Biogeography and Vegetation Dynamics: To address how vegetation is responding to climate change, I am working on a treeline ecotone of the Nepal Himalayas, which is one of the most diverse yet least studied sub-alpine ecosystems in the world. The major contribution of my research work is to provide insights into the ecological and biogeographical processes, the relationship between the treeline ecotone and climate conditions, the mechanism of treeline formation, and the response of tree growth and regeneration to climate change in this region. Covering understudied areas like the Nepal Himalayas will help to understand the broad ecological question of treeline formation worldwide. Moreover, this will be the first kind of study to combine both a landscape and local scales approach to the region, and results will be able to present clearer pictures of treeline dynamics in the context of global climate change. Similar studies can be replicated in other parts of the Himalayas and world.

Publications:

Chhetri P.K. Bista R. & Shrestha K.B. (2020). How stand structure of treeline forming species shape treeline ecotone in the different regions of Nepal Himalaya? Journal of Mountain Science 17(10): 2354-2368.

Chhetri, P. K., & Cairns, D. M. (2018). Low recruitment above treeline indicates treeline stability under changing climate in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Western Nepal. Physical Geography, 39(4), 329-342.

Shrestha, K. B., Chhetri, P. K., & Bista, R. (2017). Growth responses of Abies spectabilis to climate variations along an elevational gradient in Langtang National Park in the central Himalaya, Nepal. Journal of Forest Research, 22(5), 274-281.

Chhetri, P. K., & Cairns, D. M. (2016). Dendroclimatic response of Abies spectabilis at treeline ecotone of Barun Valley, eastern Nepal Himalaya. Journal of forestry research, 27(5), 1163-1170.

Chhetri, P. K., & Cairns, D. M. (2015). Contemporary and historic population structure of Abies spectabilis at treeline in Barun valley, eastern Nepal Himalaya. Journal of Mountain Science, 12(3), 558-570.

Chhetri, P.K., & Thapa, S. (2010). Tree ring and climate change in Langtang National Park, central Nepal. Our Nature 8(1): 139-143

Chhetri, P.K., & Shrestha, K.B. (2009). Dendrochronology and climate change study in Nepal: A Preview. Banko Jankari - A Journal of Forestry Information for Nepal 19(2): 42-43

Barun valley, eastern Nepal looking south from Yangle Kharka. Sub-alpine forest of Abies spectabilis (Himalayan silver fir) extends from Barun river valley to form treeline in south (on the left) to north (on the right) facing slope.