Research Projects

The Himalayan region is a vital source of freshwater resources and acts as a significant natural reservoir. The meltwater released from Himalayan glaciers serves as a vital lifeline for major river systems in Asia, sustaining millions of people by supporting freshwater supply, agriculture and hydropower generation (Lee et al., 2021). This meltwater not only supports regional food and energy security but also plays a vital role in sustaining essential ecosystem services within the highly sensitive and vulnerable environments of the Eastern Himalaya (Kattel, 2022). Himalayan glaciers have already lost nearly 40% of their area since the Little Ice Age, with ongoing retreat linked to accelerating climate change (Bolch et al., 2019). The rapid glacial retreat, driven by climate change and anthropogenic disturbances, poses a significant alteration in the hydrological cycle, biogeochemical processes, and threatens ecological resilience, particularly in the Sikkim Himalayan region (Mir et al., 2021). Therefore, understanding their influences on the biogeochemical cycles of fragile mountain systems is vital for soil health, sustainable development, and climate resilience. Hydro-biogeochemical research in the sensitive ecosystem of the Sikkim Himalaya remains limited, despite its high significance for regional ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. So far, only one study has been conducted by Mondal et al. (2023), who employed stable isotopes to investigate the water sources in the Teesta River basin, Sikkim. However, the study did not examine nutrient dynamics within the river-lake system, which are essential for aquatic life. To address the critical research gaps and gain a holistic understanding of lake-river ecosystems' productivity, this project proposes a pioneering investigation, integrating stable isotopes to establish a baseline investigation of carbon and nitrogen fluxes in the river-lake system and evaluate the imbalances (change in conc) under the influence of climate shift. To further elucidate the nutrient transport pathway, the project also incorporates hydrological modelling using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), which enables a process-based understanding of watershed responses to climatic and anthropogenic drivers. The proposed project and its associated objectives will be attempted for the first time in the Sikkim Himalaya and hold significant potential for improving our knowledge regarding nutrient dynamics in the region’s lake and river systems. The overall outcome will provide critical insights into the interconnectedness of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems by reconstructing primary sources and sinks and distinguishing the relative contributions of geological weathering and anthropogenic inputs. It will also offer valuable implications for sustaining ecosystem services, informing nutrient mitigation policies, and strengthening frameworks for managing water resources in the Himalayan context.