A Paradigm Shift is Expected in Ethnobiology: Challenges and Opportunities Post-COVID-19.

Documentation of the folk knowledge of indigenous communities forms an integral part of the subject "ethnobiology". Pursuing leads obtained through ethnobiological documentation has played a key role in maintaining human health and wellbeing. The current pandemic that we are passing through is expected to strengthen the subject with many challenges and opportunities.

Documentation and validation of climate change perception of an ethnic community of the western Himalaya.

The high-altitude regions of Himalaya are among the best indicators of climate change yet noticeable for the lack of climate monitoring stations. However, they support ethnic communities whose livelihood activities are climate driven. Consequently, these communities are keen observers of the same and documenting their perception on changing climate is now an important area of global research.

Making ecosystem services approach operational: Experiences from Dhauladhar Range, Western Himalaya.

Payment for ecosystem services (PES) has emerged as a promising tool to participatory natural resource management and sharing of benefits among the stakeholders. However, very few successful models of PES are available for replication. This study deals with an analysis of a PES model currently operational in the Dhauladhar Range, Western Himalaya, where upstream villagers are paid for maintaining the spring-shed that supplies drinking water to the downstream township.

Plant-derived utility products: knowledge comparison across gender, age and education from a tribal landscape of western Himalaya.

Background: Plant-derived utility products (PDPs) play an important role in sustaining humans, especially tribal communities. Despite this, knowledge on PDPs is declining.

Methods: The present study was therefore carried to document the PDPs used by Bhangalis, a tribal community of western Himalaya, through door-to-door surveys (n=420) and detailed questionnaire recordings (n=240).

Bioindicator responses and performance of plant species along a vehicular pollution gradient in western Himalaya.

Loss of green cover, and increasing pollution is a prime global concern. The problem calls for screening of pollution-tolerant tree species that can be integrated into plantation drives. Recognizing this, the study analyzed bio-indicator responses and performance of commonly occurring plant species along a pollution gradient in western Himalaya.

Geospatial distribution of metal(loid)s and human health risk assessment due to intake of contaminated groundwater around an industrial hub of northern India.

The study focused on analyzing concentrations of metal(loid)s, their geospatial distribution in groundwater around an industrial hub of northern India. Human health risk posed due to the intake of contaminated groundwater was also evaluated. For this, 240 samples were assayed using inductively coupled plasma emission spectrophotometer.

Why they eat, what they eat: patterns of wild edible plants consumption in a tribal area of Western Himalaya.

Background: From time immemorial, wild plants have been used for edible purposes. They still continue to be a major source of nutrition for tribal people. However, unfortunately, their use is now declining.

Heavy metal accumulation in Pyrrosia flocculosa (D. Don) Ching growing in sites located along a vehicular disturbance gradient.

Monitoring of environment is a key contemporary issue that has necessitated search for bio-indicators. The very fact that epiphytes do not have a direct contact with soil and absorb nutrients from the environment puts them among the best indicators of environmental conditions. We, therefore, selected Pyrrosia flocculosa (D.

Is Recurving an Effective Strategy of Trifolium repens L. to Augment Reproduction?

Flowers of Trifolium repens L. show recurving. We, therefore, studied whether this is an effective strategy employed by the species to augment reproduction.

Phenological documentation of an invasive species, Sapium sebiferum (L.) Roxb.

Phenological documentation and plant invasion are key contemporary issues in the biological sciences. Recognizing this, the present paper describes the phenological stages of an invasive species, Sapium sebiferum (L.) Roxb.

Alien flora of Indian Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh.

Recognizing the array of effects that invasive alien species have, documenting their status from biodiversity rich regions has been much emphasized. Lack of such studies is a major limitation that hampers proper management of alien species. The present paper, therefore, documents the alien flora of the Indian Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh (HP) based on data obtained from literature and herbarium records.

Bark removal and population structure of Taxus wallichiana Zucc. in a temperate mixed conifer forest of western Himalaya.

Taxus wallichiana Zucc. (Himalayan yew) represents one of the most threatened medicinal tree species of the Himalayan region. Heavy exploitation of its bark and leaves for taxol® has resulted in decline in its population.

Natural resources assessment and their utilization: analyses from a Himalayan state.

The present paper quantifies and reviews the natural resource use in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh (HP). Twenty-five percent of the geographical area of HP is under forests and harbour ca. 3,400 plant species.

Traditional use of medicinal plants among the tribal communities of Chhota Bhangal, Western Himalaya.

The importance of medicinal plants in traditional healthcare practices, providing clues to new areas of research and in biodiversity conservation is now well recognized. However, information on the uses for plants for medicine is lacking from many interior areas of Himalaya. Keeping this in view the present study was initiated in a tribal dominated hinterland of western Himalaya.