Tibetan Alpine Ethnobotany Tibetan Alpine Ethnobotany

and Climate Changeand Climate Change

Jan SalickJan Salick, PhD , PhD Senior Curator of EthnobotanySenior Curator of Ethnobotany

Alice H Brown Chair of the Wm L Brown CenterAlice H Brown Chair of the Wm L Brown Center

Missouri Botanical GardenMissouri Botanical Garden

“Medicine Mountains”

Meili or Menri

↓↓↓↓

Research Site: Eastern HimalayasResearch Site: Eastern Himalayas

Tibetan CultureTibetan Culture

Tibetan People

Khawa KarpoKhawa Karpo

Climate Change near Khawa Karpo: Climate Change near Khawa Karpo:

five lines of evidencefive lines of evidence

1.1. IPCC IPCC ---- impactsimpacts

2.2. Repeat photographs Repeat photographs ---- impactsimpacts

3.3. Gradient analyses Gradient analyses ---- impactsimpacts

4.4. GLORIA plots GLORIA plots ---- impactsimpacts

5.5. Tibetan perspectives Tibetan perspectives ---- vulnerabilityvulnerability

1.1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Sacred glacierSacred glacier

of Khawa Karpoof Khawa Karpo

Projected Patterns of Temperature Changes↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

IPCC Fourth Assessment Report

↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

and stippled!and stippled!

5-6oC temperature increase

20-30% precipitation increase

Glacial retreat

2. Repeat Photographs2. Repeat PhotographsJoseph Rock 1923 Robert Moseley 2003Joseph Rock 1923 Robert Moseley 2003

Shrub-Line

Glaciersof Mt.

Khawa

Karpo

Tree-

Line

Shrub-

Line

Glaciers

of Mt.Khawa

Karpo

Tree-Line

↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓ ↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

3.3.

EE

LL

EE

VV

AA

TT

II

OO

NN

AA

LL

GG

RR

AA

DD

II

EE

NN

TT

20002000--

7000m7000m

1. scree2. alpine meadow

3. rhododendron

4. conifer5. mixed

6. oak7. scrub

Elevational gradientElevational gradient

66

22

6655

44

33

11

77

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

2341 24 55 26 14 2 820 2 947 3042 3242 3446 3632 384 0 4045 4245 44 22

Elevation (m)

Her

b-S

hru

b D

ivers

ity/

3m

2

0

1

2

3

4

5

Sc r u b Sc r u b Sc r u b Sc r u b Scr ub Oa k Oa k Pi n e

Oa k /

Pi n e O ak Oa k/ Fi r Me ad ow Me ad ow

Vegetation Type

Tre

e D

ivers

ity/1

00m

2

Herb-Shrub Diversity Usef ul Herb -Shrub Diversit y Tree Diversity

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

199 7 2195 24 10 2700 2 850 3062 3 250 3455 3671 388 0 4077 4255 44 60

Elevation (m )

Herb

-Sh

rub D

ivers

ity/3

m2

0

1

2

3

4

5

Sc r u b

Mi xe d

Sc r u b

Mi xe d

Sc r u b Oak Oa k Mi x ed Mi x ed M ix ed

Rho d o/

Ba mb oo Sp r u ce Rh od o Me ad ow Me ad ow

Vegetation Type

Tre

e D

iver

sit

y/100

m2

Herb-Shrub Diversity Usef ul Herb -Shrub Diversit y Tree Diversity

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2341 2455 2614 282 0 2947 30 42 32 42 34 46 36 32 38 40 4 045 4 245 4422

Elevation (m)

Herb

-Sh

rub R

ichn

ess/

3m2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Scr ub Scr ub Scr ub Sc r u b Sc r u b O ak O ak Pi ne

Oak /

P in e O ak Oak / Fi r Mea do w Mea do w

Vegetation Type

Tre

e R

ich

ness/

100

m2

Herb-Shrub R ichness Useful Herb-Shrub Richness Tree Richness

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1997 2195 2 410 2700 2850 306 2 3250 34 55 36 71 3880 4077 4255 4460

Elevation (m)

Herb

-Sh

rub R

ichn

ess/

3m2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Sc r u b

Mi x ed

Scr ub

M ix ed

Scr ub Oa k Oa k Mi xe d Mi xe d Mi xe d

R ho do /

B ambo o Spr uc e R ho do Mea do w Me ad ow

Vegetation Type

Tre

e R

ich

ness/

100

m2

Herb-Shrub Richness Useful Herb-Shrub Richness Tree Richness

Figure . Richness and Diversity (H’) of Herb-Shrubs and Trees. Top: Southern aspect diversity (left) and richness (right). Bottom: Northern aspect

diversity (left) and richness (right). Elevation and vegetation type at each site are given on the horizontal axes. Note that herb-shrub statistics are per

3m2 while tree statistics are per 100m2. Whiskers denote standard error (SE).

Southern AspectSouthern Aspect

Northern AspectNorthern Aspect

Diversity Richness

Useful plantsUseful plantsUseful plantsUseful plantsUseful plantsUseful plantsUseful plantsUseful plants, plant diversity and richness are all , plant diversity and richness are all , plant diversity and richness are all , plant diversity and richness are all greatest in Alpinegreatest in Alpinegreatest in Alpinegreatest in AlpineANOVAs p=0.0001 (Salick et al. 2004)ANOVAs p=0.0001 (Salick et al. 2004)ANOVAs p=0.0001 (Salick et al. 2004)ANOVAs p=0.0001 (Salick et al. 2004)

collect medicinal plants in mountainscollect medicinal plants in mountains

Tibetan DoctorsTibetan Doctors

•• More biodiversityMore biodiversity

•• Greater endemismGreater endemism

•• OldOld--growth treesgrowth trees

•• Useful plantsUseful plants

Tibetan Tibetan

Sacred Sacred

SpaceSpace

4. GLORIA4. GLORIA methodologymethodology

Global Global Observation Observation Research Research Initiative in Initiative in Alpine Alpine EnvironmentsEnvironments

www.GLORIA.ac.at

GLORIA Team, NW YunnanGLORIA Team, NW Yunnan

Alpine Vegetation Alpine Vegetation

in Eastern Himalayasin Eastern Himalayas

Vegetation trendsVegetation trends

�� Biogeography defines vegetation, Biogeography defines vegetation,

�� as does precipitation & elevation.as does precipitation & elevation.

�� Highest elevations have similar Highest elevations have similar vegetation types (“Arcticvegetation types (“Arctic--Alpine”).Alpine”).

�� Alpine vegetation has the most Alpine vegetation has the most diversity and most useful plants diversity and most useful plants (Tibetan medicines) and is(Tibetan medicines) and is mostmostthreatened by climate change!threatened by climate change!

Climate Change near Khawa Karpo: Climate Change near Khawa Karpo:

five lines of evidencefive lines of evidence

1.1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change�� Great increases in temperature and precipitationGreat increases in temperature and precipitation

2.2. Repeat photographsRepeat photographs�� Glacial retreat, shrub & treeline advanceGlacial retreat, shrub & treeline advance

3.3. Gradient analysesGradient analyses�� Alpine is most diverse and useful (Tibetan medicines)Alpine is most diverse and useful (Tibetan medicines)

4.4. GLORIA plotsGLORIA plots�� Alpine isAlpine is threatened by climate change!threatened by climate change!

5.5. Tibetan perspectivesTibetan perspectives

5. Tibetan perspectives on 5. Tibetan perspectives on

Climate ChangeClimate Change

Questions, discussions & repeat photosQuestions, discussions & repeat photos

(There had been no information on climate change from government or in media)

What climate changes do Tibetans experience?What climate changes do Tibetans experience?

�� Glacial retreat, higher Glacial retreat, higher temperatures & temperatures & treelinetreelineadvanceadvance

�� Valleys (negatives)Valleys (negatives)–– RainfallRainfall

–– Agricultural problemsAgricultural problems

–– Health problemsHealth problems

�� Mountains (positives)Mountains (positives)–– less firewood is needed less firewood is needed

–– spend more time outsidespend more time outside

–– bath more often, bath more often, increasing hygieneincreasing hygiene

�� Cosmology Cosmology

Agricultural vulnerability to climateAgricultural vulnerability to climate�� Floods, erosion Floods, erosion & drought & drought ––

change in variability (change)change in variability (change)

�� Seasons & variability Seasons & variability

�� Animals, crops & varietiesAnimals, crops & varieties

�� Rats, insects & diseasesRats, insects & diseases

�� OM break downOM break down

�� Food spoilageFood spoilage

�� Threatened NTFPThreatened NTFP

What causes climate change?What causes climate change?

�� Khawa Karpo is Khawa Karpo is

withdrawingwithdrawing

�� Tibetans have not Tibetans have not prayed enoughprayed enough

�� Irreverent tourists Irreverent tourists

defile the mountain defile the mountain (especially Japanese (especially Japanese

climbers and Chinese climbers and Chinese

bathing feet)bathing feet)

Tibetan perceptionsTibetan perceptionsClimate change is a moral & religious issue that

reveals people’s feeling of powerlessness:•The mountains are not as beautiful any more, and they do not protect people as they used to (man, 29 years)•I am worried that the earth will be destroyed if the snow disappears completely(woman, 85 years)•If the snow disappears, people will disappear from the earth (man, 57 years)

Tibetan perceptionsTibetan perceptionsCosmology of climate change:

•Climate Change is basic to Tibetan cosmology: 1. massive

earthquakes 2. a great flood 3. fire will consume Mt. Shumi 4. a

colossal wind storm will

extinguish the universe.

•Offerings and prayers are

ceremonially presented to Lu in order to control weather and

disease.

•The Tibetan Calendar predicts

weather and agricultural cycles based on Tibetan astrology and

pragmatic consultations with

experienced farmers subscribing to traditional knowledge.

TibetansTibetans

�� Are Are

affected by affected by

climate climate

change change

�� PerceivePerceive

�� AdaptAdapt

�� MitigateMitigate

Tibetan perspectives on Climate ChangeTibetan perspectives on Climate Change

Tibetans Tibetans adaptadapt

to to

Climate ChangeClimate Change

2nd2nd

Tibetans Tibetans

mitigatemitigate

Climate ChangeClimate Change

Carbon negative livelihoodsCarbon negative livelihoods!!Increase soil carbon (OM)Increase soil carbon (OM)

AforestationAforestation

Traditional conservationTraditional conservation

TibetansTibetans

�� Are Are

effected by effected by

climate climate

change change

�� PerceivePerceive

�� AdaptAdapt

�� MitigateMitigate

Tibetan perspectives on Climate ChangeTibetan perspectives on Climate Change

TibetansTibetans

�� Are Are

effected by effected by

climate climate

change change

�� PerceivePerceive

�� AdaptAdapt

�� Mitigate Mitigate

Tibetan perspectives on Climate ChangeTibetan perspectives on Climate Change

Indigenous peoples have a right to participate and a Indigenous peoples have a right to participate and a

role to play in climate change discussions and policyrole to play in climate change discussions and policy

Indigenous Peoples and Climate ChangeIndigenous Peoples and Climate Change

↓↓↓↓

Future initiativesFuture initiatives

↓↓↓↓ ↓↓↓↓ ↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓ ↓↓↓↓ ↓↓↓↓ ↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

Collaborating InstitutionsCollaborating Institutions�� Missouri Botanical GardenMissouri Botanical Garden

�� Kunming Institute of BotanyKunming Institute of Botany

�� ShangriShangri--la Alpine Botanical Gardenla Alpine Botanical Garden

�� GLORIA, ViennaGLORIA, Vienna

�� Environmental Change Institute, University of OxfordEnvironmental Change Institute, University of Oxford

Funding AgenciesFunding Agencies�� Ford FoundationFord Foundation

�� National Geographic SocietyNational Geographic Society

�� The Nature ConservancyThe Nature Conservancy

�� Danish Research CouncilDanish Research Council

�� Christensen FoundationChristensen Foundation

�� Oxford Fellowship for EthnoecologyOxford Fellowship for Ethnoecology

Research AssistanceResearch AssistanceYang Yang YongpingYongping, Fang Zhendong, Anja Byg, Heidi Schmidt, Jessica , Fang Zhendong, Anja Byg, Heidi Schmidt, Jessica

Woo, Wayne Law, Woo, Wayne Law, DanicaDanica Anderson, Anthony Amend, Bee Gunn, Anderson, Anthony Amend, Bee Gunn, George George YatkievychYatkievych, Kurt , Kurt HoffmeisterHoffmeister, plus, plus