Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences
Title : | Investigation of Xylogenesis from Alpine and High Altitude Himalayas to Analyse Climate Change and Its Consequences on Extreme Ecological Environments |
Area of research : | Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Krishna Gopal Misra, Birbal Sahni Institute Of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh |
Timeline Start Year : | 2026 |
Timeline End Year : | 2026 |
Contact info : | krishbsip@gmail.com |
Equipments : | Increment borer |
Details
Executive Summary : | Global warming is causing a critical increase in Earth's mean temperature, disrupting atmospheric processes worldwide and threatening human development. Anthropogenic activities are believed to be the major contributor to climate change, with the impact observed in alpine and high-altitude Himalayan ecology through tree species migration and settlements. The Himalayan mountain system is most vulnerable to climate change as it provides shelter for various biological life and occupies the largest area of glaciers outside the poles. The biotic life includes important tree species and shrubs that grow in extreme climatic environments and capture environmental changes in their growth-ring sequences. The xylogenesis of annual growth-producing vegetation could be a valuable source for long-term climate analysis. Tree-growth studies from the Himalayan region are mainly centered in semi-arid-arid to subalpine regions, suggesting large-scale climate variability. However, limited records from high-altitude and alpine Himalayas restrict our understanding of extreme environments. The proposed proposal aims to develop the xylogenesis response of alpine and high-altitude Himalayan vegetation for climate reconstruction and their consequences in extreme ecological environments. The study will analyze xylotomical features, stable isotopes, δ18O and δ13C from tree-ring cellulose, and provide clear anatomical pictures of growth rings to changing global climate and its impact on cell size. |
Total Budget (INR): | 27,89,337 |
Organizations involved