The Himalayan mountain ranges behind Kedarnath are also waiting for snow.
Vinay Bahuguna, Jagran Srinagar Garhwal: December is about to end, but the wait for snowfall is not ending. From the Himalayan ranges to the Bugyal, they are deserted without snow. Environmentalists and meteorologists are calling it a snow famine, which is threatening the delicate biological network.
The protective cover of the land is also disappearing and if rains and snowfall do not occur soon, ecological disaster cannot be ruled out in the near future. The conclusion of the team of High Peak Plant Physiology Research Center (HAPREK) of Garhwal Central University, which returned after visiting Tungnath Bugyal and the nursery area there, is telling the same.
In high mountain (alpine) areas the winter season is at its peak till mid-December. Statistics show that till this time the mountains and Bugyal of the middle and higher Himalayas were covered with several feet thick sheets of snow, but at present, along with the Himalayan ranges, the high mountains of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Auli, Chopta, Tungnath, Chandrashila, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Harsil are also lying desolate, devoid of snow.
The soil layer is also being damaged due to the drying and breakage of the grass. The snow famine in the Himalayas is also increasing the threat to the delicate bio-network. Rocks and sparse vegetation in high altitude snowless areas are suffering the brunt of dry air and severe cold. Instead of snow, a light layer of fog is accumulating here, which is affecting the ecological balance. This is not good for nature and environment.
Ice prevents underground heat from escaping
The thick layer of ice acts as an excellent thermal insulator and prevents the geothermal heat from escaping. When the outside air temperature drops to -20° degrees during a snowstorm, the soil surface temperature under 50 cm of snow still remains around freezing point.
layer of soil exposed to the atmosphere
In the absence of a thick layer of ice, the soil layer is breaking down due to the earth's heat and coming in direct contact with the atmosphere. It is also affecting the vegetation of the alpine region. Due to lack of snow, the temperature of the soil is decreasing rapidly and it is becoming very solid at depth. This is causing damage to the dormant roots of perennial plants and alpine bushes. During the dry season, strong winds also dry up the moisture in the open stems and evergreen leaves of trees and plants.
Threat to biological network
Lack of snow also affects small creatures. Many organisms depend on the subnivian zone in winter. This zone is a network of small tunnels, which are formed in a warmer place than below the ground and ice layer. This time due to lack of snow this habitat is not being built, due to which small creatures are forced to live on the surface of the ground.
Due to lack of snow, alpine areas are looking dry and desolate. This delay in snowfall is a serious disturbance. If the regenerative tissues of alpine vegetation are destroyed by the current drying winds and deep soil freezing, the near future may see widespread failure in vegetation growth. This crisis will greatly affect the entire alpine food chain. - Dr. Sudeep Semwal, Senior Scientist, High Peak Research Institute, Garhwal Central University
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