Eastern Himalayas
The Eastern Himalayas extend from eastern Nepal across Northeast India, Bhutan, the Tibet Autonomous Region to Yunnan in China and northern Myanmar. The climate of this region is influenced by the monsoon of South Asia from June to September.[1] It is a biodiversity hotspot, with notable biocultural diversity.[2][3]
Geologic strata
The Eastern Himalayas has a more varied geomorphic history and pervasive topographic features than the Central Himalayas. In the southwest of the Sub-Himalayas lies the Singalila Ridge, the western end of a group of uplands in Nepal. Most of the Sub-Himalayas are in Nepal; a small portion reaches into Sikkim, India and a fragment is in the southern half of Bhutan. The region's topography, in part, has facilitated the region's rich biological diversity and ecosystem structure.[3]
The Buxa range of Indo-Bhutan is also a part of the ancient rocks of the Himalayas. The ancient folds, running mainly along an east-west axis, were worn down during a long period of
In the
Climate
The climate of the Eastern Himalayas is of a tropical
In the valleys of
Agriculture
Agricultural conditions vary throughout the region. In the highlands the soil is morainic, and the hill slopes are cut by the locals into successive steps or terraces only a few meters broad, thus preventing water run-off and allowing spring crops to thrive. The region's economy relied mostly on shifting cultivation agriculture, supplemented by hunting, fishing and barter trade. Agricultural does not produce sufficient yields to meet local needs. The region's economy remained stagnant and at subsistence levels for centuries due to the lack of capital, investor access, or entrepreneurial knowledge. Inhabitants also relied heavily on wild and semi-cultivated species for food and herbal medicines.[2]
Political divisions
The Eastern Himalayas consist of 6 distinct political/national territories:
- Nepali Himalaya (central, eastern and southern Nepal)
- Darjeeling Sub-Himalaya
- Sikkim (Indian) Himalaya
- Assam Sub-Himalaya
- Bhutan Himalaya
- Arunachal Pradesh Himalaya
- Garhwal/Kumaon Himalaya
Wildlife
The Eastern Himalayas sustain a diverse array of wildlife, including many rare species of fauna and flora.
The most diverse cloud forest is in India and China at 2,000–3,300 m (6,600–10,800 ft), and tropical rainforest on the lower slopes up to 900 m (3,000 ft) in the foothills. At higher elevations, wet páramo grasslands occur up to 4,500 m (14,800 ft)), and above this elevation snow and ice occupies the space. Asian black bear, Himalayan vulture, and pikas are common around higher elevations, and also on the Tibetan plateau. Arunachal macaque (Macaca arunachalensis) and Rhesus macaque (M. mulatta) live in the tropical cloud forests, alongside various sunbird and pheasant species. Himalayan high-elevation wetlands are also notable for their biodiversity.[3]
The picture seen right is of the national flower of Bhutan Meconopsis gakyidiana, commonly called the blue poppy. This flower was the source of an ecological mystery for nearly a century, due to its misclassification as Meconopsis grandis. In 2017, after three years of field work and taxonomic studies, its classification was corrected by Bhutanese and Japanese researchers. It was theorised this misclassification may have arisen due to the finding that some Himalayan flora readily hybridize with each other and produce viable seeds, causing wider morphological diversity.[citation needed]
See also
- Western Himalaya
- Indus-Yarlung suture zone
- Main Himalayan Thrust
- Lower Himalayan Range
- Ecology of the Himalayas
- Geology of the Himalaya
- Sivalik Hills
- Geography of Myanmar
- Indian Himalayan Region
- Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)
- Transhimalaya
- Indo-Gangetic Plain
References
- ^ Shrestha, A.B.; Devkota, L.P. (2010). Climate change in the Eastern Himalayas: observed trends and model projections (PDF). Kathmandu, Nepal: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.
- ^ PMID 28356115.
- ^ .
- ^ "Himalayas | Places | WWF". [www.worldwildlife.org World Wildlife Fund]. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
External links
- Eastern Himalayas – World Wildlife Fund projects