The report highlights the vital role of mountains and alpine glaciers (water towers) in sustaining ecosystems, economies and societies.
Mountain Ecosystem
- Ecosystem: Forests cover approximately 40% of the global mountain area and at higher elevation consists of grasslands and alpine tundra.
- Water Regulation: An estimated two-thirds of irrigated agriculture globally depends on runoff contributions from mountains.
- Carbon Storage: Mountain soils with permafrost contain approximately 66 Pg of soil organic carbon, which is 4.5% of the global pool.
- Biodiversity: Mountain systems host 25 of the world’s 34 biodiversity hotspots containing high endemic biodiversity, preserving vital agricultural and medicinal plant gene pools etc.
Vulnerabilities of Mountain Ecosystem
- Glacier Loss: Rapid melting in Andes (30–50% since 1980s), Hindu Kush Himalayas (50% glacier loss by 2100) etc. threatens water security.
- Watermelon snow (glacier blood) effect: Red algae blooms lower surface albedo and accelerate snow melt.
- Urbanization: It significantly alters the hydrological cycle, results in overexploitation of resources and disturbs ecological balance amplifying disasters.
- Atmospheric Pollution: Due to long-range transport, ice cores and lake sediments have shown an increase in black carbon.
Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH)
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