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2017 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

7. Review of Ecosystem Monitoring in Nepal and Evolving Earth Observation Technologies

Authors : Hammad Gilani, Faisal Mueen Qamer, Muhammad Sohail, Kabir Uddin, Atul Jain, Wu Ning

Published in: Land Cover Change and Its Eco-environmental Responses in Nepal

Publisher: Springer Singapore

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Abstract

Nepal, a Himalayan country, is situated on the southern slopes of the central Himalayas and represents about one-third of its whole length. Nepal has a population of around 26.5 million and a large proportion of this rely upon land-based activities for their livelihoods. Its elevation ranges 60–8848 masl which constitutes 10 major ecoregions providing diverse ecosystem services crucial for its inhabitants as well as downstream populations. At the ecosystem level, changes in structure, function, patterns of disturbance, and potential impacts of climate change on species are notable concerns. Earth Observation (EO) technologies are being applied for the monitoring and assessment of Nepal on various scales. Since recently, EO supported assessments are also being linked to decision-making processes. In this chapter, we review the status of EO based assessment of key ecosystem components, including forests, rangelands, agro-ecosystems, and wetlands in Nepal. The chapter also looks at the current information gaps and potential use of upcoming satellite technology developments in the context of Nepal.

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previous chapter Patch Analysis of Cultivated Land Abandonment in the Hills of Western Nepal

next chapter Spatio-Temporal Patterns of the Net Primary Productivity in Southern Himalayas During 2001–2015

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Title: Review of Ecosystem Monitoring in Nepal and Evolving Earth Observation Technologies
Authors: Hammad Gilani
Faisal Mueen Qamer
Muhammad Sohail
Kabir Uddin
Atul Jain
Wu Ning
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Book: Land Cover Change and Its Eco-environmental Responses in Nepal
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-2889-2

Electronic ISBN: 978-981-10-2890-8

Copyright Year: 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2890-8_7

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