have become an integral part of human life due to their durability, strength and low cost. Due to their slow degradation properties, plastic waste has been highlighted as a major polluter on the earth. High density and low-density polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE), polystyrene (PS), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), p...

As the world faces the urgent challenge of addressing climate change, achieving net zero emissions has emerged as a critical goal for positioning a sustainable future. The countries recognize the urgent need to mitigate the impact of climate change, the concept of a net-zero future has gained significant momentum. Achieving net-zero greenhouse gas...

Crop raiding by wildlife is an important form of human–wildlife conflict and has been reported from several protected areas of India. With the growing concerns of forest fragmentation, habitat destruction and expansion of agriculture, the extent of this problem is also getting amplified. The current research is a case study of this issue in Malai M...

Wild edibles refer to non-cultivated edible plants found in the natural forests, fallow lands, agricultural lands etc. A variety of wild edible plants used by indigenous and tribal communities contributes significantly towards the livelihoods and socio-ecology of a landscape. Our paper examines the wild edible plants available in Male Mahadeshwara...

With homogenisation of various cultural groups due to outside forces and the effect of globalisation, many traditional foods, as developed by various cultural groups, have been lost or on the verge of elimination. In this context, the present study aims to examine and document the traditional food knowledge of local people in Uttarakhand State of I...

Globally, the agricultural landscape is the most exposed landscape due to urbanisation. Therefore, finding spatial and temporal patterns of changes in the agricultural landscape is essential for sustainable development. To address this information gap, this study developed a workflow to determine spatial patterns and characteristics in an agricultu...

Impacts of climate change on snow cover, permafrost and glaciers at varied elevations are wide ranging and well-known. Melting water from glaciers forms glacial lakes; where, under the changing climate and accelerating glacial retreats have been a prime cause of glacial lake growth and outbursts. Indian Himalayan Region has also witnessed those imp...

All the countries in the world are now experiencing the challenges of climate change through higher average temperatures, variability in precipitation, rise in sea level, and more frequent climatic extremes. Climate change is emerging as a major threat to the livelihood and food security of millions worldwide. It directly affects the natural resour...

Agriculture and protected areas are generally perceived as poles apart; however, agriculture has been primary livelihoods for forest dwelling and forest fringe communities of several protected areas of India. Population growth has been exerting tremendous pressure on the agricultural sector to increase productivity with new crops. On the other hand...

Herpetofauna, both amphibians and reptiles have been dealt with at length by biodiversity studies as part of studying animal groups. Among all animal groups, herpetofauna is a flagship group in both the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and play an important role in the food chain. In this context, a study was conducted in the semi-arid Chitradurg...

We present a simple simulation model whose purpose is to explore qualitatively and heuristically the effects that agrochemical subsidies could have on the type of decisions farmers make about their plots (keeping other variables fixed). We use elements of Chayanovian thinking and ecological complexity as a basis, considering that this decision is m...

Field Margin Vegetation (FMV) is an important part of agrobiodiversity which provides a range of ecological and economic benefits. Those services are mostly unaccounted in spite of having potential contribution to biodiversity conservation, well-being of farming households, climate change, mitigation etc. The structure and composition of FMV and so...

Spiders are one of the most diverse and numerically abundant arthropods. They have a wide distribution and inhabit different types of habitats. Their occurrence and distribution function as a bio-indicator of that area and their presence is influenced greatly by the corresponding habitat and vegetation types. In this study the spider fauna was surv...

Although India has succeeded in creation of 868 Protected Areas (PA) covering its 5.02 percent of the total geographical area; it comes with a social cost. With high population pressure and livelihood based on nature and natural resources, India is yet to find a pragmatic win-win solution for solving the problem of Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) in...

The report provides a conceptual understanding of the current situation pertaining to climate change and adaptation in the agricultural sector in India. It also provides an overview of extant production and adaptation practices in the country and with special reference to Karnataka. It Primarily encompasses the assessment of agricultural productivi...

Field margins are areas of natural or semi-natural vegetation located adjacent to agricultural fields. They form the interface between different crops and to other land use and land cover types. In most analyses of cropping patterns field margin vegetation (FMV) is neither accounted for nor is it a part of so-called natural ecosystems. Nevertheless...

The Indian Sundarbans with its unique bio-geographical composition is prone to hazards like cyclones, storms and floods, making its socio-ecological systems vulnerable to environmental stresses. Moreover, its structural aspects appear to be a significant factor in pushing the systems towards vulnerability. A landscape analysis was done in four vill...

Potential of community participation and non‐timber forest species in forest restoration has been widely discussed but rarely demonstrated through long‐term empirical studies. An attempt was made to restore the communal forest in temperate Indian Himalaya by mixed planting of multipurpose broad‐leaved trees, bamboo, and medicinal herbs chosen by lo...

Pongamia is a multipurpose tree containing non-edible oil and high percentage of plant nutrients in flowers and seeds.

In recent years, ecosystems have been dramatically disrupted by increasing human activities and their service functions have been seriously compromised.

Field margin vegetation (FMV) lies between an agricultural field and another land use land cover type, which is an interface of immense socioecological significance. This research has made an attempt to develop a three-step framework that distinguish FMV from other features or vegetation, which was found to be almost impossible using available clas...

The biodiversity in an agroecosystem has a wide range of roles to play.

With approximately 9% of the world population and 14% of India’s population.

Agroecosystems are managed ecosystems where human has intentionally and selectively altered the natural composition of living organisms for food, fodder, fiber or other economic benefits. Thus, such ecosystems have significant social, economic and ecological dimensions.

The strategies to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, including restricted human movement and economic activities, have shown positive impacts on the environment. Present research analysed the effects of COVID-19 led lockdown on air quality with special reference to major pollutants, namely nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur...

It is understandable that anthropogenic land use land cover change is an inevitable worldwide phenomenon with increasing intensity.

Among the most significant anthropogenic changes, urbanization occurs when large numbers of people start living permanently concentrated in relatively small areas resulting in urban areas, which are characterised by high level of economic activities, predominantly of non-agricultural nature.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has engendered a global health crisis along with diverse impacts on economy, society and environment.Effortsto combat this pandemic have also significantly shot-up the quantity of Bio-medical Waste (BMW) generation.Safe disposal of large quantity of BMW has been graduallyposinga major challenge.BMW management is mostly impl...

This book has been produced as a part of the project ‘Social-Ecological Systems at the Indian Rural-Urban Interface: Functions, Scales, and Dynamics of Transition’. It addresses transition processes in agriculture and society triggered by urbanization, focusing on Bengaluru as an example of a rapidly growing megacity in India. Adopting a holistic,...

Climate change is believed to have severe impacts on different sectors of an economy especially the agricultural sector. The adverse impact of climate change, however, can be mitigated if farmers have awareness and better level of adaptive responses. This study examines the perception of farmers belong to indigenous communities in the state of Naga...

Remote sensing (RS) has been an effective tool to monitor agricultural production systems, but for vegetable crops, precision agriculture has received less interest to date. The objective of this study was to test the predictive performance of two types of RS data—crop height information derived from point clouds based on RGB UAV data, and reflecta...

Mammalian of the fauna of semi-arid Chitradurga district has been studied to understand their abundance and occurrence in the unfavourable habitat

Field margin vegetation (FMV) refers to the plant community in the interface between agriculture and natural environments. Substantial work has been carried out on the management of field margins in European countries with the aim of conserving field-level biodiversity and enhancing agronomic benefits. India, instead, is lagging behind in the asses...

The protection of our environment is one of the most important challenges facing today’s society. At the focus of efforts to solve environmental problems are strategies to determine the actual damage, to manage problems in a viable manner, and to provide technical protection. Similar to the companion subseries Environmental Engineering, Environment...

The tropical regions of the world are highly vulnerable to the loss of biodiversity and the biodiversity of various ecologically important ecosystems in the tropics seems to be in jeopardy. The protected areas alone cannot conserve all the species and, hence, there is the need to expand the conservation approach beyond the boundaries of the protect...

Although several studies have been done to understand climate change in India, state wise analysis on trend of climatic variables particularly of rainfall is lacking in northeast India. The paper analyses the behaviour of annual and seasonal rainfall in Northeaster region of India looking for trends in long historical data series. We have used Sen’...

India has the second largest population in the world and is characterized by a broad diversity in climate, topography, flora, fauna, land use, and socioeconomic conditions. To help ensure food security in the future, agricultural systems will have to respond to global change drivers such as population growth, changing dietary habits, and climate ch...

North-east India is constituted of highly diverse ecosystems with unique characteristics with high dependency on primary sector income (86% on agriculture). It is very crucial to look into the issues like agriculture, ecosystem services and sociocultural aspects of endemic population, while urban areas are expanding. This paper examines the issues...

India’s rich biodiversity is distributed across its ecological regions. Traditional medicinal plants are recognised for their value and they constitute source of livelihood and food security for large Indian population. Cultivation of medicinal plants is also a source of income; thereby improve the standard of living for local communities and reduc...

Overexploitation of natural resources coupled with anthropogenic climatic variations has put the ecosystem services under enormous pressure not only at macro levels but also at micro levels thereby presenting challenges in social, economic, ecological and biological fronts. Sustainable use of natural resources and their conservation strategies requ...

Forest resources have both economic and ecological significance. However, rapid expansion of non-forest activities at the expense of natural forests has become a serious threat to forest resource all over the world. This paper makes an attempt to understand livelihood strategies, cultivation method and perception about climate change in Khonoma Vil...

Use of natural resources largely determines the standard of living that human societies enjoy. Steady increase in worldwide use of biotic and abiotic resources (such as water, air, soil, biodiversity, land as habitat etc.) for a range of societal purposes (such as wind power, solar power, tidal flows etc.) have been linked with rapid population gro...

Peri-urban landscapes are highly dynamic with regard to their land use, social, economic and ecological constructs. Urbanization has its impact outside its boundary and is determined by the types of services and resources provided by the peripheral areas to the city. Increasing pressure on the natural resources to meet the urban and peri-urban need...

Wildlife conservation perspective generally refers to the attitude of local people living in and around protected areas towards conservation of wild animals and plant species in their natural habitat. Socio-economic dependency of rural communities on natural resources very often for livelihood purposes leads to negative attitudes towards conservati...

Birds are highly diverse and perceptible biota of the ecosystem. They are the potential bioindicators in each and every ecosystem. The populations of birds presently are decreasing rapidly in semi-arid regions due to several factors such as unplanned development activities, climate change and urbanization. With this regard, documentation of the bir...

In the field of computational intelligence research, “modelling” has emerged as important tool when integrated with traditional interdisciplinary methods to address complexities involved in land-use planning at landscape scale. This paper examines the existing spatio-temporal models in Indian context to look into their suitability to be used in mic...

Article first published in: DEB MITRAJIT, ROYCHOUDHURY SHUBHADEEP, BHATTACHARJEE PARIMAL C., SHARMA INDU, NAUTIYAL SUNIL, SLÁMA PETR. 2019. Distribution of Western Hoolock Gibbons and Nutritional Status of Food Plants in Cachar District of Assam, India: Reaching out to Local Communities for Conservation. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silvicult...