Critical linkages between land-use transition and human health in the Himalayan region

Xu, Jianchu; Sharma, Rita; Fang, Jing; Xu, Yunfen

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2007.08.004

Cited by 40 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Unlike the present research, the Himalayan people have been finding mosquitoes, have experienced malaria and skin diseases, and have seen wild boar, deer and new species of wasps and bees in higher altitudes that were non-existent 5-10 years ago [17,[64][65][66]. Forest-dependent indigenous people in Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh are highly vulnerable to climate change-induced diseases such as increasing mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases [18,67].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forest Dependent Indigenous Communities’ Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change through Local Knowledge in the Protected Area—A Bangladesh Case Study

Rahman¹,

Alam²

2016

Climate

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Forest-dependent indigenous communities rely on natural resources for their livelihoods, but those are currently under threat due to many factors, including the adverse impact of climate change. The present study looks into climate change-related perception and adaptation strategies of three forest-dependent indigenous communities, namely, Khasia, Tripura and Garo in the Lawachara National Park of Northeastern Bangladesh. Household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and observation methods were used to unveil the climatic events, impacts and related adaptations. The events include the change in temperature and rainfall patterns, landslide, soil erosion and flash flood, heavy cold and fog, and natural calamities. Moreover, livelihood problems emanating from these events are the drying up of streams and wells, irregular rainfall, increased dieback and mortality of seedlings, pests, diseases, and the attack of crops by wild animals. Likewise, the reduction of soil moisture content, growing season and crop productivity, landslides, damage of roads and culverts, and increased human diseases are common. This study recognized 29 adaptation strategies and divided them into six management categories, drawing on their local knowledge of the natural resources and other technologies. The study reveals that, although adaptation strategies through land use and land cover changes are not enough to sustain their livelihoods, the tactics help them to reduce the risk of, and increase food security and community resilience against, climate change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forest Dependent Indigenous Communities’ Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change through Local Knowledge in the Protected Area—A Bangladesh Case Study

Rahman¹,

Alam²

2016

Climate

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“…Minimizing human disturbance such as logging will be important, not only for maximizing carbon storage potential, but also for conserving forest biodiversity, as has been shown elsewhere (Xu et al, 2008). Establishment of new areas of plantations on what was formerly agricultural land also can effectively help conserve biodiversity.…”

Section: Initiation Of Strategic Zoning Of Land Usesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effective climate change adaptation strategies for biodiversity conservation

Subrahmanyam

2015

Front. Environ. Sci.

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“…Among the most powerful, contemporary forces shaping local land use are various government policies that aim to settle, standardize, and upscale rural production to meet the increasing demands of the local population and expansion of the market economy (Oi, 1999;Yeh, 2003Yeh, , 2004Xu et al, 2005;Yan et al, 2005). Land-use changes as a result of human activities, such as deforestation, agricultural practices, habitat alteration, and urbanization, have long been known to influence human health (Patz and Norris, 2004;Carlos et al, 2005;Chhabra et al, 2006;Xu et al, 2008). Most emerging human diseases are driven by human activities that modify ecosystems through changing land-use practices (Taylor et al, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Other perspectives give more and more attention to examination of the ecosystem, health, and poverty nexus in fragile environments (Woodward et al, 2000). A recent study (Xu et al, 2008) suggests that people's health and that of ecosystems in the Himalayas are affected negatively by environmental change, particularly land-use and landcover changes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Land Use, Livelihoods, and Health Transitions among Tibetan Nomads: A Case from Gangga Township, Dingri County, Tibetan Autonomous Region of China

Yang

et al. 2008

EcoHealth

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Tibetan nomads in the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China have experienced profound transitions in recent decades with important implications for land use, livelihoods, and health development. The change from being traditional nomads to agropastoralists engaged in permanent agriculture, a sedentary village life (known as "sedentarization"), has been associated with a remarkable change in diet and lifestyle, decline in spatial mobility, increase in food production, and emerging infectious and noncommunicable diseases. The overarching response of the government has been to emphasize infrastructure and technological solutions. The local adaptation strategies of Tibetan nomads through maintaining balanced mobile herding, reindeer husbandry, as well as off-farm labor and trade could address both the cause of environmental degradation and improve the well-being of local people. Drawing on transdisciplinary, preliminary field work in Gangga Township of Dingri County in the foothills of Mt. Everest, we identify pertinent linkages between land use and health, and spatial and temporal mismatch of livelihoods and health care services, in the transition to sedentary village life. We suggest emerging imperatives in Ecohealth to help restore Tibetan livelihoods in transition to a sedentary lifestyle.

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Critical linkages between land-use transition and human health in the Himalayan region

Cited by 40 publications

References 57 publications

Forest Dependent Indigenous Communities’ Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change through Local Knowledge in the Protected Area—A Bangladesh Case Study

Forest Dependent Indigenous Communities’ Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change through Local Knowledge in the Protected Area—A Bangladesh Case Study

Effective climate change adaptation strategies for biodiversity conservation

Understanding Land Use, Livelihoods, and Health Transitions among Tibetan Nomads: A Case from Gangga Township, Dingri County, Tibetan Autonomous Region of China

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