An Analysis of Glacial Retreat and Resultant Vegetation Expansion in the Karakorum: a Case Study of Passu Glacier in Hunza Valley. | [Biologia • 2018]

Author(s):

1. Nausheen Mazhar: Department of Geography, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan

2. Ali Iqtadar Mirza: Department of Geography, Government College University (GCU), Lahore, Pakistan

3. SAHAR ZIA: Department of Geography, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan

4. Zayanah Sohail Butt: Department of Geography, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan

5. Memuna Ghafoor Shahid: Botany Department, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan

6. ALI IMAM MIRZA: Department of Geography, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract:

The glaciers are the life line of Pakistan's economy since they serve as fresh water and feed reservoirs which help in hydroelectric power production and provide water for agriculture. The changing climatic trends of the Hindu-Kush Himalayan (HKH) region have resulted in the decrease of its glacial volume such as Baltoro and Biafo. Passu, the glacier whose water feeds Hunza River, is also facing retreat due to climate change. Changes in the area under vegetation in Passu village due to Passu glacier retreat have also been estimated using normalized difference snow index (NDSI) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) which were also derived from the satellite images. NDSI for snow 2 cover mapping of Passu glacier indicates a decrease of 6.18% in snow covered area (3.0808 km ) of Passu glacier from 1992-2016. This was identified as 12.8% as annual in the area of Passu glacier. In response to this glacial retreat, area under vegetation has increased @ 4 percent per annum since 1992 and it covers almost half of the area (0.981 sq. km area) of Passu village which is fed by the melted water of the Passu glacier.

Page(s): 135-145

DOI: DOI not available

Published: Journal: Biologia, Volume: 64, Issue: 1, Year: 2018

Keywords:

NDVI , Retreat , snow covered area and sparse vegetation , NDSI

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