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Land
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Perspectives on Mountain Conservation
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Perspectives on Mountain Conservation

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Landscape Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (7 November 2023) | Viewed by 14111

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Fausto Sarmiento

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Guest Editor
Neotropical Montology Collaboratory, Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
Interests: nature conservation; neotropical mountains; biogeography; political ecology; cultural landscapes; climate change adaptation
Dr. Andreas Haller

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Innrain 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Interests: urbanization; human geography; geoinformatics (GIS); land use change; transdisciplinarity; environment; montology
Dr. Carla Marchant

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
LabT Andes del Sur, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Austral University of Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
Interests: urban geography; mountain research; social geography; human geography; urban planning; environmental geography
Dr. Masahito Yoshida

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
World Heritage Studies, Certificate Program on Nature Conservation, UNESCO Chair of Cultural Heritage, Tsukuba University, 1-1-1, Tennodai, Tsukuba City 305-8577, Japan
Interests: nature-culture linkages; landscape; UNESCO; nature conservation; biodiversity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The many disciplinary and interdisciplinary research projects on mountains around the world prompt a diverse approach to the evaluation of conservation priorities, from the cultural to the physical realms, in order to benefit biocultural diversity in the global mountainscape. We have identified the need to coalesce distinct approaches and methodologies of mountain science into a transdisciplinary integration of mountain studies; this will allow us to more effectively evaluate the needs for the protection of active sites that cause changes in the mountain socio-ecological system. This Special Issue on the Perspectives of Mountain Conservation will allow montologists to better appreciate effective conservation measures in productive, conserved landscapes.

We welcome contributions from different areas of study and distinct focal emphasis to highlight the need for better mountain conservation, where legal, social, cultural, and financial frameworks help mountain environments secure their role of provision, regulation, support, and cultural ecosystem services and other benefits. We welcome diverse perspectives from both seasoned and young researchers, those of all gender and educational affiliations, and professional and academic tropes, allowing for the consilient montology of different longitudes, latitudes, and altitudes of the graticule of mountains. With these contributions, we seek to reinforce the membership of the Commission of Mountain Studies of the International Geographical Union that underwrites this effort.

Prof. Dr. Fausto Sarmiento
Dr. Andreas Haller
Dr. Carla Marchant
Dr. Masahito Yoshida
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 2825 KiB  
Article
A Decision-Support Tool to Augment Global Mountain Protection and Conservation, including a Case Study from Western Himalaya
by Peter Jacobs, Clinton Carbutt, Erik A. Beever, J. Marc Foggin, Madeline Martin, Shane Orchard and Roger Sayre
Land 2023, 12(7), 1323; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12071323 - 30 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1524
Abstract
Mountains are remarkable storehouses of global biodiversity that provide a broad range of ecosystem services underpinning billions of livelihoods. The world’s network of protected areas includes many iconic mountain landscapes. However, only ca. 19% of mountain areas globally are protected (excluding Antarctica); many [...] Read more.
Mountains are remarkable storehouses of global biodiversity that provide a broad range of ecosystem services underpinning billions of livelihoods. The world’s network of protected areas includes many iconic mountain landscapes. However, only ca. 19% of mountain areas globally are protected (excluding Antarctica); many mountain areas are inadequately (<30% of their total terrestrial area) or completely unprotected. To support the UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s Global Biodiversity Framework goal of protecting at least 30% of the world’s lands by 2030, we have developed a strategic decision-support tool for identifying and prioritizing which candidate mountain areas most urgently require protection. To test its efficacy, we applied the tool to the Western Himalaya Case Study Area (WHCSA). The six-step algorithm harnesses multiple datasets including mountain Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), World Terrestrial Ecosystems, Biodiversity Hotspots, and Red List species and ecosystems. It also makes use of other key attributes including opportunities for disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, developing mountain tourism, maintaining elevational gradients and natural ecological corridors, and conserving flagship species. This method resulted in nine categories of potential action—four categories for follow-up action (ranked by order of importance and priority), and five categories requiring no further immediate action (either because countries are inadequately equipped to respond to protection deficits or because their KBAs are deemed adequately protected). An area-based analysis of the WHCSA identified 33 mountain KBAs regarded as inadequately protected, which included 29 inadequately protected World Mountain Ecosystems. All 33 inadequately protected KBAs in the WHCSA are Category A1: first-priority mountain KBAs (located in the Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot in developing countries), requiring the most urgent attention for protection and conservation. Priorities for action can be fine-filtered by regional teams with sufficient local knowledge and country-specific values to finalize lists of priority mountain areas for protection. This rapid assessment tool ensures a repeatable, unbiased, and scientifically credible method for allocating resources and priorities to safeguard the world’s most biodiverse mountain areas facing myriad threats in the Anthropocene. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perspectives on Mountain Conservation)
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20 pages, 41815 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Spatio-Temporal Land Use/Cover Change and Its Effect on Land Surface Temperature in Lahaul and Spiti, India
by Md. Arif Husain, Pankaj Kumar and Barbaros Gonencgil
Land 2023, 12(7), 1294; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12071294 - 27 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2164
Abstract
Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) changes have a significant impact on Land Surface Temperature (LST). The LST is an important parameter in various environmental and climatological studies, as it plays a crucial role in understanding the Earth’s surface–atmosphere interactions. The LULC changes can modify [...] Read more.
Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) changes have a significant impact on Land Surface Temperature (LST). The LST is an important parameter in various environmental and climatological studies, as it plays a crucial role in understanding the Earth’s surface–atmosphere interactions. The LULC changes can modify the surface energy balance and alter the radiation budget, leading to changes in LST. Urbanization, deforestation, and agricultural land use changes are some of the primary drivers of LULC change that have a significant impact on LST. Deforestation and agricultural land use changes result in a reduction in evapotranspiration, leading to an increase in LST. The main objective of the study is to analyze the spatio-temporal change in Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) and its effect on Land Surface Temperature (LST), as well as to establish a correlation of LST with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalize Difference Snow Index (NDSI). Understanding the impact of LULC on LST is essential for developing effective land use policies that can mitigate the adverse effects of LULC change on the environment and human health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perspectives on Mountain Conservation)
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23 pages, 6196 KiB  
Article
A Public Participation GIS for Geodiversity and Geosystem Services Mapping in a Mountain Environment: A Case from Grayson County, Virginia, U.S.A.
by Kyler B. Stanley, Lynn M. Resler and Lawrence W. Carstensen
Land 2023, 12(4), 835; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040835 - 05 Apr 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1578
Abstract
Geodiversity and geosystem services are essential concepts for conservation efforts in mountain regions. Approaches that integrate both natural and human dimensions of mountain abiotic nature are best suited for this purpose; however, geodiversity research and associated conservation efforts along this vein are still [...] Read more.
Geodiversity and geosystem services are essential concepts for conservation efforts in mountain regions. Approaches that integrate both natural and human dimensions of mountain abiotic nature are best suited for this purpose; however, geodiversity research and associated conservation efforts along this vein are still developing. Here, we explore the potential of a public participation GIS, which integrates qualitative surveys with quantitative geodiversity information, to assess possible relationships between geodiversity and geosystem services for Grayson County, Virginia, U.S.A. Specifically, we: (1) used a geodiversity index to model geodiversity for the study area, (2) used a public participation GIS to map geosystem services markers, and (3) visualized geodiversity–geosystem services hotspots to uncover potential relationships between geodiversity and geosystem services values. Participants placed 318 markers, most frequently representing aesthetic (32%), artistic (22%), and educational (15%) geosystem services values. The majority (55%) of these markers corresponded to low and very low quantitative geodiversity index scores. Geosystem services value markers were clustered around population centers and protected areas. Although quantitative geodiversity measures are often used to identify and prioritize areas for conservation, our results suggest that locations valued by respondents would be missed using quantitative metrics alone. This research thus supports the need for holistic approaches incorporating place values to conserve and best understand relationships between people and abiotic aspects of mountain landscapes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perspectives on Mountain Conservation)
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18 pages, 5391 KiB  
Article
Floristic Composition, Diversity, Palatability, and Forage Availability of Forest Rangelands in the Southern Mediterranean Region of Northern Morocco
by Youssef Chebli, Mouad Chentouf, Jean-François Cabaraux and Samira El Otmani
Land 2023, 12(1), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010215 - 09 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1886
Abstract
Forest rangelands are an important component of extensive goat production in the Mediterranean region. The aim of this study was to survey the floristic composition, lifespan, life forms, phytogeographic relationships, palatability degree, and forage availability of forest rangelands in Northern Morocco. To achieve [...] Read more.
Forest rangelands are an important component of extensive goat production in the Mediterranean region. The aim of this study was to survey the floristic composition, lifespan, life forms, phytogeographic relationships, palatability degree, and forage availability of forest rangelands in Northern Morocco. To achieve this goal, a plant species inventory was carried out, and a digital herbarium was constructed. Forage availability was estimated using the quadrat method. According to the results, 358 taxa were recorded with 228 genera and 66 families. The flora is mainly dominated by Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, and Lamiaceae families. Six principal life forms of plants were recognized with the predominance of therophytes (48.3%). The Mediterranean floristic category was the most dominant in the flora (73.7%) with 264 species. The palatability degree was studied for 95 taxa, known by herders. The palatable plant group was highly represented with 32 species. Of these identified taxa, 93% were evaluated as potential sources of forage for grazing animals. The forage availability depended considerably on the season and the existing plant species (p < 0.01). The spring recorded the higher value with 3143 kg DM/ha. In conclusion, forest rangelands have a high biodiversity, which they need for rigorous protection to preserve their floristic composition and diversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perspectives on Mountain Conservation)
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37 pages, 11649 KiB  
Article
The Archeological Landscape of the Chanchán Basin and Its Agroecological Legacies for the Conservation of Montane Forests in the Western Foothills of the Ecuadorian Andes
by Christiam Paúl Aguirre Merino, Raquel Piqué Huerta, Lady Nathaly Parra Ordoñez, Verónica Alexandra Guamán Cazho and Walter Oswaldo Valdez Bustamante
Land 2023, 12(1), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010192 - 06 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2660
Abstract
This article shows a set of agroecological practices that were incorporated into the archeological landscape of the Chanchán basin by pre-Hispanic Kañaris societies for 1200 years (240–1438 AD), a millennium before the arrival of the Incas, and that continue to be used in [...] Read more.
This article shows a set of agroecological practices that were incorporated into the archeological landscape of the Chanchán basin by pre-Hispanic Kañaris societies for 1200 years (240–1438 AD), a millennium before the arrival of the Incas, and that continue to be used in this landscape by certain indigenous communities of the 21st century. The use of archeobotanical techniques, contrasted with ethnobotanical sources, has allowed us to interpret how these societies structured their cultivation systems, agroecological practices, and landscape management, for the conservation of agroecosystems in the western Andean foothills. Agroecological legacies show how the stability, adaptability, and elasticity of Andean agriculture can be sustained under models of progressive intensification without this causing irreversible environmental damage in the agroecosystems. Kañaris agroecological practices configured the Chanchán landscape as a great cultural artifact, wherein the non-human agency of plants (cultivated and wild) was more than a mere adaptation to the niches culturally constructed by human populations. Non-humans are active subjects in recovering the functional and structural integrity of agroecosystems after a social or ecological disturbance. All this is part of landscape management based on an “Ecological Diversification Model”, where plant species are adapted to the ecotones and ecological floors of the western Andean foothills, to diversify and increase the availability of food crops that are bioculturally appropriate given the present agrobiodiversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perspectives on Mountain Conservation)
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Review

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18 pages, 9165 KiB  
Review
A Critical Review on the Perspectives of the Forestry Sector in Ecuador
by Danny Daniel Castillo Vizuete, Alex Vinicio Gavilanes Montoya, Carlos Renato Chávez Velásquez and Stelian Alexandru Borz
Land 2023, 12(1), 258; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010258 - 16 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2769
Abstract
The contribution of the Ecuadorian forest industry to the development of the country is of undeniable importance since it enables job creation, the production of goods and services, and the generation of wealth. As such, special attention should be paid to the problems [...] Read more.
The contribution of the Ecuadorian forest industry to the development of the country is of undeniable importance since it enables job creation, the production of goods and services, and the generation of wealth. As such, special attention should be paid to the problems that are affecting its development and that prevent enhancing the competitiveness of the companies in this important productive sector of the country. This review of the international literature found in relevant databases synthesizes findings on the forest wealth of Ecuador vs. deforestation. We also provide an overview on the state-of-art technology in timber harvesting and the wood processing industry. Within each of these topics, we analyze and discuss some factors such as irrational logging of native forests, incipient afforestation, as well as the elements on primary and secondary transformation of wood in Ecuador. We conclude that the participation and cooperation of all actors in the productive chain of the forestry sector in Ecuador is of the utmost importance to adequately address the demands of the national and international markets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perspectives on Mountain Conservation)
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