Skip to main content
Log in

Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Tropical Rain Forest Landscape

  • Published:
Climatic Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A potential impact of climate change in the south Asian context in general and the Indian subcontinent in particular is an increase in rainfall, in some areas up to 50%. Using an extensive information base available on the dynamics of landscape structure and function of the northeastern hill areas of India, scenarios on landscape changes, as an adaptation to climate change, have been constructed. Climate change would impose a variety of stresses on sustainable livelihood of the inhabitants of the rain-forested areas through stresses on ecosystem function. It is concluded that appropriate management strategies for natural forests and plantation forestry should go hand in hand with a comprehensive rural ecosystem rehabilitation plan.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Altieri, M. A., Glaser, D. L., and Schmidt L. L.: 1990, ‘Diversification of Agroecosystems for Insect Pest Regulation: Experiments with Collards’, in Gliessman, S.R. (ed.), Agroecology: Researching the Ecological Basis For Sustainable Agriculture, SpringerVerlag, New York, pp. 70-82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous: 1980, ‘Village Development Boards - Model Rules, 1980 (Revised)’, Department of Rural Development, Government of Nagaland, New Delhi, p. 39.

  • Brookfield, H. and Padoch, C.: 1994, ‘Appreciating Biodiversity: A Look at the Dynamism and Diversity of Indigenous Farming Practices, Environment 36,6-11, 37-45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dazhong, W. and Pimentel, D.: 1990, ‘Energy Flow in Agroecosystems of Northeast China’, in Gliessman, S. R. (ed.), Agroecology: Researching the Ecological Basis for Sustainable Agriculture, SpringerVerlag, New York, pp. 322-336.

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO/SIDA: 1974, Report on Regional Seminar on Shifting Cultivation and Soil Conservation in Africa, FAO, Rome, p. 248.

    Google Scholar 

  • GCTE: 1994, Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems: The Operational Plan (2nd Ed.) - Focus 3 Component, GCTE, IGBP, Oxford, p. 35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gliessman, S. R.: 1988, ‘Ecology and Management of Weeds in Traditional Agroecosystems’, in Altieri, M. A. and Liebman, M. (eds.), Weed Management in Agroecosystems: Ecological Approaches, CRC Press Inc., Boca Raton, FL, pp. 237-244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gliessman, S. R. (ed.): 1990, Agroecology: Researching the Ecological Basis for Sustainable Agriculture, Ecol. Studies 78, SpringerVerlag, New York, p. 380.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hare, W. L., Morlowe, J. P., Rae, M. L., Gray, F., Humphries, R., and Ledgar, R.: 1990, Ecologically Sustainable Development, Australian Conservation Foundation, Fitzroy, Victoria.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hulme, M. and Viner D.: 1995, ‘A Climate Change Scenario for the Tropics’, Clim. Change 39(this volume).

  • Khiewtam, R. and Ramakrishnan, P. S.: 1993, ‘Litter and Fine Root Dynamics of Relict Sacred Grove Forest of Cherrapunji in North-Eastern India’, Forest Ecol. Manage. 60,327-344.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klinge, H.: 1973, ‘Root Mass Estimation in Lowland Tropical Rainforest of Central Amazonia, Brazil. I. Fine Root Masses of a Pale Yellow Latosol and a Giant Humus Podzol’, Tropic Ecol. 14, 28-38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Letourneau, D. K.: 1990, ‘Two Examples of Natural Enemy Augmentation: A Consequence of Crop Diversification’, in Gliessman, S. R. (ed.), Agroecology: Researching the Ecological Basis For Sustainable Agriculture, SpringerVerlag, New York, pp. 11-29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Litsinger, J. A. and Moody, K.: 1976, ‘Integrated Pest Management in Multiple Cropping Systems’, in Stelly, M. (ed.), Multiple Cropping, Amer. Soc. Agron., Madison, WI, pp. 293-316.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramakrishnan, P. S.: 1984, ‘The Need to Conserve Silent Valley and Tropical Rain-Forest Ecosystem in India’, Environ. Conserv. 11, 170-171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramakrishnan, P. S.: 1992a, Shifting Agriculture and Sustainable Development of North-Eastern India, UNESCO-MAB Series, Paris, Parthenon Publ., Carnforth, Lancaster, p. 424 (republished by Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramakrishnan, P. S.: 1992b, ‘Tropical Forests. Exploitation, Conservation and Management’, Impact Sci. Soc. 42(166), 149-162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramakrishnan, P. S.: 1993, ‘Evaluating Sustainable Development with Peoples’ Participation’, in Moser, F. (ed.), Sustainability -Where Do We Stand?Proc. International Symposium, Technische Universität, Graz, Austria, pp. 165-182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramakrishnan, P. S.: 1994, ‘The Jhum Agroecosystem in North-Eastern India: A Case Study of the Biological Management of Soils in a Shifting Agricultural System’, in Woomer, P. L. and Swift, M. J. (eds.), The Management of Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility, TSBF and Wiley Sayce Publ., pp. 189-207.

  • Ramakrishnan, P. S.: 1995a, ‘Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function: The Human Dimension’, in di Castri, F. and Younes, T., Biodiversity, Science and Development: Towards a New Partnership, CAB International, London, pp. 114-129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramakrishnan, P. S., Campbell, J., Demierre, L., Ghi, A., Malhotra, K. C., Mehndiratta, S., Rai, S. N., and Sashidharan, E. M.: 1994a, Ecosystem Rehabilitation of the Rural Landscape in South and Central Asia: An Analysis of Issues, Special Publication, UNESCO (ROSTCA), New Delhi, p. 29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramakrishnan, P. S., Purohit, A. N., Saxena, K. G., and Rao, K. S.: 1994b, Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi, p. 84.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spedding, C. R. W.: 1979, An Introduction to Agricultural Systems, Applied Science Publishers, London, p. 169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stark, N. and Jordan, C. F.: 1977, ‘Nutrient Retention by the Root Mat of an Amazonian Rainforest’, Ecology 58,434-437.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swift, M. J., Vandermeer, J., Ramakrishnan, P. S., Anderson, J. M., Ong, C. K., and Hawkins, B.: 1996, ‘Biodiversity and Agroecosystem Function’, in Mooney, H. A., Cushman, J. H., Medina, E., Sala, O. E., and Schulze, E.-D. (eds.), Biodiversity and Ecosystem Properties: A Global Perspective, SCOPE Series, John Wiley, Chichester, pp. 261-298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vandermeer, J.: 1989, The Ecology of Intercropping, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vandermeer, J. and Schultz, B.: 1990, ‘Variability, Stability, and Risk in Intercropping: Some Theoretical Explorations’, in Gliessman, S. R. (ed.), Agroecology: Researching the Ecological Basis For Sustainable Agriculture, SpringerVerlag, New York, pp. 205-229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitmore, T. C.: 1990, An Introduction to Tropical Rain Forests, Clarendon Press, Oxford, p. 226.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ramakrishnan, P.S. Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Tropical Rain Forest Landscape. Climatic Change 39, 583–600 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005398606125

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005398606125

Keywords

Navigation