The challenges of mountain environments: Water, natural resources, hazards, desertification and the implications of climate change

Mountain ecosystems are a biosphere reserve. They harbor a wide range of significant resources including animals, plants as well as minerals. Mountains are home to about 10 percent of the global population. A significant high proportion of 25 - 30 percent directly depends on the resources flowing from mountain regions. Functionally, mountains play a critical role in the environment and economic process of the planet. The great economic importances are the uses of the mountains for forestry, horticulture, mineral extraction, livestock rearing, tourism, and recreation.

Although mountains and uplands constitute about 20 percent of the earth's surface, it is difficult to find an area not affected by their environment. The most important influence is the hydrological cycle. Mountains act as orthographic barrier to the flow of moisture bearing wind and control the precipitation in the neighboring regions. For example, the Himalayas are fundamental importance to the occurrence of the monsoon in northern India, and of the continental arid conditions in Central Asia. In the upper regions of many mountains large volume of water are stored in the form of ice. Over 90 percent of the earth's freshwater store is in ice and it is a most valuable natural resource. These provide the necessary melt flows into the rivers during the hot, dry seasons.