Some vegetation patterns may change by year 2050, if temperatures continues rising at the current rate. Different models suggest an increase of 2-4 Centigrade temperature in the next 50 years. Dr. Promod Kumar Jha, Professor and Head of Department of Botany came with this results, after a study on the impact of the climate change on vegetation.

The study was jointly conducted by the Ministry of Population and Environment, Department of Hydrology and Meteorology and Department of Meteorology of Tribhuvan University, under the funding of UNEP ( United Nations Environment Programme). Using Holdridge's model of classification of vegetation, Dr. Jha predicts that there will only be 12 types of vegetation out of 15, with a change in climatic conditions following a double increase in Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

At present, the CO2 level in the atmosphere is 370 ppm (part per million). The CO2 concentration is rising at the rate of 1.5-2 ppm every year. According to Jha, bio-diversity in mountains region is the most vulnerable to climate change. "Global warming effect on vegetation will be significant in the subalpine and alpine mountainous regions. Tropical wet forests and warm temperate rain forests would disappear and cool temperate vegetation would turn to warm temperate vegetation in many places.

In the bio-diversity shift, following climatic change phenomena, vegetation could shift upwards by as much as 500 meters," said Dr Jha. Dr Ram Prasad Chaudhari, who is set to take up impact study in Manang says, endemic plants (localised plants) are more vulnerable to extinction, following climate change. Nepal has 6,000 flowering plant species and 246 of them are endemic plants.

OTHER NEWS

• British navy and marines to climb Mt. Everest: This month, according to a statement issued today by the British Embassy, Kathmandu, Royal Navy and Royal Marines are mounting a two-month expedition to climb the northeast ridge of Mount Everest. The challenge will mark the 50th anniversary of the first ascent by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Sherpa.
  
  
• TIA starts screening incoming passengers on SARS: To combat the possible spread of deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Nepal, The Ministry of Health and Immigration Department at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), decided, t to take preventive measures at TIA, the only international airport in the country.
  
  
• How dreams are fulfilled ever after death: Had Pasang Lhamu Sherpa ( the first Nepali woman Everester and national heroine by dint of that feat- been with us) she would have seen her dream to have a hospital in Lukla fulfilled. Nicole Niquille- a Swiss national- has contributed US $ 100,00 to build a 12-bed hospital, which has been christened Pasang Lhamu-Nicole Niquille Hospital. This has materialised nearly 10 years after the national heroine met the untimely death. The upcoming hospital is close by Lukla airstrip. "My good feeling toward the country and people encouraged me to do something for Nepal," said Niquille, while speaking at the laying of the foundation stone ceremony, Saturday afternoon.
  
  

By Hari Shrestha, Resident Representative in Kathmandu