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. 

GROW programme 2024 concludes with focus on biodiversity and climate resilience

GROW programme 2024 concludes with focus on biodiversity and climate resilience

news
Andean Mountain Initiative leads global mountain conservation efforts at COP16

Andean Mountain Initiative leads global mountain conservation efforts at COP16

news

The Andean Mountain Initiative (AMI), with Mountain Partnership member CONDESAN serving as its technical secretary, played a prominent...

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Caucasus Environment Outlook - Second edition

Caucasus Environment Outlook - Second edition

publication

The second edition of the Caucasus Environment Outlook (CEO-2) emphasizes, across its nine chapters, the importance of regional environmental monitoring through a participatory and consultative approach. It explores recent regional developments and environmental assessments related to population, urbanization, economic development, climate change, land cover, biodiversity, air quality, freshwater, and cross-cutting...

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International conference "Mountains: Biodiversity, landscapes and culture"

International conference "Mountains: Biodiversity, landscapes and culture"

event

The Sustainable Caucasus has combined efforts with Qərbi Kaspi Universiteti/Western Caspian University to co-host The 2nd International Conference "Mountains: Biodiversity, Landscapes, and Cultures" to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, 5 to 6 November, 2024.

The event is designed to foster connections between knowledge sources and cultivate narratives, pathways and visions for...

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 Mountain youth innovation takes centre stage at the World Food Forum 2024

Mountain youth innovation takes centre stage at the World Food Forum 2024

peak to peak

The November 2024 issue of Peak to Peak spotlights the Mountain Youth Hub's (MYH) side event at the World Food Forum, featuring youth from the mountainous regions of Nepal, Ghana and Peru. 

Top news include insights from the Mountain Biosphere Reserves (WNMBR) meeting and MP member Mujeres a la Cumbre's work in the...

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 Mountain youth innovation takes centre stage at the World Food Forum 2024

Mountain youth innovation takes centre stage at the World Food Forum 2024

peak to peak

The November 2024 issue of Peak to Peak spotlights the Mountain Youth Hub's (MYH) side event at the World Food Forum, featuring youth from the mountainous regions of Nepal, Ghana and Peru. Top news include insights from the Mountain Biosphere Reserves (WNMBR) meeting and MP member Mujeres a la Cumbre's work in the...

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