Government authorities and development agencies use road construction as a tool to support socioeconomic development in remote areas worldwide. In mountain regions, roads are closely connected with landslide risk. They destabilize slopes and often lead to the expansion of settlements into hazard zones. Weighing increased landslide risk against economic opportunities, inhabitants of adjacent areas acquire land along road corridors and build shops and houses. This article presents a case study from western Nepal, where an internationally supported road construction project triggered the establishment of a new bazaar in a landslide-prone area. Based on data gathered from qualitative interviews and a quantitative household survey, it discusses people's rationales for moving to the hazard zone, placing special emphasis on risk perception and economic reasoning from a livelihood perspective. The article also considers the extent to which the approach to rural road construction presently used in Nepal influences such developments. The study provides insights into the links between risk perceptions, livelihood strategies, and road-related development interventions and provides suggestions for a risk-sensitive adaptation of current approaches.

In early 2010, the massive Atta Abad landslide blocked the Hunza River in the Gojal region of northern Pakistan. It also buried or flooded 25 km of the Karakoram Highway, the only vehicular transportation route connecting this region to the rest of Pakistan. Since the Karakoram Highway opened in 1978, road mobility has become deeply integrated into the everyday economies and time–space fabric of Gojali households. In this paper, we focus on what happens when a natural disaster unexpectedly slams the brakes on movement as a way to understand more fully the sociodevelopmental implications of roads in the rural global South. We review the history of mobility in the region to explain the importance of the Karakoram Highway as a mobility platform that restructured sociospatial relations in Gojal. We then turn to interviews, ethnographic fieldwork, and local news sources to outline how residents of 4 Gojali communities were experiencing the economic, social, and emotional impacts of landslide-induced mobility disruptions in the 18 months following the disaster.

Traditionally, agricultural systems in the Himalayan region of Nepal rely on livestock, forestry, and crop production. The extraction of litter, tree fodder, and grasses from the forest ensures a net movement of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) from the forest to the agricultural land. This study assessed the sustainability of farming systems by computing the C and N input and output of the agroecosystem. The study was conducted in the buffer zone of Sagarmatha National Park in Nepal. A questionnaire survey, field measurements, and laboratory analysis of samples were used to determine the C and N inputs and fluxes in the systems. Forest litter is a major source of C and N for agricultural land, as is fodder from the forest fed to livestock (lopping of trees, grazing). Amounts that are fairly significant are supplied by human waste. To produce the average amount of 40 kg N ha⁻¹ per year applied as compost, 25 kg N from forest litter, 23 kg N from forest fodder, 9 kg N from human waste, and 3.5 kg N from field grazing and straw are required. Losses are attributed to volatilization, denitrification, and leaching. Harvest residues amount to 14 kg N ha⁻¹. Rather than discouraging the use of litter toilets, a modernized version of indigenous waste management and composting practices could reduce dependency on forests for fuelwood, fodder, and litter. To maintain the present fertility status, each household needs an estimated 2–5 ha of forest land.

Inclusion of periods of unmanaged or natural fallowing is an important soil management practice in the potato-based cropping systems of the resource-poor Andean highland region (Altiplano) of Bolivia. However, in recent years the area in fallow and the fallow length are being reduced due to greater land use intensity and competing land uses. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of the length of cropping and fallowing periods on soil degradation or soil restoration, and to compare the potential soil carbon and nitrogen mineralization from a range of cropped and fallow lands at different elevations. Four representative indigenous communities of the semiarid central Altiplano were selected, 2 at a relatively high elevation and 2 at a relatively low elevation. Soil samples were collected in 2006 and 2007 from fields at the first, second, and third year of crop rotation and from fields with 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40 years of fallow and analyzed for several soil properties. In general, the upper elevations had significantly higher soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, inorganic nitrogen, soil test phosphorus and potassium, exchangeable calcium and magnesium, and cation exchange capacity than the lower elevations. Cropping significantly decreased total and active soil organic carbon and total, inorganic, and active soil nitrogen. Fallowing was observed to restore total and active soil organic carbon and total and active soil nitrogen more rapidly in the higher communities than in the lower communities; this difference was mainly attributed to differences in initial soil properties, climate, and land management in cropped fields with elevation. Further research may be needed to determine which factor has the most influence on soil degradation and soil fertility restoration in this environment in order to assist farmers to improve soil fertility.

The Northern Uplands of Vietnam form one of the largest ecological regions in the country, characterized by complex biophysical conditions and a high diversity in ethnic minorities, cultures, and farming systems. The Doi moi (“renovation”) program has, since the early 1980s, resulted in significant changes in agriculture production and related economic trends. However, poverty, low agricultural productivity, and land degradation are still major problems. This article illustrates the factors that drive these problems by analyzing agricultural land use in Suoi Con, a small agroforestry watershed in the Northern Uplands. We first identified the current land-use systems and analyzed constraints on agricultural production. The results indicate that although low soil fertility and land degradation are considerable problems, availability of household capital, low technology levels, and land fragmentation are major constraints on agricultural development. These constraints were analyzed from different points of view to identify mismatches between the implementation of top-down government policies and specific conditions that may explain why actual land-use change in the Northern Uplands deviates from the government's development plans. Results of land-use analysis in the Suoi Con watershed suggest that participatory and bottom-up approaches are needed to better understand problems and opportunities in household agricultural production in order to develop appropriate land-use plans and policies.

Vietnam's rural areas are characterized by small and fragmented farms, cost inefficiency, and low agricultural income. An efficient land rental market is expected to alleviate some of these problems by creating incentives for allocative efficiency. Voluntary rental transactions are also expected to improve the welfare of both lessees and lessors. This study investigates the efficiency and equity outcomes of the rental market for farmland in a commune in Vietnam's north central coast region, a mountainous area with relatively low incomes and a high concentration of ethnic minorities. It also examines the efficiency of the rental market itself, recognizing that market participation is affected by cultural norms and mutual trust. Data for the study were gathered in 2 household surveys, each conducted in 2 villages. The first was a multistage sample survey of 200 households; the second was a census survey of rental market participants. It was found that the rental market is encouraging households to trade their land use rights in mutually beneficial ways that transfer land to more effective farmers. But there is considerable room for improvement through increasing the number of market participants by reducing transaction costs associated with inadequate information, opportunism, and lack of confidence in the legal system. Perceived levels of risk differed between Kinh and Thai respondents.

Although precipitation is important to climatology, hydrology, and agricultural research, the spatial pattern of precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau is difficult to determine because of complex surface conditions and a sparse rain gauge network. In the present article, a method we named FETCH_OCK—based on a combination of Yin et al's Fetch method (2008) and ordinary cokriging (OCK)—is proposed; it was used to estimate monthly summer precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau, which has limited rain gauge observations and a restricted satellite precipitation dataset. First, the monthly ground observations measured by rain gauges were interpolated using OCK, with a digital elevation model (DEM) as the covariant. Second, the spatial variability of the precipitation monitored by satellite was extracted from the Climate Prediction Center morphing (CMORPH) satellite precipitation dataset by calculating a parameter (FETCH) developed from Yin et al's Fetch parameter. Finally, the precipitation datasets estimated by OCK were corrected by the FETCH parameter derived from the CMORPH satellite precipitation dataset. Summer (June to August) precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau from 2005 to 2009 was estimated using this model. The precipitation datasets estimated by FETCH_OCK were tested using ground observations from 55 independent rain gauges. The results indicate that the FETCH_OCK model not only is an improvement compared with the input precipitation datasets (OCK and CMORPH) but also performs better than other widely used precipitation datasets, including universal kriging with DEM as a covariant and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission 3B43. The present study aims to correct the smoothing effect of kriging interpolation models and to provide a more accurate precipitation dataset for the Tibetan Plateau.

The 11th Conference of the Spanish Association of Terrestrial Ecology, held in Pamplona, Spain, on 6–10 May 2013, included a symposium on alpine ecological research in the Iberian Peninsula. This session offered an excellent opportunity to assess the state and progress of alpine ecology in this region, identify knowledge gaps, and discuss further directions for research. Iberian alpine ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots and have traditionally contributed to sustaining rural livelihoods. Today, these ecosystems are subjected to large changes in land uses, including land abandonment, and are affected by climate change. This article reviews the current state of Iberian alpine ecology and proposes a research agenda. Alpine ecology in the Iberian Peninsula is a growing field of research. The need for larger spatial and temporal scales in research and monitoring, along with the integration of socioecological aspects, is a critical issue for understanding the major drivers of change in the alpine ecosystems of the Iberian Peninsula. The implementation of effective mitigation strategies aimed at reducing the impact of the pressing environmental and socioeconomic problems of Iberian mountain areas can only be accomplished through a multidisciplinary and integrative approach.

This article synthesizes findings from a review of the state of research on sustainable land management in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and from an analysis of the interface between research and action. Using the Global Land Project (GLP 2005) analytical framework, we analyzed the distribution of 131 selected publications (including a clearly defined set of local and international academic and gray literature) across the framework's components and links in a social–ecological system. There is a strong emphasis in the literature on the impact of changes in land use and management on ecosystems; however, there is little research on the implications for ecosystem services. This finding is opposed to that of a similar analysis of publications at the global scale (Björnsen Gurung et al 2012). Another major gap was the lack of research on Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan regarding the influence of global factors on social and ecological systems, despite social, economic, and political integration into global structures since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the increasing influence of climate change. Our analysis disaggregated academic literature published in the region and international academic literature, revealing stark differences. These differences are partly attributable to the legacy of the late Soviet era principle of “rational use of land resources,” which fit the planned economy but lacks approaches for decentralized resource governance. Finally, the emphasis of research on systems knowledge, the lack of transdisciplinary research, and the critical feedback of stakeholders at a regional sustainable land management forum suggest that actionable sustainable land management research on Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is rare. Recommendations are made for targeted, application-focused, multistakeholder research and knowledge sharing, including local and international researchers as well as practitioners, policy-makers, and land users.

The dried fruits of large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.), a high-value, low-volume spice crop grown only in the three eastern Himalayan countries, are widely used in foods, beverages, perfumes, and medicines. Production is currently declining, and improved postharvest management would be one way to help ensure the sustainability of this niche crop. The value chain for large cardamom consists largely of traditional practices; scientific improvements are needed in a number of postharvest steps, including marketing. This article reviews the crop's postharvest processing (with emphasis on curing, calyx cutting, packaging, and storage), quality issues, and trade patterns, and identifies research topics that could contribute to increasing its quality and value and thereby to protecting and promoting the livelihoods of several thousands of people in the value chain.

Glacier tourism, a multimillion-dollar industry in New Zealand, is potentially under threat by ongoing glacial retreat. Surface morphology changes associated with retreat and thinning result in increasingly difficult access for guided walks on the Franz Josef Glacier, but simultaneously, an enlarging proglacial lake is increasing tourism opportunities at Tasman Glacier. Steepening ice slopes, increased debris cover, and an increase in the rockfall hazard are just some of the challenges glacier tourism operators face as glaciers around the world retreat. To date in New Zealand, glacier tourism has kept pace with ongoing glaciological change, often by increasing mechanized access. Focusing scientific research on short-term process studies—for example, determining thinning rates and assessing hazards—will help tour operators and policy-makers make decisions about future glacier utilization and accessibility.

The Mountain Research Initiative (MRI), an international networking project for global change research in mountain regions, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and founded under the auspices of the International Geosphere–Biosphere and International Human Dimensions Projects (IGBP and IHDP), has worked assiduously for more than 10 years to develop a community of researchers and to synthesize and publicize knowledge about global change in mountain regions. The Initiative is now developing campaigns by which this stronger network can produce new research infrastructure and knowledge.

Switzerland and Austria are committed to addressing sustainable mountain development in Europe through a joint effort. In June 2013, more than 140 researchers as well as representatives of the 2 countries' funding ministries participated in the “Mountain Days” event in Mittersill, Austria, thereby marking the official launch of the Swiss-Austrian Alliance. The resulting Mittersill Commitment Paper highlights 8 research areas and calls for international cooperation between mountain researchers, institutions, and governments.