Plant Life

The vast area covered by the mountain range of the Himalayas, (some 2500 km from west to east), along with some fantastic altitude gradients result in the tremendous biodiversity of the Himalayan region. Vegetation and wildlife both change according to the varying altitude and the resulting differences in climatic conditions.

Thousands of species of flora and fauna thrive in the region, although many have become extinct or are on the verge of doing so, through human exploitation. The photo above is of the rare Himalayan Blue Poppy (courtesy of Garden of Eaden.com).

Himalayan vegetation varies according to both altitude and climatic conditions. They range from the tropical deciduous forests in the foothills, to temperate forests in the middle altitudes. Higher up, coniferous, sub alpine and alpine forests spring up. These finally give way to alpine grasslands and high altitude meadows. They are followed by scrublands which lead up to the permanent snowline.

The vegetation also varies from the unexplored tropical rainforests of the Eastern Himalayas, to the dense subtropical and alpine forests of the Central and Western Himalayas to the sparse desert vegetation of the cold desert areas of the Trans Himalaya. (Schoolnet.org).