Question.
Mountain regions are more fragile to ecological changes. Elucidate
( UPSC 2024 Geography Paper 1;
Syllabus: Environmental Geography;
NCERT: Class XI Geography-Chapter-6 )
Answer.
Mountain ecosystems are ecologically sensitive and fragile due to their steep slopes, shallow soils, harsh climates, and unique biodiversity. Small environmental disturbances can lead to disproportionate and sometimes irreversible impacts.
Why Mountain Regions are Ecologically Fragile:
1. Topographical Vulnerability:
Steep slopes are prone to soil erosion, landslides, and flash floods.
Limited soil depth reduces natural resilience to deforestation and land-use changes.
2. Climatic Sensitivity:
Mountains exhibit microclimatic variations.
Rapid warming leads to glacier melt, permafrost thawing, and altered precipitation.
Example: Himalayan glaciers are retreating faster than the global average.
3. Biodiversity Hotspots:
Many mountain regions (e.g., Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats) are biodiversity hotspots.
Endemic species face extinction due to temperature shifts and habitat loss.
4. Water Towers at Risk:
Mountains are sources of major rivers (e.g., Ganges, Brahmaputra).
Climate change affects snowmelt, reducing water availability downstream.
5. Human Interference:
Unplanned tourism, road construction, and urbanisation cause:
Vegetation loss
Habitat fragmentation
Pollution and waste accumulation
Example: Joshimath land subsidence (Uttarakhand, 2023)
6. Low Adaptive Capacity:
Mountain communities have limited access to resources, infrastructure, and early warning systems.
Makes them more vulnerable to disasters like cloudbursts, landslides, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
Examples:
Himalayas: Glacial retreat, flash floods, seismic vulnerability
Western Ghats: Habitat loss due to monoculture plantations and mining
North-East India: Landslides due to jhum cultivation and deforestation
Conclusion:
Mountain regions require special ecological attention. Sustainable practices, eco-sensitive development, and community-led conservation are essential to protect these fragile environments.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon