Underground Explorers

The alpine ecosystems in the Himalayan region are critical for regulating water resources, preserving biodiversity, storing carbon, and providing essential habitats for unique flora and fauna, crucially supporting the livelihoods of millions of people. However, the encroachment of forests into these high-altitude alpine regions poses a severe threat, disrupting their delicate balance and jeopardizing the ecological services they provide, including below biodiversity. Through the SPUN grant, this study investigates the impact of forest expansion on belowground biodiversity, particularly the soil fungal community, across three alpine ecosystems in Bhutan's Eastern Himalaya. The expansion of forests has created a significant forest-alpine ecotone, allowing us to compare fungal communities in the forest, ecotone, and alpine zones. Forest encroachment not only has ecological ramifications but also profound social implications, as these ecosystems are crucial alpine rangelands for livestock, sustaining pastoral communities' livelihoods. Therefore, this study also explores the social impacts of forest expansion into these alpine rangelands. By addressing these dual ecological and social dimensions, this research seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the consequences of forest expansion in alpine ecosystems, aiding in the formulation of sustainable conservation and management strategies.