Mountains loom large in some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes. Their unique topography, compressed climatic zones and isolation have created the conditions for a wide spectrum of life forms.
Half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots are concentrated in mountains and mountains support approximately one-quarter of terrestrial biological diversity. Mountains are home to rare species of plants and animals. These include increasingly rare animals such as gorillas, mountain lions, and the majestic tahr or strikingly beautiful plants such as orchids and lobelias.
A large portion of the world's most precious gene pools (for agriculture and medicine) are preserved in mountains. Crops that are important for food security, such as maize, potatoes, barley, sorghum, tomatoes and apples, have been diversified in mountains and an array of domestic animals - sheep, goats, yaks, llamas and alpacas - have originated or been diversified in mountains. Other crops, such as wheat, rye, rice, oats and grapes, have found new homes in the mountains and evolved into many varieties. Coffee and tea, with their roots in Ethiopia and the Himalayan region, are mountain crops as well. Medicinal plants are one of the most valuable resources from high altitudes. This rich biodiversity holds cultural, ecological and economic value. In the Andes, for example, farmers know of as many as 200 different varieties of Indigenous Peoples' potatoes and, in Nepal, they farm approximately 2 000 varieties of rice.
Climate change, poverty, commercial mining, logging and poaching all exact a heavy toll on mountain biodiversity. The sustainable management of mountain biodiversity has increasingly been recognized as a global priority. The Convention on Biological Diversity adopted a Programme of Work on Mountain Biological Diversity in 2004, which includes a set of actions and targets addressing characteristics and problems that are specific to mountain ecosystems.
![]() Trieste hosts workshop on the challenges of feeding the planet sustainablynewsTaking stock of how science and technology can help address current and future challenges for feeding the growing planet, including in fragile ecosystems such as mountains, was the focus of the two-day workshop "Science and sustainable food: How scientific instruments can help food and biodiversity issues for the planet and... Read more » |
![]() Resource conservation and management in mountain ecosystems (webinar)eventMountain ecosystems offer unique habitats to a rich diversity of flora and fauna spread along mountain altitudes with varying climatic and biophysical conditions. At the same time, millions of local communities directly and indirectly depend from mountains' natural resources and the important ecosystem services they provide. This webinar aims to... Read more » |
![]() Sustainable soil management in mountain regions - policy briefpublicationMountain soils represent a finite, virtually non-renewable resource that provide essential ecosystem services for life on Earth, not only in the mountains but also downstream. This policy brief, published as a contribution to the Interational Year of Sustainable Mountain Development 2022, discuss the drivers of soil degredation in mountain regions... Download » |
![]() "Restoring mountain ecosystems" theme of International Mountain Day 2023peak to peakThe February 2023 issue of Peak to Peak announces the theme of International Mountain Day 2023: "Restoring mountain ecosystems". Top news stories highlight the addition of four new governments as members of the Mountain Partnership, a call for inputs for the 2022 Mountain Partnership Secretariat Annual Report, a recent conference... Download » |
![]() Mountains and Food: Current Trends and Challenges in Europe’s Mountain RegionspublicationThe Journal of Alpine Research has released a new issue dedicated to the relationship between food and mountains. https://doi.org/10.4000/rga.10540 Download the open access journal here Photo: ©Roberto Cilenti Download » |
![]() In memory of Antonio AramayonewsWe are deeply saddened to report the loss of Antonio "Tuco" Aramayo, who passed away on 18 January 2023. Throughout his professional career, Antonio was devoted to the rural development of the Chuquisaca regions of the Plurinational State of Bolivia. He was the General Manager of Fundación Participación y...
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