Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Real World Protection for the “Third Pole” and Its People

  • Chapter
Protection of the Three Poles

Abstract

The Tibetan Plateau, which encompasses a vast area in Asia (the majority of southeast and southwest China including the Tibetan Autonomous Region), northwestern Bhutan, northern Nepal, and northwestern India), is one of the most diverse and important landmasses in the Northern Hemisphere. Being the source of ten major rivers of Asia and having the greatest mass of snow outside the polar regions, the Tibetan Plateau and its adjoining mountain ranges are well known as the “water towers” of Asia, sometimes even referred to as “the Third Pole.” The region is also known for its rich flora and fauna, with a high proportion of endemism and habitat for some of the most charismatic species such as snow leopard (Uncia uncia), brown bear (Ursus arctos pruinosus), and giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and red panda (Ailurus fulgens), as well as numerous ungulates. The region is also home to thousands of ethnic communities with a rich culture, who are predominantly transhumant pastoralists and migratory herders. However, in recent decades, there has been growing concern about the deteriorating conditions of the vast pastureland and the freshwater resources – the source of livelihood for millions of people as well as habitats for thousands of species. The drivers of such changes are multiple, but the most pressing challenge is the phenomenon of global climate change. Although the region witnessed various cooling and warming phases in past millennia, the rate of recent warming is suggested to be dramatic. Moreover, warming in the Tibetan Plateau has caused significant impacts on its cryospheric components, thereby causing a multitude of impacts on the environment. Here we analyze the importance of the Tibetan Plateau and its adjoining mountain ranges in terms of biodiversity, water resources, and the challenges faced by the vast majority of local people resulting from the effects of changing climate on their subsistence livelihoods.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ali S, Ripley SD (1983) Handbook of birds of India and Pakistan. Compact edn. Oxford University Press, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Arthur AD, Pech RP, Jiebu et al (2007) Grassland degradation on the Tibetan Plateau: the role of small mammals and methods of control. ACIAR Technical Reports No. 67

    Google Scholar 

  • Banks T, Richard C, Li P, Zhaoli Y (2003) Community-based grassland management in western China: rationale, pilot project experience and policy implications. Mt Res Dev 23(2):132–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barfield T (1993) The nomadic alternative. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnett TP, Adam JC, Lettenmaier DP (2005) Potential impacts of a warming climate on water availability in snow-dominated regions. Nature (Lond) 438:303–309

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Birdlife International (2007) Important bird area data provided by Birdlife International. Taken from World Bird Database (received 19 June 2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks TM, Mittermeier RA, da Fonseca GAB et al (2006) Global biodiversity conservation priorities. Science 313:58–61

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cai G, Liu Y, O’Gara BW (1990) Observations of large mammals in the Qaidam Basin and its peripheral mountainous areas in the People’s Republic of China. Can J Zool 68:2021–2024

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter C (2005) The environmental control of plant species density on a Himalayan elevation gradient. J Biogeogr 32:999–1018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CEPF (2002) Ecosystem profile: mountains of southwest China. Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. http://www.cepf.net/xp/cepf/where_we_work/southwest_china/full_strategy.xml. Accessed 12 Feb 2010

  • CEPF (2005) Ecosystem profile: Indo-Burman Hotspot, Eastern Himalayan Region. WWF, US-Asian Program/Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Kathmandu

    Google Scholar 

  • CEPF (2007) Ecosystem profile: Indo-Burma hotspot, Indo-China region’. UK: Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Birdlife International

    Google Scholar 

  • CGIAR (1999) CGIAR research priorities for marginal lands. CGIAR document SDR/TAC:IAR/99/12. Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Chalise SR, Khanal NR (2001) An introduction to climate, hydrology and landslide hazards in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region. In: Tianchi L, Chalise SR, Upreti BN (eds) Landslide hazard mitigation in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas. ICIMOD, Kathmandu

    Google Scholar 

  • Chettri N (2009) Biodiversity conservation in the Asia-Pacific region: where we stand in relation to the 2010 targets? Asia Pacific Mountain Courier 10(1):1–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Chettri N, Shakya B (2008) Species to landscape: a paradigm shift in biodiversity conservation through people’s participation and policy reform. In: Rasul G, Karki M (eds) Policy priorities for sustainable mountain development: proceedings and selected papers from the Regional Policy Workshop. ICIMOD, Kathmandu

    Google Scholar 

  • Chettri N, Sharma E, Shakya B, Bajracharya B (2007) Developing forested conservation corridors in the Kangchenjunga landscape, eastern Himalaya. Mt Res Dev 27(3):211–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chettri N, Sharma E, Thapa R (2009) Long-term monitoring using transect and landscape approaches within the Hindu Kush-Himalayas. In: Sharma E (ed) Proceedings of the International Mountain Biodiversity Conference, Kathmandu, 16–18 November 2008. ICIMOD, Kathmandu

    Google Scholar 

  • CNCCC (2007) China national report on climate change 2007 (in Chinese). China National Committee on Climate Change, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Duan K, Yao T, Thompson LG (2004) Low-frequency of southern Asian monsoon variability using a 295-year record from the Dasuopu ice core in the central Himalayas. Geophys Res Lett 31:L16206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dyurgerov MD, Meier MF (2005) Glaciers and changing Earth system: a 2004 snapshot. Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder

    Google Scholar 

  • Eriksson M, Jianchu X, Shrestha AB et al (2009) The changing Himalayas: impact of climate change on water resources and livelihoods in the Greater Himalayas. ICIMOD, Kathmandu

    Google Scholar 

  • Foggin JM (2008) Depopulating the Tibetan grasslands: national policies and perspectives for the future of Tibetan herders in Qinghai Province, China. Mt Res Dev 28(1):26–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fox JL, Dhondup K, Dorji T (2008) Tibetan antelope and new rangeland management activities in and around the Aru Basin, Chang Tang Nature Reserve. Report to the Tibet Autonomous Region Forestry Bureau

    Google Scholar 

  • Fujita K, Kadota T, Rana B et al (2001) Shrinkage of glacier AX010 in Shorong region, Nepal Himalayas in the 1990s. Bull Glaciol Res 18:51–54

    Google Scholar 

  • GCOS (2004) Implementation plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in support of the UNFCCC. Report GCOS–92 (WMO/TD no. 1219)

    Google Scholar 

  • GoN/MoFSC (2006) Sacred Himalayan Landscape – Nepal Strategic Plan (2006–2016): broad strategy document. Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal, Kathmandu

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris RB, Loggers CO (2004) Status of Tibetan plateau mammals in Yeniugou, China. Wildl Biol 10:91–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris R, Miller D (1995) Overlap in summer habitats and diets of Tibetan Plateau ungulates. Mammalia 59:197–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang R (1987) Vegetation in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. In: Hovermann J, Wang W (eds) Reports of the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau. Science Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • ICIMOD (2008) Regional Rangeland Programme progress report. Unpublished Report, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu

    Google Scholar 

  • Inskipp T, Lindsey N, Duckworth W (1996) An annotated checklist of birds of Oriental Region. Oriental Birds Club, Sandy

    Google Scholar 

  • International Council for Science (2004) A framework for the International Polar Year 2007–2008 produced by the ICSU IPY 2007–2008 Planning Group. Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • ITIS (2010) Integrated Taxonomic Information System. URL http://www.itis.gov/. Accessed 21 April 2010

  • IUCN (2010) IUCN red list of threatened species. Version 2010.1. www.iucnredlist.org. Accessed 21 Mar 2010

  • IUCN, UNEP, WCMC (2010) World database on protected areas (WDPA) 2009. http://www.wdpa.org/. Accessed Jan 2010

  • Ives JD, Messerli B (1989) The Himalayan dilemma: reconciling development and conservation. Routledge, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Jodha NS (1992) Mountain prospective and sustainability: a framework for development strategy. In: Jodha NS, Banskota M, Pratap T (eds) Sustainable mountain agriculture. Oxford – IBH Publications, Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Kadota T, Seko K, Aoki T et al (2000) Shrinkage of Khumbu Glacier, east Nepal from 1978 to 1995. IAHS Publication No. 264, 235–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein JA, Harte J, Zhao X (2005) Dynamic and complex microclimate responses to warming and grazing manipulations. Global Change Biol 11(9):1440–1451

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kutzbach JE, Prell WL, Ruddiman WF (1993) Sensitivity of Eurasian climate to surface uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. J Geol 101:177–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Chen B (2000) Climatic warming in the Tibetan Plateau during recent decades. Int J Climatol 20:1729–1742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu SY, Ding YJ, Li J et al (2006) Glaciers in response to recent climate warming in Western China. Quat Sci 26:762–771

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopez-Pujol J, Fu-Min Z, Ge S (2006) Plant biodiversity in China: richly varied, endangered, and in need of conservation. Biodivers Conserv 15:3983–4026

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu T, Wu N, Luo P (2009) Sedentarization of Tibetan nomads. Conserv Biol 23(5):1074

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manabe S, Terpstra TB (1974) The effects of mountains on the general circulation of the atmosphere as identified by numerical experiments. J Atmos Sci 31:3–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mei’e R, Renzhang Y, Haoshend B (1985) An outline of China’s physical geography. Foreign Language Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Messerli B (2009) Biodiversity, environmental change and regional cooperation in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas. In Sharma E (ed) Proceedings of the International Mountain Biodiversity Conference, Kathmandu, 16–18 November 2008. ICIMOD, Kathmandu

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller D (1999) Nomads of the Tibetan Plateau rangelands in Western China. Part three: Pastoral development and future challenges. Rangelands 21(2):17–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller D, Jackson R (1994) Livestock and snow leopards: making room for competing users on the Tibetan Plateau. In: Fox J, Du J (eds) Proceedings of the Seventh International Snow Leopard Symposium. International Snow Leopard Trust, Seattle

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishra C, van Wieren S, Heitkonig I, Prins H (2004) Competition between livestock and bharal Pseudois nayaur in the Indian Trans-Himalaya. J Appl Ecol 41:344–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mittermeier RA, Gils PR, Hoffman M et al (2004) Hotspots revisited. Earth’s biologically richest and most endangered terrestrial ecoregions. CEMEX/Agrupación Sierra Madre, Mexico City

    Google Scholar 

  • Namgail T, Bagchi S, Mishra C, Bhatnagar YV (2008) Distribution correlates of the Tibetan gazelle Procapra picticaudata in Ladakh, northern India: towards a recovery programme. Oryx 42:107–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olson DM, Dinerstein E (2002) The Global 200: priority ecoregions for global conservation. Ann Mo Bot Gard 89:199–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu J (2008) The Third Pole. Nature (Lond) 454:393–396

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rupa KK, Sahai AK, Krishna KK et al (2006) High resolution climate change scenario for India for the 21st century. Curr Sci 90:334–345

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaller GB (1998) Wildlife of the Tibetan steppe. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaller GB, Kang A (2008) Status of Marco Polo sheep Ovis ammon polii in China and adjacent countries: conservation of a vulnerable subspecies. Oryx 41(1):100–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Seko K, Yabuki H, Nakawo M, Sakai A, Kadota T, Yamada Y (1998) Changing surface features of Khumbu glacier, Nepal Himalayas revealed by SPOT images. Bull Glaciol Res 16:33–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Shamshad KM (1988) The meteorology of Pakistan. Royal Book Company, Islamabad

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma E, Kerkhoff E (2004) Farming systems in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region. In: Adhikari R, Adhikari K (eds) Evolving sui generis options for the Hindu Kush-Himalayas. South Asian Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment. Modern Printing Press, Kathmandu, pp 10–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma E, Chettri N, Gurung J, Shakya B (2007) Landscape approach in biodiversity conservation: a regional cooperation framework for implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kangchenjunga Landscape. ICIMOD, Kathmandu

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheehy DP, Miller D, Johnson DA (2006) Transformation of traditional pastoral livestock systems on the Tibetan steppe. Sécheresse 17(1–2):142–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherpa LN, Peniston B, Lama W, Richard C (2003) Hands around Everest: transboundary cooperation for conservation and sustainable livelihoods. ICIMOD, Kathmandu

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi Y (2001) Ke yujian de Qingzang Gaoyuan huanjing da bianhua (zaiyao). Yanhu Yanjiu 9(1):2–3

    Google Scholar 

  • Shrestha AB, Wake CP, Mayewski PA, Dibb JE (1999) Maximum temperature trends in the Himalaya and its vicinity: an analysis based on temperature records from Nepal for the period 1971–94. J Climate 12:2775–2787

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shrestha AB, Wake CP, Dibb JE, Mayewski PA (2000) Precipitation fluctuations in the Nepal Himalaya and its vicinity and relationship with some large scale climatological parameters. Int J Climatol 20:317–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava D (2003) Recession of Gangotri glacier. In: Srivastava D, Gupta KR, Mukerji S (eds) Proceedings of a workshop on Gangotri glacier. Lucknow, 26–28 March 2003. Special Publication No. 80. Geological Survey of India, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Tan L, Cai Y, Yi L et al (2008) Precipitation variations of Longxi, northeast margin of Tibetan Plateau since AD 960 and their relationship with solar activity. Clim Past 4:19–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang Z, Wang Z, Zheng C, Fang J (2008) China’s environmental challenges: the way forward. Front Ecol Environ 4(7):347–352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trisal C, Kumar R (2008) Integration of high altitude wetlands into river basin management in the Hindu Kush Himalayas: capacity building need assessment for policy and technical support. Wetlands International-South Asia, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (2007) Global outlook for ice and snow. UNEP/GRID-Arendal, Norway, p 235

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (2009) Recent trends in melting glaciers, tropospheric temperatures over the Himalayas and summer monsoon rainfall over India. Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Nairobi

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang G, Li Q, Cheng G, Yongping S (2002) Climate change and its impact on the ecoenvironment in the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers in recent 40 years. J Glaciol Geocryol 24(3):346–352

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Hou S, Hong S, Hur SD, Liu Y (2008) Glacier extent and volume change (1966–2000) on the Su-lo Mountain in Northeastern Tibetan Plateau, China. J Mt Sci 5:299–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkes A (2008) Towards mainstreaming climate change in grassland management policies and practices on the Tibetan Plateau. Working Paper No. 67. World Agroforestry Centre, ICRAF-China, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Worthy RF, Foggin JM (2008) Conflicts between local villagers and Tibetan brown bears threaten conservation of bears in a remote region of the Tibetan Plateau. Human–Wildlife Conflicts 2(2):200–205

    Google Scholar 

  • WWF, Terralingua (2000) Indigenous and traditional peoples of the world and ecoregion conservation: an integrated approach to conserving the world’s biological and cultural diversity. World Wide Fund for Nature, Gland

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu J, Grumbine ER, Shrestha A, Eriksson M, Yang X, Wang Y, Wilkes A (2009) The melting Himalayas: cascading effects of climate change on water, biodiversity, and livelihoods. Conserv Biol 23(3):520–530

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yanai M, Li C, Song Z (1992) Seasonal heating of the Tibetan Plateau and its effects on the evolution of the summer monsoon. J Meteorol Soc Jpn 70:319–351

    Google Scholar 

  • Yao T, Pu J, Lu A et al (2007) Recent glacial retreat and its impact on hydrological processes on the Tibetan Plateau, China, and surrounding regions. Arct Antarct Alp Res 39(4):642–650

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yao T, Duan K, Xu B et al (2008) Precipitation record since AD 1600 from ice cores on the central Tibetan Plateau. Clim Past 4:175–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao L, Ping CL, Yang DQ et al (2004) Change of climate and seasonally frozen ground over the past 30 years in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China. Global Planet Change 43:19–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhaoli Y, Wu N, Dorji Y, Jia R (2005) A review of rangeland privatisation and its implications in the Tibetan plateau. Nomad People 9:31–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Y, Meng X, Feng J, Yang Q, Feng Z, Xia L, Bartos L (2004) Review of the distribution, status and conservation of musk deer in China. Folia Zool 53(2):129–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Zurick D, Pacheco J, Shrestha B, Bajracharya B (2006) Atlas of the Himalaya. ICIMOD, Kathmandu

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We express our gratitude to the Director General of ICIMOD, Dr. Andreas Schild, for his inspiration and for providing the required facilities for the preparation of this paper. Falk Huettmann guided us right from the inception of this paper, and we are indebted for his guidance and support. Mr. Kabir Uddin from ICIMOD supported in analyzing the protected areas and Important Bird Areas and for preparation of maps.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), 3226, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Nakul Chettri, Arun B. Shrestha, Yan Zhaoli, Birendra Bajracharya, Eklabya Sharma & Hua Ouyang

Authors
  1. Nakul Chettri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Arun B. Shrestha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yan Zhaoli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Birendra Bajracharya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Eklabya Sharma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Hua Ouyang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nakul Chettri .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. EWHALE lab- Institute of Arctic Biology, Biology & Wildlife Department, University of Alaska-Fairbanks (UAF), Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA

    Falk Huettmann Ph.D. (Wildlife Ecologist, Associate Professor) (Wildlife Ecologist, Associate Professor)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Chettri, N., Shrestha, A.B., Zhaoli, Y., Bajracharya, B., Sharma, E., Ouyang, H. (2012). Real World Protection for the “Third Pole” and Its People. In: Huettmann, F. (eds) Protection of the Three Poles. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54006-9_5

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation