Prospects and Challenges for Biodiversity in the Anthropogenic-Induced Cold Arid Landscape of Ladakh, India
Mahesh Kumar Gaur, R.K. Goyal, M S Kanwar, Neelratan Singh, Vipin Choudhary, Akash Chichaghare
Ladakh, a high-altitude cold arid region, exhibits conspicuous signs of climate change across its
vast landscape. The unique biodiversity of Ladakh faces various challenges due to both exponential
anthropogenic activities and the significant threat of climate change to the region's environmental
landscape and physiographical variations. The region's unique topography, from high-altitude deserts
to soaring Himalayan mountains, makes it a biodiversity hotspot. However, biodiversity is under threat
from climate change, infrastructure development, the upward movement of invasive species, and water
scarcity due to glacial retreat. There is enough potential to combine traditional ecological knowledge
with modern conservation strategies. Climate change, with rising temperatures and glacial retreat, poses
a significant threat to Ladakh's biodiversity, particularly that of alpine flora and fauna. Infrastructure
development, including roads and hydropower projects, can fragment habitats and dislocate wildlife
corridors, leading to reduced genetic diversity. Long-term field observations form the basis for an indepth exploration of prospects and potential threats to the biodiversity of Ladakh's cold arid zone,
emphasizing the role of anthropogenic factors in this study
