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AuthorJha, Shashidhar Kumar
AuthorNegi, Ajeet Kumar
AuthorAlatalo, Juha Mikael
AuthorPrabhu, Vignesh
AuthorJha, Mani Bhushan
AuthorKumar, Hemant
Available date2023-01-02T06:35:23Z
Publication Date2022
Publication NameSustainability (Switzerland)
Identifierhttp://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su142315655
CitationJha, S.K.; Negi, A.K.; Alatalo, J.M.; Prabhu, V.; Jha, M.B.; Kumar, H. Forest Degradation Index: A Tool for Forest Vulnerability Assessment in Indian Western Himalaya. Sustainability 2022, 14, 15655. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315655
URIhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85143769277&origin=inward
URIhttp://hdl.handle.net/10576/37886
AbstractThe global climate is showing altered temperatures and precipitation levels. Forests can be a stabilizing force in climate change. They regulate the nutrient cycle, protect species and diversity, and support livelihoods that drive holistic growth. Presently, the forest ecosystem’s capacity to withstand change is being undermined by the rate of change, along with anthropogenic pressures and the specificities of mountainous regions. Here, we attempted to design a ‘forest vulnerability index’ using field measurements and household surveys. A total of 71 quadrants were laid out, and 545 respondents were interviewed in 91 villages along the altitudinal gradient (altitude < 1200 m asl (Zone A), 1200–1800 m asl (Zone B), and >1800 m asl (Zone C)) of the Pauri district of Uttarakhand, India. The village-level data were normalized and combined to represent climate change impacts and the dimension of vulnerability. The IPCC (2014) protocol was used to assess forest vulnerability. The highest vulnerability was recorded in Zone ‘B’, and higher sensitivity, higher climate change impacts, and lower adaptive capacities were recorded in Zone ‘B’ and ‘C’. The approach is comparable within the district and between the states. In enhancing our shared understanding of forest degradation, the results are of value to policy/decision-makers, implementers, and adaptation funding agencies, who can use them to assess the scale, cause, and actions for adaptation.
Languageen
PublisherMDPI
Subjectclimate change
forest vulnerability
Himalaya
indicators
TitleForest Degradation Index: A Tool for Forest Vulnerability Assessment in Indian Western Himalaya
TypeArticle
Issue Number23
Volume Number14
ESSN2071-1050
dc.accessType Open Access


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