Effect of Environmental Changes on the Shivalik and Himalayan Populations of Northern India

Since the origin of the Shivalik and the Himalayan Mountain Ranges in India, these mountain ranges have witnessed extensive climatic fluctuations. The hill states of India, that is, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the North-Eastern states, as well as the hilly regions of other states located within the Himalayas and the Shivalik mountains, have also been adversely affected in various eras on the planet Earth. The fossiliferous beds of these mountains unfold the story of palaeontology and palaeoecology of these regions. The uncongenial, drastic climatic conditions led to the extinction of a number of species of flora and fauna in this region. This paper highlights how recent ecological and environmental changes have affected human and animal populations, as well as the forests, in these regions. What can be done in these regions to protect the ecosystem and environment has also been indicated.

Shivalik, Himalaya, Mountains, Ecosystem, Environment, Populations, Climatic Fluctuations

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