Chitra Bahadur Baniya

The Himalayan–Tibetan orogen has undergone complex paleoenvironmental transformations that shaped its biodiversity, yet the timing and sequence of surface uplift—and corresponding biogeographic scenarios for endemic Himalayan taxa—remain debated. We investigated the biogeographic history of Gloydius pitvipers (Serpentes: Crotalinae) from the Himalaya and Hindu Kush by integrating a time‐calibrated mitochondrial phylogeny with paleoclimatic reconstructions and species distribution modeling. Our results suggest that Gloydius originated in East and Southeast Asia during the early Miocene (~18.6 Ma), with divergence of the Himalaya–Hindu Kush clade at ~14.5 Ma and subsequent diversification from ~11.7–6.9 Ma. Phylogenetic patterns suggest that ancestral lineages expanded westward across paleo‐Tibet via subtropical to warm‐temperate corridors, likely through a Central Paleo‐Trans‐Tibet Valley between the Gangdese and Tanggula Mountains, rather than along the Himalayan arc. A secondary corridor along the Indus–Yarlung Suture Zone may have allowed access to Himalayan transverse valleys, facilitating colonization of the western and central Himalaya, while the eastern Himalaya remained unoccupied despite suitable climate. Paleoclimatic models reveal dynamic habitat shifts over the last 3 million years, highlighting the sensitivity of these low‐dispersal taxa to climatic fluctuations. This study provides a plausible scenario for the paradoxical phylogenetic topology of Himalayan Gloydius , offering a biogeographic model for disjunct trans‐Tibet distributions of poorly dispersing taxa and a biotic perspective on the Miocene tectonic and environmental evolution of the Himalayan–Tibetan Orogen.

The Himalaya and Hindu Kush remain among the least scientifically explored mountain regions of Asia. Within their vertebrate fauna, pitvipers of the Gloydius himalayanus (Günther, 1864) complex have long presented taxonomic challenges due to limited sampling in remote areas and the absence of integrative analyses. Here, we present a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the G. himalayanus complex using an integrative framework that combines genetic and distributional data, external morphology, osteology, and ecological evidence. Our dataset also uniquely incorporates both newly collected material and DNA sequences obtained from 19 ^th - and early 20 ^th -century museum specimens, including one of the syntypes of G. himalayanus (BMNH 1946.1.19.64), underscoring the enduring value of historical collections in modern taxonomy. Analyses of four mitochondrial and three nuclear genes from populations across the western and central Himalaya and the Hindu Kush, many of which were genetically studied for the first time, recover five well-supported monophyletic lineages: G. himalayanus sensu stricto, G. chambensis , and three previously unrecognised lineages from the Hindu Kush of north-western Pakistan, the Hazara region of north-eastern Pakistan at the western margin of the Himalaya, and the Himalaya of western and central Nepal. Genetic distances in protein-coding mtDNA markers indicate species-level divergence among these lineages, ranging from 9.2–12.6% in cyt b and 8.1–14.1% in ND4, with additional support from partial allelic differentiation in phased nuclear markers, morphology, and osteology. Based on these results, we formally describe three new species, substantially expanding the known diversity of Gloydius along the southern Himalaya. To stabilise the nomenclature, we designate a lectotype for Halys himalayanus Günther. By integrating modern and historical data, this study demonstrates the lasting scientific relevance of natural history collections and emphasises the urgent need for conservation of these narrowly distributed and potentially regionally threatened mountain snakes.

Assessing carbon stocks in forest ecosystems is essential for the development of effective management strategies. This study was carried out with aim to assess the tree species richness, phytomass carbon stock, and soil organic carbon (SOC) in Barandabhar forest in Chitwan, Bagmati Province, Nepal under four management regimes within forest such as: Buffer Zone Forest (BZ), Buffer Zone Community Forest (BZCF), Community Forest (CF), and Protected Forest (PF) using concentric circular plots of 20 m radius (each of 0.12 ha). Altogether 256 sample plots were employed. Among them, 119 plots were in BZ, 48 plots in BZCF, 56 plots in CF, and 33 plots in PF. All tree species in each plot were recorded and their height and diameter at breast height (DBH ≥ 5cm) were measured to calculate phytomass carbon stock. Soil parameters such as pH, Bulk density, and SOC for soil samples collected from 0–10 cm depth in each plot were also analysed. In total, 30 tree species were recorded in the study, with Shorea robusta contributing the highest phytomass carbon stock. The mean phytomass carbon stock across the study area was 201±5 t/ha, while the mean SOC in the soil was 10.2±0.2 t/ha. Across the regimes, the highest phytomass carbon stock was recorded in the BZCF i.e., 239 ± 14 t/ha, followed by PF (207 ± 12 t/ha), BZ (202 ± 6 t/ha), and CF (162 ± 8 t/ha), respectively. The better predictors of phytomass carbon were soil pH and bulk density including tree basal area. These findings emphasize that forest management practices could have a significant impact on the carbon storage potential of forests.

The Barandabhar Forest, a vital corridor linking Chitwan National Park to the Mahabharat Range in central Nepal, supports diverse plant communities within a tropical ecosystem. However, increasing human migration and dependence on forest resources have contributed to vegetation decline. The present study explores the vegetation structure and diversity across four forest management regimes, viz., Buffer Zone Community Forest (BZCF), Community Forest (CF), Protected Forest (PF), and Buffer Zone Forest (BZ). This study assessed the structure, composition, and diversity of plant species across four forest management regimes using 256 concentric circular sampling plots (CCSPs) for trees (DBH ≥ 5 cm), shrubs, and herbs. A total of 90 plant species were recorded, comprising 30 trees, 26 shrubs, and 34 herbs, belonging to 37 families. Fabaceae represented the most species-rich family (16 species). Species richness in BZ, CF and PF was found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the species richness of BZCF. Furthermore, the Community Forest (CF) exhibited the highest species richness, diversity, and maturity indices. Among trees, Shorea robusta showed the highest value for Importance Value Index (IVI), while Clerodendrum infortunatum dominated the shrub layer across all forest regimes. Dipterocarpaceae and Lamiaceae recorded the highest Family Importance Values (FIV) for trees and shrubs, respectively. The herb species Imperata cylindrica showed greatest prominence value among herbs across all regimes. These findings highlight variation in vegetation composition across management systems, emphasizing the importance of effective conservation strategies for maintaining forest biodiversity and ecological integrity.

Lakes in the eastern Nepal enriched with a combination of mystical biodiversity and the essence of cultural ecosystem services are among the major ecotourism destinations. Wetland based ecotourism approach aims at conserving the environment and uplifting the socio-economic and cultural conditions through tourism development. The study aimed to list out the macrophytes of the lakes and to assess the ecotourism potentialities in some lakes (Taltalaiya, Raja-Rani, Chulachuli and Maipokhari) of eastern Nepal. Macrophytes were studied by quadrat method. Regarding the data for the components of ecotourism, primary data were collected by key informant survey and focus group discussion to know the visitor’s perception on the current ecotourism status of these lakes. Secondary sources of data collection included published and unpublished literature. Collected data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The rich macrophyte diversity of these lakes comprising 56 species of angiosperms and 4 species of aquatic pteridophytes reflects a natural and undisturbed habitat with great ecotourism potentials. However, Chulachuli lake is not familiar from ecotourism point of view till date. Based on numerous ecotourism activities, the study reveals that relaxation ranks top in Taltalaiya lake, picnic/outing in Raja-Rani lake, and religious activity in Maipokhari lake. Ecotourism activities integrated with public involvement could serve as a backbone for generating and improving the wetland revenue to sustain the conservation of wetland biodiversity.

The ethnobotanical reservoir of local people, which has survived and adapted over the centuries, is usually very rich with precise knowledge about various plants and their use for different purposes. This study aims to document the traditional knowledge related to plant use among the Magar ethnic group of Arghakhanchi District, central Nepal. Fieldwork was carried out to document the plants used by the Magar people of Chhapdanda and Dharapani villages through key informant interviews. The results revealed that the Magar people were using 137 plant species for different purposes, with 102 species identified in Chhapdanda and 100 in Dharapani. A total of 131 species were identified as medicinal. Gastrointestinal disorder was the most common ailment treated by plants. Among other ethnobotanical uses, the Magar people, combining both villages, identified 35 species of plants used as food, 20 as material sources, 15 for religious and spiritual purposes, 7 for alcoholic beverages preparation, 7 as fodder, and 4 as food additives. Sixty-nine plant species were cited for more than one ethnobotanical use category, with Diploknema butyracea having the highest number of ethnobotanical uses. Naturally, the Magar people of Arghakhanchi District are rich in their traditional knowledge, particularly concerning the medicinal applications of plants. Safeguarding this knowledge is vital not only to improve the health of the ethnic communities but the entire society in general.

This study explores the seasonal availability of bee flora at Coronation Garden, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, during 2015-2016. A field survey documented flowering plant species visited by bees, confirming their role as bee flora through visual observations. Identified species were categorized into major, medium, and minor groups based on the nectar and pollen they provided. A total of 197 plant species were identified as bee flora, including horticultural, ornamental, wild, and agricultural species. The spring season of 2016 exhibited the highest abundance of blooming plants, making it the most favourable period for bees. The study emphasizes the importance of seasonal variation in bee flora availability, providing valuable insights for beekeeping practices.

Amidst increasing hydropower development in recent years, the impacts of such hydropower on fish communities are poorly understood. We hypothesized that run‐of‐the‐river hydropower dams influence fish assemblages in the dewatered stretch in the Trisuli and Marsyangdi Rivers of the Gandaki Basin, Nepal. Fish and water samples were collected from 5 sampling sites in each river covering postmonsoon (November), baseflow (late February), and premonsoon (April) seasons. Six replicate samples were collected from each site, making a total of 180 water samples. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling and hierarchical clustering were used to cluster fish assemblages. Ecological indices were computed, and the redundancy analysis was performed to determine water quality contributions to fish species composition. The Cyprinidae family constituted nearly 58% of the total composition, making it the most dominant family. The study demonstrated a significant difference in the fish abundance among the sampling sites. Particularly, the dam site and downstream sites had relatively less abundance of fish, clearly demonstrating the dam’s impact on fish assemblages. The highest diversity index was recorded in the reference site and the lowest in the dam site. There was a significant association between streamflow discharge and fish abundance. The significant contributors in determining the fish species composition were pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, chloride, total hardness, calcium hardness, free carbon dioxide, and phosphate. The Trisuli River recorded a higher fish diversity and evenness compared to the Marsyangdi River. The present study provides critical insights into water quality parameters determining fish community structures in the Nepal Himalaya and offers useful information on sustainable hydropower development by adopting mitigating measures for restoring riverine fish diversity.