Mountain biodiversity
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.
Multimedia on policy recommendations for SMD in the AndesnewsDuring the Regional Workshop Post-Rio +20 "Sustainable Mountain Development: Building the future we need" held on November 12-14 in Lima, Peru, the Consortium for Sustainable Development of the Andean Ecoregion (CONDESAN) launched a multimedia which containing key information and policy recommendations for sustainable mountain development in the Andes. The...
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Why invest in sustainable mountain development? (FAO)publicationMountains cover approximately on-quarter of the word's surface and are home to 12 percent of the human population. By providing freshwater and other key environmental services to more than half of humanity, mountain ecosystem play a crucial role in the development of the planet and contribute significantly to the well-being...
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Executive Summary of the Mountain Partnership Task Force (2012)publicationThe Task Force meeting took place in the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs during 29-31 October 2012. The aim of this event was to take stock of the achievements and challenges experienced by the Mountain Partnership (MP) during the last ten years, during which the attention to mountains and mountain... Download » |
Ecuador presents National Strategy on Climate Change 2012-2025newsThe Minister of Environment of Ecuador, Marcela Aquiñaga, has presented the National Strategy on Climate Change. The strategy proposes, among other things, to step up efforts to conserve forest resources, mangroves and paramos, supporting and promoting energy efficiency, improving environmental practices and reducing consumption of resources. Please see complete information in...
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11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological DiversityeventThe 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will be mainly focused on: the status of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits arising from their Utilization; implementation of the Strategic...
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FAO's Current Engagement in Sustainable Mountain Development (FAO)publicationMountain ecosystems and watersheds are essential for long-term sustainable global development and poverty alleviation and can make an important contribution to climate change adaptation and mitigation. Freshwater, rich biodiversity, and other natural resources provided by mountains are vital for the livelihood of billions of people. However, recent environmental, economic, and... Download » |
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