A5054391857- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Climate change and permafrost
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics
- Flood Risk Assessment and Management
- Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
- Landslides and related hazards
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Smart Materials for Construction
- Geological Studies and Exploration
- Geophysics and Gravity Measurements
- Winter Sports Injuries and Performance
- Building Energy and Comfort Optimization
- Disaster Management and Resilience
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
- Phase Change Materials Research
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Offshore Engineering and Technologies
- Forest Management and Policy
- Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
2025
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
2022-2024
Ministry of Agriculture and Forests
2016-2023
University of St Andrews
2020-2022
Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh
2020-2022
Centre for Bhutan Studies and GNH Research
2017-2021
University of Zurich
2019
Glacial lakes pose a serious threat to downstream areas and significantly impact glacier melt. The number area of has grown in most regions during the last decades due ongoing atmospheric warming retreating glaciers. It is therefore important identify monitor these lakes. However, mapping glacial alpine challenged by many factors. These factors include small size lakes, cloud cover optical satellite images, cast shadows from mountains clouds, seasonal snow varying degrees turbidity amongst...
Continuous monitoring of glacial lakes, their parent glaciers and surroundings is crucial because possible outbursts these lakes pose a serious hazard to downstream areas. Ongoing climate change increases the risk this globally due recession leading formation expansion permafrost degradation which impacts stability glaciers, slopes moraines. Here, we demonstrate capability our approach for lake outburst susceptibility using time-series Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (S-1 SAR) data. We...
Climate change, increasing population and changes in land use are all rapidly driving the need to be able better understand surface water dynamics. The targets set by United Nations under Sustainable Development Goal 6 relation freshwater ecosystems also make accurate monitoring increasingly vital. However, last decades have seen a steady decline situ hydrological availability of growing volume environmental data from free open satellite systems is being recognized as an essential tool for...
The transboundary landscape approach builds on principles of integrated social-ecological systems with conservation and development perspectives at a level. evolution one such in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) from 1990's to present is discussed through phase-wise process. Both global regional discourses have been influential designing Kangchenjunga Landscape which shared by Bhutan, India Nepal. 25,085 sq.km ranges elevation 40 8,586 m asl home more than seven million people, while hosting...
The majority of glacial lakes around the world are located in remote and hardly accessible regions. use sensing data is therefore high importance to identify assess their potential hazards. However, persistence cloud cover, particularly mountain areas such as Himalayas, limits temporal resolution optical satellite with which we can monitor potentially dangerous (PDGLs). ability Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites collect data, irrespective weather at day or night, facilitates...
Against the background of climate change-induced glacier melting, numerous glacial lakes are formed across high mountain areas worldwide. Existing lake inventories, chiefly created using Landsat satellite imagery, mainly relate to 1990 onwards and relatively long (decadal) temporal scales. Moreover, there is a lack robust information on expansion GLOF hazard status in Bhutan Himalaya. We mapped Bhutanese from 1960s 2020, used these data determine their distribution patterns, behavior,...
Arctic-boreal fire regimes are intensifying, leading to a growing number of boreal forest fires and Arctic tundra occuring on permafrost terrain. After fires, the seasonally thawed active layer soils usually thickens, this can lead long-term gradual or abrupt degradation. Permafrost store large amounts carbon, hence fire-induced thaw may additional carbon emissions from for many years after fire.This presentation explores several spaceborne measurements mapping its associated will cover two...
Abstract The survival of large carnivores is increasingly precarious due to extensive human development that causes the habitat loss and fragmentation. Habitat selection influenced by anthropogenic as well environmental factors, understanding these relationships important for conservation management. We assessed variables influence site use clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa in Bhutan, estimated their population density, used results predict species’ across Bhutan. a camera‐trap dataset from...
Abstract An assessment of management effectiveness was carried out for all the protected areas in Kingdom Bhutan. During 2014–2016 Royal Government Bhutan developed a custom-made tool assessing effectiveness: Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool Plus (Bhutan METT +). This implemented Bhutan's 10 and one botanical park, results were verified through field trips expert reviews. The indicates that are well managed there generally good relationships with local communities, despite an increase...
Bhutan, a part of the Eastern Himalayas, is tiny land-locked country hosting rich biodiversity apart from glaciers and snow capped mountains. With ~70% Bhutan under forest cover, this water-rich promises to maintain at least 60% landmass in perpetuity any given p oint time. Yet, climate change hasn't pardoned carbon-neutral nation. This article conveys brief idea about dent that leaving on glacier environment Bhutan. undergoing warming an unprecedented rate with evidences suggesting higher...
Since 2014, mountain communities in Ladakh, India have been constructing dozens of Artificial Ice Reservoirs (AIRs) by spraying water through fountain systems every winter. The meltwater from these structures is crucial to meet irrigation demands during spring. However, there a large variability associated with this supply due the local weather influences at chosen location. This study compared ice volume evolution an AIR built two others Guttannen, Switzerland using surface energy balance...
Abstract Retaliatory killing due to livestock depredation is a major threat snow leopard ( Panthera uncia ) conservation. To devise management actions that reduce losses and the consequent retaliatory killing, we need understand factors influence leopard's diet on livestock. Here, studied ecological determinants of in Bhutan by semi‐systematically collecting scat samples analysing prey hair structure using micro‐histological method. We identified five species. Most consisted wild ungulates...
The snow leopard ( Panthera uncia ) is one of the world's most elusive felids. In Bhutan, which 12 countries where species still persists, reliable information on its distribution and habitat suitability lacking, thus impeding effective conservation planning for species. To fill this knowledge gap, we created a country-wide model using “presence-only” data from 420 occurrences (345 sign survey 77 camera-trapping survey) environmental covariates consisting biophysical anthropogenic factors....
Abstract. Boreal fire regimes are intensifying because of climate change and the northern parts boreal forests underlain by permafrost. fires combust vegetation organic soils, which insulate permafrost, as such deepen seasonally thawed active layer can lead to further carbon emissions atmosphere. Current understanding environmental drivers post-fire thaw depth is limited but critical importance. In addition, mapping over scars may enable a better spatial variability in responses permafrost...
Abstract. Boreal fire regimes are intensifying because of climate change, and the northern parts boreal forests underlain by permafrost. fires combust vegetation organic soils, which insulate permafrost, as such deepen seasonally thawed active layer can lead to further carbon emissions atmosphere. Current understanding environmental drivers post-fire thaw depth is limited but critical importance. In addition, mapping over scars may enable a better spatial variability in responses permafrost...
Purpose This paper places a college at the centreof multi-hazard assessment (earthquake, flood and landslide). The is within less studied, rural area of Ladakh, North India. Research focusses on case study (Students Educational Cultural Movement Ladakh (SECMOL) College), close to Leh, extends incorporate/apply thinking from/to wider region. approach adopted, centring hazard single entity/local area, allows rapid uptake recommendations environment planning continue its existence for decades...
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to apply the concept “Interconnected Geoscience” a disaster and risk reduction (DRR) case study at SECMOL College, near Leh, Ladakh, N. India. Interconnected geoscience model that advocates holistic approaches for development. This reports research/practical work with Ladakhi students/staff, undertaking community-oriented DRR exercises in hazard awareness, themed village/college mapping, vulnerability assessments management scenario geoscientific analysis...