Sikkim,located in the Eastern Himalayan Region,represents one of the 36 globally recognized biodiversity hotspots and harbors an exceptional range of ecosystems within a relatively small geographic area.Over the past ...Sikkim,located in the Eastern Himalayan Region,represents one of the 36 globally recognized biodiversity hotspots and harbors an exceptional range of ecosystems within a relatively small geographic area.Over the past few decades,the region has witnessed rapid urbanization alongside other developmental activities such as hydropower construction,road expansion,mining and infrastructure development.While these processes have contributed to socioeconomic development,they have simultaneously exerted significant pressure on the fragile mountain environment.This review examines the impacts of urbanization on biodiversity in the Sikkim Himalaya drawing attention to the ways in which land-use change due to urbanization,habitat fragmentation and economic development have altered ecological dynamics and threatened biodiversity of this region.The findings of the current study suggest that unplanned urban growth has led to the degradation of forest cover,disruption of ecological corridors thereby diminishing ecosystem resilience of the region.In addition,the current study highlights the challenges of balancing developmental imperatives with environmental conservation in the study area where both ecological integrity and human livelihoods are intricately interdependent.This study highlights the urgent need for integrated land-use planning that incorporates ecological corridors,urban green spaces,and community-based conservation to mitigate biodiversity loss.Strengthened governance, sustainable tourism, invasive species control, and systematic biodiversity monitoring are essential tobalance urban development with ecological integrity. Most importantly, holistic and interdisciplinary approaches arecritical to ensuring that urban growth in the Global Biodiversity Hotspot of the Sikkim Himalaya aligns with globalbiodiversity conservation goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).展开更多
In a pivotal moment for global conservation policy,UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere(MAB)Programme has endorsed the Hangzhou Strategic Action Plan(HSAP)2026–2035(UNESCO,2025),a decade-long roadmap that positions the Wo...In a pivotal moment for global conservation policy,UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere(MAB)Programme has endorsed the Hangzhou Strategic Action Plan(HSAP)2026–2035(UNESCO,2025),a decade-long roadmap that positions the World Network of Biosphere Reserves(WNBR)as central actors in delivering biodiversity,climate and sustainable-development goals(SDGs).The plan—developed and opened for global consultation in the runup to the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves—articulates strategic directions,measurable action targets and practical instruments to strengthen biosphere reserves as living laboratories for people and nature(Ma,2025).展开更多
文摘Sikkim,located in the Eastern Himalayan Region,represents one of the 36 globally recognized biodiversity hotspots and harbors an exceptional range of ecosystems within a relatively small geographic area.Over the past few decades,the region has witnessed rapid urbanization alongside other developmental activities such as hydropower construction,road expansion,mining and infrastructure development.While these processes have contributed to socioeconomic development,they have simultaneously exerted significant pressure on the fragile mountain environment.This review examines the impacts of urbanization on biodiversity in the Sikkim Himalaya drawing attention to the ways in which land-use change due to urbanization,habitat fragmentation and economic development have altered ecological dynamics and threatened biodiversity of this region.The findings of the current study suggest that unplanned urban growth has led to the degradation of forest cover,disruption of ecological corridors thereby diminishing ecosystem resilience of the region.In addition,the current study highlights the challenges of balancing developmental imperatives with environmental conservation in the study area where both ecological integrity and human livelihoods are intricately interdependent.This study highlights the urgent need for integrated land-use planning that incorporates ecological corridors,urban green spaces,and community-based conservation to mitigate biodiversity loss.Strengthened governance, sustainable tourism, invasive species control, and systematic biodiversity monitoring are essential tobalance urban development with ecological integrity. Most importantly, holistic and interdisciplinary approaches arecritical to ensuring that urban growth in the Global Biodiversity Hotspot of the Sikkim Himalaya aligns with globalbiodiversity conservation goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China,China(2022YFE0209400).
文摘In a pivotal moment for global conservation policy,UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere(MAB)Programme has endorsed the Hangzhou Strategic Action Plan(HSAP)2026–2035(UNESCO,2025),a decade-long roadmap that positions the World Network of Biosphere Reserves(WNBR)as central actors in delivering biodiversity,climate and sustainable-development goals(SDGs).The plan—developed and opened for global consultation in the runup to the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves—articulates strategic directions,measurable action targets and practical instruments to strengthen biosphere reserves as living laboratories for people and nature(Ma,2025).
