Freezing–thawing indices serve as a comprehensive indicator of both the duration of the freezing/thawing periods and the degree of cold and heat in a given region.In-depth analysis of the freezing-thawing indices not...Freezing–thawing indices serve as a comprehensive indicator of both the duration of the freezing/thawing periods and the degree of cold and heat in a given region.In-depth analysis of the freezing-thawing indices not only enables the prediction of permafrost distribution and its dynamic changes,but also facilitates the assessment of damage risk to infrastructure under freeze-thaw action.In this paper,the air/ground freezing–thawing indices from 1987 to 2017,based on daily temperature observations from meteorological stations along the China–Nepal Highway(CNH),were calculated,and their spatial and temporal variation patterns were analyzed.The results showed that:(1)Both mean annual air temperature and mean annual ground surface temperature along the CNH fluctuated upward,with climate tendency rates of 0.43 and 0.52.C·(10a)~(-1),respectively;(2)The number of days with negative air temperature and ground temperature showed fluctuated downward,with change rates of-8.6 and-8.3 d·(10a)~(-1),respectively;(3)The ranges of air freezing index,air thawing index,ground freezing index,and ground thawing index over the years were 157.05-458.88°C·d,2034.20-2560.73°C·d,108.78-396.83°C·d,and 3515.25-4288.67°C·d,respectively.The climate tendency rates were-5.42,10.22,-6.79,and 12.14.C·d·a-1,respectively,showing a general warming trend;(4)The air freezing index,ground freezing index,and ground thawing index changed abruptly in 1999,2000,and 2002,respectively,evincing significant changes after 2002.The research results can provide a basis for the risk assessment of freezing–thawing erosion and the prevention and control of permafrost engineering diseases along the CNH.展开更多
The inaugural"Belt and Road Nepal-China Buddhist Culture and Art Summit Forum"was held at the Lumbini Buddhist University in Nepal.The"Faxian-Xuanzang Scholarship Fund",jointly established by the C...The inaugural"Belt and Road Nepal-China Buddhist Culture and Art Summit Forum"was held at the Lumbini Buddhist University in Nepal.The"Faxian-Xuanzang Scholarship Fund",jointly established by the Chinese Culture Promotion Society and the Lumbini Buddhist University,was officially launched during the forum.The programme aims to support 100 Chinese and Nepali students in the next three years in conducting specialised research in such fields as Buddhist art and historical scripts.展开更多
Agriculture,significantly impacted by climate change and climate variability,serves as the primary livelihood for smallholder farmers in South Asia.This study aims to examine and evaluate the factors influencing small...Agriculture,significantly impacted by climate change and climate variability,serves as the primary livelihood for smallholder farmers in South Asia.This study aims to examine and evaluate the factors influencing smallholder farmers'adaptive capacity(AC)in addressing these risks through surveys from 633 households across Nepal,India,and Bangladesh.The findings reveal that AC is influenced by various indicators categorized under eight principal factors.The first three factors,which explain about one-third of the variance in each country,include distinct significant indicators for each nation:in Nepal,these indicators are landholding size,skill-development training,knowledge of improved seed varieties,number of income sources,access to markets,and access to financial institutions;in India,they encompass ac-cess to agricultural-input information,knowledge of seed varieties,access to markets,access to crop insurance,changing the sowing/harvesting times of crops,and access to financial ser-vices;in Bangladesh,the key factors are access to financial institutions,community coopera-tion,changing the sowing/harvesting times of crops,knowledge of improved seed varieties,and access to agricultural-input information.Notably,indicators such as trust in weather in-formation,changing sowing/harvesting times of crops,and crop insurance were identified as important determinants of AC,which have been overlooked in previous studies.展开更多
Objective Overweight and obesity prevalence has increased in low-income countries.This study systematically reviewed the obesity trend,disparities,and prevention and control efforts in Nepal.Methods We searched PubMed...Objective Overweight and obesity prevalence has increased in low-income countries.This study systematically reviewed the obesity trend,disparities,and prevention and control efforts in Nepal.Methods We searched PubMed and Google Scholar for articles and reports published between January 1,2004 and December 31,2022.Additional information on National policies and programs related to obesity prevention was retrieved from governmental websites and consultation with relevant experts.Overweight and obesity were defined using the World Health Organization body mass index cut points.Thirty-two studies and reports were included.Results Overall,overweight and obesity rates increased in all groups in Nepal although nationally representative data remained limited.The combined overweight and obesity(OW/OB)and obesity rates in women aged 15-49 years increased from 8.5%to 22.2%and from 0.9%to 5.1%between 2006 and 2016,respectively.OW/OB and obesity rates in men were 17.1%and 2.5%based on data from the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey.OW/OB rate in under-five children increased from 0.6%to 2.8%between 2006 and 2016.Obesity rates for school-age(5-9 years)boys and girls in 2016 were 2.4%and 2.8%,respectively,and were 1.1%and 1.4%for male and female adolescents aged 10-19 years,respectively.OW/OB prevalence was much higher among women,residents in urban areas and central provinces,and in higher socioeconomic status groups.Projected prevalence of OW/OB and obesity for 2030 in adults aged 15-49 was 44.7%and 8.3%,respectively,while it was 2.2%for OW/OB in preschool children.Policies and direct interventions that specifically focused on obesity prevention and control are limited.Conclusions OW/OB prevalence in Nepal has increased during the past 1.8 decades,disproportionately affecting population groups.Existing interventions mostly focused on undernutrition with some indirect implications for obesity prevention.In the future,Nepal needs to develop population-based programs for obesity prevention.展开更多
Aging is a natural lifelong process ending in death. Many older people are living in poverty. Older people are generally considered dependent on others as they grow older. The purpose of this article is to explore the...Aging is a natural lifelong process ending in death. Many older people are living in poverty. Older people are generally considered dependent on others as they grow older. The purpose of this article is to explore the entrepreneurship activities of Nepalese older adults. Data for this study were collected from the project Help Age International (HAI) implemented in Nepal. Qualitative data observations and interviews were used to collect data. The findings of this study show the formation of the Older People’s Association (OPA) has supported many older people to participate outside the home in various social activities. Moreover, regular deposits through OPAs offer little help. OPAs support older people in their need of financial support to implement minor entrepreneurship. Older people who received support were pleased and were actively involved in their activities and also regularly deposited money in them. Subsequently, older people’s participation in social activities has increased and also helped to lower elderly abuse, loneliness, and depression. Local governments should promote such activities which will help with healthy aging.展开更多
REDD+1is an economic incentivizing mechanism aimed at reducing or offsetting of carbon emissions in forests,while realizing multiple benefits alongside climate action. Engaging local stakeholders is crucial for its su...REDD+1is an economic incentivizing mechanism aimed at reducing or offsetting of carbon emissions in forests,while realizing multiple benefits alongside climate action. Engaging local stakeholders is crucial for its sustainable implementation and benefit-sharing mechanism. This study focuses on the knowledge and understanding of locallevel stakeholders about REDD+and its associated attributes, revealing significant knowledge gaps between areas with and without REDD+pilot activities. For this, we conducted the semi-structured questionnaire interviews(n=136), key informant interviews(n=27), and focus group discussions(n=4) with local-level REDD+stakeholders(LLRS) comprising both inside and outside of pilot project districts in three provinces of Nepal, by adopting the concept of socio-ecological systems(SES). Data were analyzed using a generalized linear model(GLM) and visualized through Sankey diagrams. The results indicate a poor understanding(29%) of LLRS on the REDD+process, its relationship with forests, concerns among stakeholders, and its potential significance. The perception of REDD+knowledge, mechanisms, and benefits significantly(p < 0.05) varied across study areas, age groups, genders, professional backgrounds, educational levels, ownership of private forests, and types of household energy sources used among respondents. Despite receiving readiness funds, stakeholders' comprehension of the REDD+process remains limited, indicating suboptimal policy implementation. Knowledge gaps were influenced by social background, voices and choices, and the fear of REDD+disrupting traditional practices among the LLRS. The study emphasizes the need to redress the concerns of LLRS by considering their social backgrounds and traditional practices through informed and participatory decision-making, enhance communication, transparency,and inclusive forest governance. The findings show that current external support has not sufficiently enhanced capacity among LLRS, suggesting the need for sufficient and sustainable support through national policy and financing mechanisms. Further, the study identified extremely poor REDD+-related knowledge dissemination within communities, exacerbating challenges in implementation and benefit-sharing mechanisms, revealing the simplification of its process is essential. The study advocates for revising REDD+-related policies to optimize benefits, ensure smooth implementation, realize fair and equitable carbon credits from forests, and foster shared responsibility and ownership among all stakeholders in climate actions through improved forest governance.展开更多
Dengue fever(DF)has become a major public health concern in Nepal,with increasing outbreaks in recent years.Transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes,this climate-sensitive viral disease presents a significant challenge for hea...Dengue fever(DF)has become a major public health concern in Nepal,with increasing outbreaks in recent years.Transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes,this climate-sensitive viral disease presents a significant challenge for healthcare providers and policymakers.Since 2004,Nepal has experienced a sharp increase in DF cases,peaking in 2022 with 54784 cases and 88 deaths.The surge,driven mainly by serotypes 1,2,and 3,is exacerbated by climate change,which prolongs mosquito breeding seasons due to warmer temperatures and increased rainfall.This trend has even impacted previously unaffected hilly regions.Effective dengue control strategies must focus on climate change adaptation,strengthening healthcare system reinforcement,raising public awareness,and enhancing vector control measures.Government initiatives,like the national dengue control program,play a critical role,but research and community engagement are also vital for prevention and early detection.Integrating climate resilience into public health efforts is essential to reducing the dengue burden in Nepal.展开更多
Colistin sulfate is an antibiotic in the polymyxin family that is utilized as a last-resort therapy for septicemia in humans caused by multidrugresistant infections.However,its indiscriminate use in veterinary practic...Colistin sulfate is an antibiotic in the polymyxin family that is utilized as a last-resort therapy for septicemia in humans caused by multidrugresistant infections.However,its indiscriminate use in veterinary practices poses an increasingly significant risk to the development of colistin resistance and its detrimental effects on public health.Colistin is still widely used in animals for treatment,metaphylaxis,prophylaxis,and growth promotion despite being designated a critically important antimicrobial for human medicine by the World Health Organization(WHO)[1].In this correspondence,our objective is to examine the repercussions stemming from the illicit use of colistin in livestock and poultry in Nepal.展开更多
Aging is a natural lifelong process until death. The proportions of the older population are increasing rapidly in Nepal too. There are 2.97 million older people in Nepal as of the 2021 census which is a 38.2% increas...Aging is a natural lifelong process until death. The proportions of the older population are increasing rapidly in Nepal too. There are 2.97 million older people in Nepal as of the 2021 census which is a 38.2% increase compared to the previous census of 2011. The proportion of the older population reached 10.21% of the total population of Nepal. During this decade, Nepal’s average population growth rate is 0.92% and the older population growth rate is 3.29% per year. On the other hand, Nepal’s total fertility is below replacement level, infant mortality is around 23 per thousand live births and average life expectancy is now around 71 years. The median age of Nepal is 25 years and the index of aging increased rapidly from 23.3 in 2011 to 36.7 in the 2021 census of Nepal. These indicators show aging is taking place rapidly and the caregiving burden may increase rapidly in the coming days due to the tendency of migration of the young population to other countries. In this context, the Nepal government needs to focus on how to manage the population and provide quality services and social security for the growing older people of Nepal.展开更多
The extensive damage to buildings caused by the Nepal Ms8.1 earthquake has attracted much attention by the international community.Afterthe preliminary scientific investigations on the different affected areas inNepal...The extensive damage to buildings caused by the Nepal Ms8.1 earthquake has attracted much attention by the international community.Afterthe preliminary scientific investigations on the different affected areas inNepal,the construction and damage characteristics of five different types of buildings commonly existing in Nepal were discussed and the reasons of their disaster performance were analyzed.Types of buildings investigated include reinforced concrete(RC) frame structures,rubble structures,brick-wood structures,raw soil structures,and brick-wood structures of historic buildings.In addition,the weak links of the seismic design were pointed out,which was very important for the post-earthquake reconstruction and recovery,and gave a preliminary explanations for the damage experienced.展开更多
Based on monthly mean, maximum, and minimum air temperature and monthly mean precipitation data from 10 meteorological stations on the southern slope of the Mt. Qomolangma region in Nepal between 1971 and 2009, the sp...Based on monthly mean, maximum, and minimum air temperature and monthly mean precipitation data from 10 meteorological stations on the southern slope of the Mt. Qomolangma region in Nepal between 1971 and 2009, the spatial and temporal characteristics of climatic change in this region were analyzed using climatic linear trend, Sen＇s Slope Estimates and Mann-Kendall Test analysis methods. This paper focuses only on the southern slope and attempts to compare the results with those from the northern slope to clarify the characteristics and trends of climatic change in the Mt. Qomolangma region. The results showed that： （1） between 1971 and 2009, the annual mean temperature in the study area was 20.0℃, the rising rate of annual mean temperature was 0.25℃/10a, and the temperature increases were highly influenced by the maximum temperature in this region. On the other hand, the temperature increases on the northern slope of Mt. Qomolangma region were highly influenced by the minimum temperature. In 1974 and 1992, the temperature rose noticeably in February and September in the southern region when the increment passed 0.9℃. （2） Precipitation had an asymmetric distribution; between 1971 and 2009, the annual precipitation was 1729.01 mm. In this region, precipitation showed an increasing trend of 4.27 mm/a, but this was not statistically significant. In addition, the increase in rainfall was mainly concentrated in the period from April to October, including the entire monsoon period （from June to September） when precipitation accounts for about 78.9% of the annual total. （3） The influence of altitude on climate warming was not clear in the southern region, whereas the trend of climate warming was obvious on the northern slope of Mt. Qomolangma. The annual mean precipitation in the southern region was much higher than that of the northern slope of the Mt. Qomolangma region. This shows the barrier effect of the Himalayas as a whole and Mt. Qomolangma in particular.展开更多
The Middle Mountains is one of the regions of Nepal most vulnerable to water erosion, where fragile geology, steep topography, anomalous climatic conditions, and intensive human activity have resulted in serious soil ...The Middle Mountains is one of the regions of Nepal most vulnerable to water erosion, where fragile geology, steep topography, anomalous climatic conditions, and intensive human activity have resulted in serious soil erosion and enhanced land degradation. Based on the 137 Cs tracing method, spatial variations in soil erosion, organic carbon, and total nitrogen(TN) in terraced fields lacking field banks and forestland were determined. Soil samples were collected at approximately 5 m and 20 m intervals along terraced field series and forestland transects respectively. Mean 137 Cs inventories of the four soil cores from the reference site was estimated at 574.33 ± 126.22 Bq m-2(1 Bq(i.e., one Becquerel) is equal to 1 disintegration per second(1 dps)). For each terrace, the 137 Cs inventory generally increased fromupper to lower slope positions, accompanied by a decrease in the soil erosion rate. Along the entire terraced toposequence, 137 Cs data showed that abrupt changes in soil erosion rates could occur between the lower part of the upper terrace and the upper part of the immediate terrace within a small distance. This result indicated that tillage erosion is also a dominant erosion type in the sloping farmland of this area. At the same time, we observed a fluctuant decrease in soil erosion rates for the whole terraced toposequence as well as a net deposition at the toe terrace. Although steep terraces(lacking banks and hedgerows) to some extent could act to limit soil sediment accumulation in catchments, soil erosion in the terraced field was determined to be serious. For forestland, with the exception of serious soil erosion that had taken place at the top of slopes due to concentrated flows from a country road situated above the forestland site, spatialvariation in soil erosion was similar to the "standard" water erosion model. Soil organic carbon(SOC) and TN inventories showed similar spatial patterns to the 137 Cs inventory for both toposequences investigated. However, due to the different dominant erosion processes between the two, we found similar patterns between the <0.002 mm soil particle size fraction(clay sized) and 137 Cs inventories in terraced fields, while different patterns could be found between 137 Cs inventories and the <0.002 mm soil particle size fraction in the forestland site. Such results confirm that 137 Cs can successfully trace soil erosion, SOC and soil nitrogen dynamics in steep terraced fields and forestland in the Middle Mountains of Nepal.展开更多
Nepal was hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on 25^(th) April,2015.The main shock and many large aftershocks generated a large number of coseismic landslips in central Nepal.We have developed a landslide susceptibility...Nepal was hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on 25^(th) April,2015.The main shock and many large aftershocks generated a large number of coseismic landslips in central Nepal.We have developed a landslide susceptibility map of the affected region based on the coseismic landslides collected from remotely sensed data and fieldwork,using bivariate statistical model with different landslide causative factors.From the investigation,it is observed that most of the coseismic landslides are independent of previous landslides.Out of 3,716 mapped landslides,we used 80% of them to develop a susceptibility map and the remaining 20% were taken for validating the model.A total of 11 different landslide-influencing parameters were considered.These include slope gradient,slope aspect,plan curvature,elevation,relative relief,Peak Ground Acceleration(PGA),distance from epicenters of the mainshock and major aftershocks,lithology,distance of the landslide from the fault,fold,and drainage line.The success rate of 87.66% and the prediction rate of86.87% indicate that the model is in good agreement between the developed susceptibility map and theexisting landslides data.PGA,lithology,slope angle and elevation have played a major role in triggering the coseismic mass movements.This susceptibility map can be used for relocating the people in the affected regions as well as for future land development.展开更多
In order to advance land use and land cover change（LUCC） research in Nepal, it is essential to reconstruct both the spatiotemporal distribution of agricultural land cover as well as scenarios that can explain these ...In order to advance land use and land cover change（LUCC） research in Nepal, it is essential to reconstruct both the spatiotemporal distribution of agricultural land cover as well as scenarios that can explain these changes at the national and regional levels. Because of rapid population growth, the status of agricultural land in Nepal has changed markedly over the last 100 years. Historical data is used in this study, encompassing soils, populations, climatic variables, and topography. Data were revised to a series of 30 m grid cells utilized for agricultural land suitability and allocation models and were analyzed using a suite of advanced geographical tools. Our reconstructions for the spatiotemporal distribution of agricultural land in Nepal reveal an increasing trend between 1910 and 2010（from 151.2 × 10^2 km^2 to 438.8 × 10^2 km^2）. This expanded rate of increase in agricultural land has varied between different eco, physiographic, and altitudinal regions of the country, significantly driven by population changes and policies over the period of this investigation. The historical dataset presented in this paper fills an existing gap in studies of agricultural land change and can be applied to other carbon cycle and climate modeling studies, as well as to impact assessments of agricultural land change in Nepal.展开更多
Landslide distribution and susceptibility mapping are the fundamental steps for landslide-related hazard and disaster risk management activities, especially in the Himalaya region which has resulted in a great deal of...Landslide distribution and susceptibility mapping are the fundamental steps for landslide-related hazard and disaster risk management activities, especially in the Himalaya region which has resulted in a great deal of death and damage to property. To better understand the landslide condition in the Nepal Himalaya, we carried out an investigation on the landslide distribution and susceptibility using the landslide inventory data and 12 different contributing factors in the Dailekh district, Western Nepal. Based on the evaluation of the frequency distribution of the landslide, the relationship between the landslide and the various contributing factors was determined.Then, the landslide susceptibility was calculated using logistic regression and statistical index methods along with different topographic(slope, aspect, relative relief, plan curvature, altitude, topographic wetness index) and non-topographic factors(distance from river, normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI), distance from road, precipitation, land use and land cover, and geology), and 470(70%) of total 658 landslides. The receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analysis using 198(30%) of total landslides showed that the prediction curve rates(area under the curve, AUC) values for two methods(logistic regression and statistical index) were 0.826, and 0.823with success rates of 0.793, and 0.811, respectively. The values of R-Index for the logistic regression and statistical index methods were83.66 and 88.54, respectively, consisting of high susceptible hazard classes. In general, this research concluded that the cohesive and coherent natural interplay of topographic and non-topographic factors strongly affects landslide occurrence, distribution, and susceptibility condition in the Nepal Himalaya region. Furthermore, the reliability of these two methods is verified for landslide susceptibility mapping in Nepal’s central mountain region.展开更多
Land surface temperature(LST)is an important variable for assessing climate change and related environmental impacts observed in recent decades.Regular monitoring of LST using satellite sensors such as MODIS has the a...Land surface temperature(LST)is an important variable for assessing climate change and related environmental impacts observed in recent decades.Regular monitoring of LST using satellite sensors such as MODIS has the advantage of global coverage,including topographically complex regions such as Nepal.In order to assess the climatic and environmental changes,daytime and nighttime LST trend analysis from 2000 to 2017 using Terra-MODIS monthly daytime and nighttime LST datasets at seasonal and annual scales over the territory of Nepal was performed.The magnitude of the trend was quantified using ordinary linear regression,while the statistical significance of the trend was identified by the Modified Mann—Kendall test.Our findings suggest that the nighttime LST in Nepal increased more prominently compared to the daytime LST,with more pronounced warming in the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons.The annual nighttime LST increased at a rate of 0.05 K yr-1(p<0.01),while the daytime LST change was statistically insignificant.Spatial heterogeneity of the LST and LST change was observed both during the day and the night.The daytime LST remained fairly unchanged in large parts of Nepal,while a nighttime LST rise was dominant all across Nepal in the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons.Our results on LST trends and their spatial distribution can facilitate a better understanding of regional climate changes.展开更多
This study investigated the systematics of the megophryid genus Scutiger from eastern and western Nepal using molecular and morphological data. Our results support two divergent lineages, one of which has nuptial spin...This study investigated the systematics of the megophryid genus Scutiger from eastern and western Nepal using molecular and morphological data. Our results support two divergent lineages, one of which has nuptial spines on the dorsal surface of the first three fingers while the other has spines only on the dorsal surface of the first two fingers. The Ghunsa lineage from eastern Nepal shows significant morphological and molecular differences to other species of genus Scutiger and is here described as a new species. Based on the molecular analysis, the Muktinath lineage from western Nepal is confirmed to be Scutiger boulengeri and represents a species complex widespread throughout the Himalayan region. The newly described taxon is endemic to the eastern Himalayas and currently known only from the Ghunsa valley, Taplejung district, Nepal.展开更多
The seismic ground motion hazard for Nepal has been estimated using a probabilistic approach. A catalogue of earthquakes has been compiled for Nepal and the surrounding region （latitude 26% N and 31.7% N and longitud...The seismic ground motion hazard for Nepal has been estimated using a probabilistic approach. A catalogue of earthquakes has been compiled for Nepal and the surrounding region （latitude 26% N and 31.7% N and longitude 79° E and 90° E） from 1255 to 2011. The distribution of catalogued earthquakes, together with available geological and tectonic information were used to delineate twenty-three seismic source seismic source information and probabilistic earthquake hazard prediction relationship, peak ground accelerations （PGAs） have zones in Nepal and the surrounding region. By using the parameters in conjunction with a selected ground motion been calculated at bedrock level with 63%, 10%, and 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years. The estimated PGA values are in the range of 0.07-0.16 g, 0.21 0.62 g, and 0.38-1.1 g for 63%, 10%, and 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years, respectively. The resulting ground motion maps show different characteristics of PGA distribution, i.e., high hazard in the far-western and eastern sections, and low hazard in southern Nepal. The quantified PGA values at bedrock level provide information for microzonation studies in different parts of the country.展开更多
基金supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(STEP)(Grant No.2021QZKK0202)Shaanxi Provincial Youth Science and Technology Rising Star Project(No.2022KJXX-85)+3 种基金Key Scientific Research Project of Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education(No.22JS041)Youth Innovation Team Research Project of Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education(Nos.22JP099,21JP137)The Youth Innovation Team of Shaanxi Universitiesthe Support Program for Outstanding Young Talents of Shaanxi Universities(Dr.Tao Luo)。
文摘Freezing–thawing indices serve as a comprehensive indicator of both the duration of the freezing/thawing periods and the degree of cold and heat in a given region.In-depth analysis of the freezing-thawing indices not only enables the prediction of permafrost distribution and its dynamic changes,but also facilitates the assessment of damage risk to infrastructure under freeze-thaw action.In this paper,the air/ground freezing–thawing indices from 1987 to 2017,based on daily temperature observations from meteorological stations along the China–Nepal Highway(CNH),were calculated,and their spatial and temporal variation patterns were analyzed.The results showed that:(1)Both mean annual air temperature and mean annual ground surface temperature along the CNH fluctuated upward,with climate tendency rates of 0.43 and 0.52.C·(10a)~(-1),respectively;(2)The number of days with negative air temperature and ground temperature showed fluctuated downward,with change rates of-8.6 and-8.3 d·(10a)~(-1),respectively;(3)The ranges of air freezing index,air thawing index,ground freezing index,and ground thawing index over the years were 157.05-458.88°C·d,2034.20-2560.73°C·d,108.78-396.83°C·d,and 3515.25-4288.67°C·d,respectively.The climate tendency rates were-5.42,10.22,-6.79,and 12.14.C·d·a-1,respectively,showing a general warming trend;(4)The air freezing index,ground freezing index,and ground thawing index changed abruptly in 1999,2000,and 2002,respectively,evincing significant changes after 2002.The research results can provide a basis for the risk assessment of freezing–thawing erosion and the prevention and control of permafrost engineering diseases along the CNH.
文摘The inaugural"Belt and Road Nepal-China Buddhist Culture and Art Summit Forum"was held at the Lumbini Buddhist University in Nepal.The"Faxian-Xuanzang Scholarship Fund",jointly established by the Chinese Culture Promotion Society and the Lumbini Buddhist University,was officially launched during the forum.The programme aims to support 100 Chinese and Nepali students in the next three years in conducting specialised research in such fields as Buddhist art and historical scripts.
基金The Alliance of International Science Organizations(ANSO),No.ANSO-CR-PP-2021-06The Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research,No.2019QZKK0603。
文摘Agriculture,significantly impacted by climate change and climate variability,serves as the primary livelihood for smallholder farmers in South Asia.This study aims to examine and evaluate the factors influencing smallholder farmers'adaptive capacity(AC)in addressing these risks through surveys from 633 households across Nepal,India,and Bangladesh.The findings reveal that AC is influenced by various indicators categorized under eight principal factors.The first three factors,which explain about one-third of the variance in each country,include distinct significant indicators for each nation:in Nepal,these indicators are landholding size,skill-development training,knowledge of improved seed varieties,number of income sources,access to markets,and access to financial institutions;in India,they encompass ac-cess to agricultural-input information,knowledge of seed varieties,access to markets,access to crop insurance,changing the sowing/harvesting times of crops,and access to financial ser-vices;in Bangladesh,the key factors are access to financial institutions,community coopera-tion,changing the sowing/harvesting times of crops,knowledge of improved seed varieties,and access to agricultural-input information.Notably,indicators such as trust in weather in-formation,changing sowing/harvesting times of crops,and crop insurance were identified as important determinants of AC,which have been overlooked in previous studies.
基金This study was funded by the research grants from the Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi Province of China(2022SF-125 and 2021ZDLSF02-14).
文摘Objective Overweight and obesity prevalence has increased in low-income countries.This study systematically reviewed the obesity trend,disparities,and prevention and control efforts in Nepal.Methods We searched PubMed and Google Scholar for articles and reports published between January 1,2004 and December 31,2022.Additional information on National policies and programs related to obesity prevention was retrieved from governmental websites and consultation with relevant experts.Overweight and obesity were defined using the World Health Organization body mass index cut points.Thirty-two studies and reports were included.Results Overall,overweight and obesity rates increased in all groups in Nepal although nationally representative data remained limited.The combined overweight and obesity(OW/OB)and obesity rates in women aged 15-49 years increased from 8.5%to 22.2%and from 0.9%to 5.1%between 2006 and 2016,respectively.OW/OB and obesity rates in men were 17.1%and 2.5%based on data from the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey.OW/OB rate in under-five children increased from 0.6%to 2.8%between 2006 and 2016.Obesity rates for school-age(5-9 years)boys and girls in 2016 were 2.4%and 2.8%,respectively,and were 1.1%and 1.4%for male and female adolescents aged 10-19 years,respectively.OW/OB prevalence was much higher among women,residents in urban areas and central provinces,and in higher socioeconomic status groups.Projected prevalence of OW/OB and obesity for 2030 in adults aged 15-49 was 44.7%and 8.3%,respectively,while it was 2.2%for OW/OB in preschool children.Policies and direct interventions that specifically focused on obesity prevention and control are limited.Conclusions OW/OB prevalence in Nepal has increased during the past 1.8 decades,disproportionately affecting population groups.Existing interventions mostly focused on undernutrition with some indirect implications for obesity prevention.In the future,Nepal needs to develop population-based programs for obesity prevention.
文摘Aging is a natural lifelong process ending in death. Many older people are living in poverty. Older people are generally considered dependent on others as they grow older. The purpose of this article is to explore the entrepreneurship activities of Nepalese older adults. Data for this study were collected from the project Help Age International (HAI) implemented in Nepal. Qualitative data observations and interviews were used to collect data. The findings of this study show the formation of the Older People’s Association (OPA) has supported many older people to participate outside the home in various social activities. Moreover, regular deposits through OPAs offer little help. OPAs support older people in their need of financial support to implement minor entrepreneurship. Older people who received support were pleased and were actively involved in their activities and also regularly deposited money in them. Subsequently, older people’s participation in social activities has increased and also helped to lower elderly abuse, loneliness, and depression. Local governments should promote such activities which will help with healthy aging.
文摘REDD+1is an economic incentivizing mechanism aimed at reducing or offsetting of carbon emissions in forests,while realizing multiple benefits alongside climate action. Engaging local stakeholders is crucial for its sustainable implementation and benefit-sharing mechanism. This study focuses on the knowledge and understanding of locallevel stakeholders about REDD+and its associated attributes, revealing significant knowledge gaps between areas with and without REDD+pilot activities. For this, we conducted the semi-structured questionnaire interviews(n=136), key informant interviews(n=27), and focus group discussions(n=4) with local-level REDD+stakeholders(LLRS) comprising both inside and outside of pilot project districts in three provinces of Nepal, by adopting the concept of socio-ecological systems(SES). Data were analyzed using a generalized linear model(GLM) and visualized through Sankey diagrams. The results indicate a poor understanding(29%) of LLRS on the REDD+process, its relationship with forests, concerns among stakeholders, and its potential significance. The perception of REDD+knowledge, mechanisms, and benefits significantly(p < 0.05) varied across study areas, age groups, genders, professional backgrounds, educational levels, ownership of private forests, and types of household energy sources used among respondents. Despite receiving readiness funds, stakeholders' comprehension of the REDD+process remains limited, indicating suboptimal policy implementation. Knowledge gaps were influenced by social background, voices and choices, and the fear of REDD+disrupting traditional practices among the LLRS. The study emphasizes the need to redress the concerns of LLRS by considering their social backgrounds and traditional practices through informed and participatory decision-making, enhance communication, transparency,and inclusive forest governance. The findings show that current external support has not sufficiently enhanced capacity among LLRS, suggesting the need for sufficient and sustainable support through national policy and financing mechanisms. Further, the study identified extremely poor REDD+-related knowledge dissemination within communities, exacerbating challenges in implementation and benefit-sharing mechanisms, revealing the simplification of its process is essential. The study advocates for revising REDD+-related policies to optimize benefits, ensure smooth implementation, realize fair and equitable carbon credits from forests, and foster shared responsibility and ownership among all stakeholders in climate actions through improved forest governance.
文摘Dengue fever(DF)has become a major public health concern in Nepal,with increasing outbreaks in recent years.Transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes,this climate-sensitive viral disease presents a significant challenge for healthcare providers and policymakers.Since 2004,Nepal has experienced a sharp increase in DF cases,peaking in 2022 with 54784 cases and 88 deaths.The surge,driven mainly by serotypes 1,2,and 3,is exacerbated by climate change,which prolongs mosquito breeding seasons due to warmer temperatures and increased rainfall.This trend has even impacted previously unaffected hilly regions.Effective dengue control strategies must focus on climate change adaptation,strengthening healthcare system reinforcement,raising public awareness,and enhancing vector control measures.Government initiatives,like the national dengue control program,play a critical role,but research and community engagement are also vital for prevention and early detection.Integrating climate resilience into public health efforts is essential to reducing the dengue burden in Nepal.
文摘Colistin sulfate is an antibiotic in the polymyxin family that is utilized as a last-resort therapy for septicemia in humans caused by multidrugresistant infections.However,its indiscriminate use in veterinary practices poses an increasingly significant risk to the development of colistin resistance and its detrimental effects on public health.Colistin is still widely used in animals for treatment,metaphylaxis,prophylaxis,and growth promotion despite being designated a critically important antimicrobial for human medicine by the World Health Organization(WHO)[1].In this correspondence,our objective is to examine the repercussions stemming from the illicit use of colistin in livestock and poultry in Nepal.
文摘Aging is a natural lifelong process until death. The proportions of the older population are increasing rapidly in Nepal too. There are 2.97 million older people in Nepal as of the 2021 census which is a 38.2% increase compared to the previous census of 2011. The proportion of the older population reached 10.21% of the total population of Nepal. During this decade, Nepal’s average population growth rate is 0.92% and the older population growth rate is 3.29% per year. On the other hand, Nepal’s total fertility is below replacement level, infant mortality is around 23 per thousand live births and average life expectancy is now around 71 years. The median age of Nepal is 25 years and the index of aging increased rapidly from 23.3 in 2011 to 36.7 in the 2021 census of Nepal. These indicators show aging is taking place rapidly and the caregiving burden may increase rapidly in the coming days due to the tendency of migration of the young population to other countries. In this context, the Nepal government needs to focus on how to manage the population and provide quality services and social security for the growing older people of Nepal.
基金National Science&Technology Pillar Program No.2015BAK17B00Seismic Industry Research Special Fund under Grant No.201508026
文摘The extensive damage to buildings caused by the Nepal Ms8.1 earthquake has attracted much attention by the international community.Afterthe preliminary scientific investigations on the different affected areas inNepal,the construction and damage characteristics of five different types of buildings commonly existing in Nepal were discussed and the reasons of their disaster performance were analyzed.Types of buildings investigated include reinforced concrete(RC) frame structures,rubble structures,brick-wood structures,raw soil structures,and brick-wood structures of historic buildings.In addition,the weak links of the seismic design were pointed out,which was very important for the post-earthquake reconstruction and recovery,and gave a preliminary explanations for the damage experienced.
基金National Basic Research Program of China,No.2010CB951704 Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,No.XDB03030500 National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.40901057
文摘Based on monthly mean, maximum, and minimum air temperature and monthly mean precipitation data from 10 meteorological stations on the southern slope of the Mt. Qomolangma region in Nepal between 1971 and 2009, the spatial and temporal characteristics of climatic change in this region were analyzed using climatic linear trend, Sen＇s Slope Estimates and Mann-Kendall Test analysis methods. This paper focuses only on the southern slope and attempts to compare the results with those from the northern slope to clarify the characteristics and trends of climatic change in the Mt. Qomolangma region. The results showed that： （1） between 1971 and 2009, the annual mean temperature in the study area was 20.0℃, the rising rate of annual mean temperature was 0.25℃/10a, and the temperature increases were highly influenced by the maximum temperature in this region. On the other hand, the temperature increases on the northern slope of Mt. Qomolangma region were highly influenced by the minimum temperature. In 1974 and 1992, the temperature rose noticeably in February and September in the southern region when the increment passed 0.9℃. （2） Precipitation had an asymmetric distribution; between 1971 and 2009, the annual precipitation was 1729.01 mm. In this region, precipitation showed an increasing trend of 4.27 mm/a, but this was not statistically significant. In addition, the increase in rainfall was mainly concentrated in the period from April to October, including the entire monsoon period （from June to September） when precipitation accounts for about 78.9% of the annual total. （3） The influence of altitude on climate warming was not clear in the southern region, whereas the trend of climate warming was obvious on the northern slope of Mt. Qomolangma. The annual mean precipitation in the southern region was much higher than that of the northern slope of the Mt. Qomolangma region. This shows the barrier effect of the Himalayas as a whole and Mt. Qomolangma in particular.
基金Financial support for this study was provided by the Aid project on Science and Technology for developing countries from Ministry of Science and Technology of China(2013)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41401313)
文摘The Middle Mountains is one of the regions of Nepal most vulnerable to water erosion, where fragile geology, steep topography, anomalous climatic conditions, and intensive human activity have resulted in serious soil erosion and enhanced land degradation. Based on the 137 Cs tracing method, spatial variations in soil erosion, organic carbon, and total nitrogen(TN) in terraced fields lacking field banks and forestland were determined. Soil samples were collected at approximately 5 m and 20 m intervals along terraced field series and forestland transects respectively. Mean 137 Cs inventories of the four soil cores from the reference site was estimated at 574.33 ± 126.22 Bq m-2(1 Bq(i.e., one Becquerel) is equal to 1 disintegration per second(1 dps)). For each terrace, the 137 Cs inventory generally increased fromupper to lower slope positions, accompanied by a decrease in the soil erosion rate. Along the entire terraced toposequence, 137 Cs data showed that abrupt changes in soil erosion rates could occur between the lower part of the upper terrace and the upper part of the immediate terrace within a small distance. This result indicated that tillage erosion is also a dominant erosion type in the sloping farmland of this area. At the same time, we observed a fluctuant decrease in soil erosion rates for the whole terraced toposequence as well as a net deposition at the toe terrace. Although steep terraces(lacking banks and hedgerows) to some extent could act to limit soil sediment accumulation in catchments, soil erosion in the terraced field was determined to be serious. For forestland, with the exception of serious soil erosion that had taken place at the top of slopes due to concentrated flows from a country road situated above the forestland site, spatialvariation in soil erosion was similar to the "standard" water erosion model. Soil organic carbon(SOC) and TN inventories showed similar spatial patterns to the 137 Cs inventory for both toposequences investigated. However, due to the different dominant erosion processes between the two, we found similar patterns between the <0.002 mm soil particle size fraction(clay sized) and 137 Cs inventories in terraced fields, while different patterns could be found between 137 Cs inventories and the <0.002 mm soil particle size fraction in the forestland site. Such results confirm that 137 Cs can successfully trace soil erosion, SOC and soil nitrogen dynamics in steep terraced fields and forestland in the Middle Mountains of Nepal.
基金the Chinese Academy of Sciences Presidents International Fellowship Initiative(Grant No.2015PEO23)External Cooperation Program of BIC,15 Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.131551KYSB20150009)hundred talents program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Su Lijun)for supporting for this research
文摘Nepal was hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on 25^(th) April,2015.The main shock and many large aftershocks generated a large number of coseismic landslips in central Nepal.We have developed a landslide susceptibility map of the affected region based on the coseismic landslides collected from remotely sensed data and fieldwork,using bivariate statistical model with different landslide causative factors.From the investigation,it is observed that most of the coseismic landslides are independent of previous landslides.Out of 3,716 mapped landslides,we used 80% of them to develop a susceptibility map and the remaining 20% were taken for validating the model.A total of 11 different landslide-influencing parameters were considered.These include slope gradient,slope aspect,plan curvature,elevation,relative relief,Peak Ground Acceleration(PGA),distance from epicenters of the mainshock and major aftershocks,lithology,distance of the landslide from the fault,fold,and drainage line.The success rate of 87.66% and the prediction rate of86.87% indicate that the model is in good agreement between the developed susceptibility map and theexisting landslides data.PGA,lithology,slope angle and elevation have played a major role in triggering the coseismic mass movements.This susceptibility map can be used for relocating the people in the affected regions as well as for future land development.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.41371120International Partnership Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences,No.131C11KYSB20160061The Chinese Academy of Sciences-The World Academy of Sciences(CAS-TWAS)President’s Fellowship Program for PhD Study
文摘In order to advance land use and land cover change（LUCC） research in Nepal, it is essential to reconstruct both the spatiotemporal distribution of agricultural land cover as well as scenarios that can explain these changes at the national and regional levels. Because of rapid population growth, the status of agricultural land in Nepal has changed markedly over the last 100 years. Historical data is used in this study, encompassing soils, populations, climatic variables, and topography. Data were revised to a series of 30 m grid cells utilized for agricultural land suitability and allocation models and were analyzed using a suite of advanced geographical tools. Our reconstructions for the spatiotemporal distribution of agricultural land in Nepal reveal an increasing trend between 1910 and 2010（from 151.2 × 10^2 km^2 to 438.8 × 10^2 km^2）. This expanded rate of increase in agricultural land has varied between different eco, physiographic, and altitudinal regions of the country, significantly driven by population changes and policies over the period of this investigation. The historical dataset presented in this paper fills an existing gap in studies of agricultural land change and can be applied to other carbon cycle and climate modeling studies, as well as to impact assessments of agricultural land change in Nepal.
基金Under the auspices of the CAS Overseas Institutions Platform Project (No. 131C11KYSB20200033)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 42071349)the Sichuan Science and Technology Program (No. 2020JDJQ0003)。
文摘Landslide distribution and susceptibility mapping are the fundamental steps for landslide-related hazard and disaster risk management activities, especially in the Himalaya region which has resulted in a great deal of death and damage to property. To better understand the landslide condition in the Nepal Himalaya, we carried out an investigation on the landslide distribution and susceptibility using the landslide inventory data and 12 different contributing factors in the Dailekh district, Western Nepal. Based on the evaluation of the frequency distribution of the landslide, the relationship between the landslide and the various contributing factors was determined.Then, the landslide susceptibility was calculated using logistic regression and statistical index methods along with different topographic(slope, aspect, relative relief, plan curvature, altitude, topographic wetness index) and non-topographic factors(distance from river, normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI), distance from road, precipitation, land use and land cover, and geology), and 470(70%) of total 658 landslides. The receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analysis using 198(30%) of total landslides showed that the prediction curve rates(area under the curve, AUC) values for two methods(logistic regression and statistical index) were 0.826, and 0.823with success rates of 0.793, and 0.811, respectively. The values of R-Index for the logistic regression and statistical index methods were83.66 and 88.54, respectively, consisting of high susceptible hazard classes. In general, this research concluded that the cohesive and coherent natural interplay of topographic and non-topographic factors strongly affects landslide occurrence, distribution, and susceptibility condition in the Nepal Himalaya region. Furthermore, the reliability of these two methods is verified for landslide susceptibility mapping in Nepal’s central mountain region.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences [grant numbers XDA2006010103 and XDA19070301]the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant numbers 41830650,91737205,91637313,and 41661144043]
文摘Land surface temperature(LST)is an important variable for assessing climate change and related environmental impacts observed in recent decades.Regular monitoring of LST using satellite sensors such as MODIS has the advantage of global coverage,including topographically complex regions such as Nepal.In order to assess the climatic and environmental changes,daytime and nighttime LST trend analysis from 2000 to 2017 using Terra-MODIS monthly daytime and nighttime LST datasets at seasonal and annual scales over the territory of Nepal was performed.The magnitude of the trend was quantified using ordinary linear regression,while the statistical significance of the trend was identified by the Modified Mann—Kendall test.Our findings suggest that the nighttime LST in Nepal increased more prominently compared to the daytime LST,with more pronounced warming in the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons.The annual nighttime LST increased at a rate of 0.05 K yr-1(p<0.01),while the daytime LST change was statistically insignificant.Spatial heterogeneity of the LST and LST change was observed both during the day and the night.The daytime LST remained fairly unchanged in large parts of Nepal,while a nighttime LST rise was dominant all across Nepal in the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons.Our results on LST trends and their spatial distribution can facilitate a better understanding of regional climate changes.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA23080101)National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (NSFC-31471964)+1 种基金grants to Jianping Jiang and the second comprehensive science investigation of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) (II08-T05-2017-04/06)supported by the CAS-TWAS President Fellowship and Chinese Academy of Sciences President’s International Fellowship Initiative (2018PB0016)
文摘This study investigated the systematics of the megophryid genus Scutiger from eastern and western Nepal using molecular and morphological data. Our results support two divergent lineages, one of which has nuptial spines on the dorsal surface of the first three fingers while the other has spines only on the dorsal surface of the first two fingers. The Ghunsa lineage from eastern Nepal shows significant morphological and molecular differences to other species of genus Scutiger and is here described as a new species. Based on the molecular analysis, the Muktinath lineage from western Nepal is confirmed to be Scutiger boulengeri and represents a species complex widespread throughout the Himalayan region. The newly described taxon is endemic to the eastern Himalayas and currently known only from the Ghunsa valley, Taplejung district, Nepal.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.51121005 and Grant No.51378092
文摘The seismic ground motion hazard for Nepal has been estimated using a probabilistic approach. A catalogue of earthquakes has been compiled for Nepal and the surrounding region （latitude 26% N and 31.7% N and longitude 79° E and 90° E） from 1255 to 2011. The distribution of catalogued earthquakes, together with available geological and tectonic information were used to delineate twenty-three seismic source seismic source information and probabilistic earthquake hazard prediction relationship, peak ground accelerations （PGAs） have zones in Nepal and the surrounding region. By using the parameters in conjunction with a selected ground motion been calculated at bedrock level with 63%, 10%, and 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years. The estimated PGA values are in the range of 0.07-0.16 g, 0.21 0.62 g, and 0.38-1.1 g for 63%, 10%, and 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years, respectively. The resulting ground motion maps show different characteristics of PGA distribution, i.e., high hazard in the far-western and eastern sections, and low hazard in southern Nepal. The quantified PGA values at bedrock level provide information for microzonation studies in different parts of the country.
