Presented by Niroj Timalsina on a seminr on "Climate change and its effect" on 5th Jun. Org- YAPAD

1. Climate change
“The new driver of mass extinctions”

2. Bio-Diversity
Of
Nepal

3. Nepal has been divided into five Physiographic Division: –
Physiographic Division Of Nepal
2. High Mountain
1. High Himal
3. Middle Hills
4. Siwalik
5. Terai

4. Nepal’s Unique Features
Diverse Topography (62 m– 8,848m) and
11 Bio - Climatic Zone (Tropical to Nival)
118 Ecosystems
75 Vegetation types
35 Forest types
Mix Sal ForestTemperate Forest
Example: Forest type
Himalayan
Landscape
Terai Landscape
Example: Landscape

5. Flora
6,500 spp. of Flowering plants
1,822 spp. Fungi
2000 spp. Lichen
687 spp. Algae
853 spp. Bryophytes
534 spp. Ferns and ferns allies
Nepal’s Unique Features
Kande Chyau Mikopila Phul

6. 208 spp. Mammals (5% of Total of World)
874 spp. Birds
78 spp. Reptiles
117 spp. Amphibians
185 spp. Fishes
651 spp. Butterflies
785 spp. Moths
144 spp. Spiders
5,052 spp. Insects
Photo by: R. Gurung
Snow Leopard
Gangetic Dolphin
Gharial Crocodile
Fauna

7. Flora Endemic to Nepal
399 spp. Flowering Plant
Fauna Endemic to Nepal
2 spp. Mammal
14 spp. Herpetofauna
6 spp. Fish
108 spp. Spiders

8. Climate Change Impact
In
Nepal

9. More gradual year-on-year changes in temperature have also been
observed, with a 0.09ºC per year increase in recorded in the
Himalayas and 0.04ºC per year increase in the Terai (with higher
increases in winter).
•Climate change is likely to bring particularly rapid temperature
increases in Nepal – faster than their average global rate of
warming.
•Winter temperatures will increase more than summer
temperatures. The level of winter rainfall is expected to
decrease, while summer rainfall will increase.
•Extreme weather events such as heat waves and very high
rainfall are likely to become more frequent.
•Overall, Nepal is likely to become wetter, with the east of
Nepal experiencing more rain than the west.
Climate Change in Nepal

10. Figure: Schematic Diagram of Impacts Caused By Global Warming

11. Biological Impact of Climate Change
• Biodiversity declines
• Phenology shift
• Morphology change
• Range shift
• Change in community composition
• Reduce the ecological resilience

12. Biodiversity Decline
• In Nepal, grasslands are particularly under threat.
• Tropical wet forest and warm temperate rain forest will
disappear, and cool temperate vegetation will turn into warm
temperate vegetation.
• The sub-alpine and alpine regions of Nepal will be
significantly changed by warming, and the altitude at which
vegetation is found could rise by up to 500m. (Policy briefing ,
Nepal)
• Wetlands of Nepal are most vulnerable toward climate change.

13. Phenology Shift
• Evidence has shown that climate change has been affecting
vegetation patterns such as phenology (the timing of life cycle
events in plants and animals, especially in relation to climate)
and distribution.
• They have the potential to cause great challenges to species
survival.
• Eg. Gyalpo Gurung, a local resident of Humde, Manang
district observed greening of pastures in high altitudes (3,000–
4,000 masl) much earlier than the normal season. (Gurung and
Bhandari,2009).

14. Morphological Change
• Only with best adaptation can survive.

15. Range shift
• Tropical species may shift their ranges to higher elevations in
pursuit of cooler temperatures.
• Constraints to movements to higher elevations may increase
the number of species threatened by climate change in tropical
mountains.
• Alpines fauna may shift to further elevations.
Snow Leopard
Red Panda

16. Change in community composition
• Altering the food chain of ecosystem.

17. Reduce the ecological Resilience
• Many plants & animals could be restricted by insect or disease.
• Various plant & animal disease reproduce & spread mostly
rapidly under conditions of warmth & high humidity.

18. *.Thank You.*