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Exploring the Socio-Ecological Characteristics of Gahkuch Marshland: A Unique Wetlands Ecosystem in Hindukush Mountain Ranges

Received: 8 November 2015     Accepted: 17 November 2015     Published: 10 December 2015
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Abstract

Gahkuch marshland spreading over 133.54 hectare amidst Hindukush mountain ranges in northern Pakistan is characterized by typical wetlands ecosystem, comprising of small lakes, streams, peat lands, bogs, marshy areas and riverain forests. The area abodes largest resident population of waterfowl in Gilgit- Baltistan, in addition to providing wintering and staging ground for a large number of migratory birds and other aquatic life. A detailed socio ecological study conducted during August to September, 2011 revealed that the area is rich in biodiversity, harboring eight large and three small mammal species, 35 species of birds, seven species of fish, eight species of trees and 18 species of medicinal and economic plants and seventeen families of benthic-macro invertebrates. Moreover, six physical, nineteen chemical and three biological parameters of water bodies were also determined. In addition to its ecological significance the area also supports livelihoods of about 10000 people by providing timber, fuel wood, grazing ground and fish resources. Anthropogenic pressures includes solid waste, influent and illegal hunting were key threats to wetlands and its resources. Wetlands management planning in collaboration with key stakeholders would be effective approach to protect important biodiversity and wetlands resources of the area.

Published in Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science (Volume 4, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.wros.20150406.13
Page(s) 92-99
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Gahkuch, Marshland, Wetlands, WWF, Benthic, Hindukush

References
[1] Ali Z. 2005. Ecology, distribution and conservation of migratory birds at Uchalli Wetlands Complex, Punjab, Pakistan. A thesis submitted to the University of the Punjab in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of philosophy in Zoology (unpublished).
[2] Blodau C. 2002. Carbon cycling in peatlands. A review of processes and controls; Enviorn. Rev.; 10(2): 111–134.
[3] Collins NB. 2005. Wetlands: The basics and some more. Free State Department of Tourism, Environmental and Econimic Affairs. ISBN 0-86886-708-X, Bloemfontein.
[4] Gimmet R, Inskipp C, Inskipp T. 2001. Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. (Revised reprint 2001), Christopher Helm, London. Pp. 384.
[5] Gimmet R, Tom R, Inskipp T. 2008. Birds of the Pakistan. Christopher Helm, London. Pp. 1-255
[6] Gorham E. 1991.Role in the global carbon cycle and probable response to climate warming; Ecol. Appl.; 1: 182–193.
[7] http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-activities-cepa-classification-system/main/ramsar/1-63-69%5E21235_4000_0__Accessed 9.46 am hrs, 02-05-2012
[8] Kazmierczak K. 2000.A field guide to the birds of the Indian Subcontinent. Pica press Sussex. Pp. 1-352.
[9] Maltby E, Immirzi P. 1993. Carbon dynamics in peatlands and other wetland soils, regional and global perspectives; Chemosphere; 27: 999–1023.
[10] Mitsch WJ, Gosselink JG. 2007. Wetlands (4th edn). New York: John Wiley
[11] Kazmierczak K. 2000.A field guide to the birds of the Indian Subcontinent. Pica press Sussex. Pp. 1-352.
[12] Pulliam HR, Danielson BJ. 1991. Sources, sinks and habitat selection. A landscape perspective on population dynamics: The American Naturalist. 137: 850-866.
[13] RCS. 2006. The Ramsar Convention manual: A guide to the convention on wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) (4th edn). Gland (Switzerland): Ramsar Convention Secretariat.
[14] Shafiq. 1998. Status of large mammal species in Khunjerab National Park. The Pakistan journal of forestry vol 48(1-4) 1998 p 91-96.
[15] Shine C, de Klemm C. 1999. Wetlands, water, and the law: Using law to advance wetland conservation and wise use (IUCN environmental policy and law paper no. 38).Gland, Switzerland: IUCN.
[16] Srinivasan S. 2002. Mapping the Tso Kar basin in Ladakh Gathering Spatial Information from a Nomadic Community, The Journal of Community Informatics. ISSN: 1712-4441.
[17] Survey guidelines for Australia’s threatened fish. 2004. Guidelines for detecting fish listed as threatened under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
[18] UNEP. 1996. Groundwater: A threatened resource, UNEP Environment Library no. 15, UNEP, Nairobi, Kenya.
[19] WWF - Pakistan. 2010. Project document Saving Wetlands Sky High Programme Extension phase, un published report Pp 1.
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  • APA Style

    Yawar Abbas, Babar Khan, Farasat Ali, Garee Khan, Syed Naeem Abbas, et al. (2015). Exploring the Socio-Ecological Characteristics of Gahkuch Marshland: A Unique Wetlands Ecosystem in Hindukush Mountain Ranges. Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science, 4(6), 92-99. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wros.20150406.13

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    ACS Style

    Yawar Abbas; Babar Khan; Farasat Ali; Garee Khan; Syed Naeem Abbas, et al. Exploring the Socio-Ecological Characteristics of Gahkuch Marshland: A Unique Wetlands Ecosystem in Hindukush Mountain Ranges. J. Water Resour. Ocean Sci. 2015, 4(6), 92-99. doi: 10.11648/j.wros.20150406.13

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    AMA Style

    Yawar Abbas, Babar Khan, Farasat Ali, Garee Khan, Syed Naeem Abbas, et al. Exploring the Socio-Ecological Characteristics of Gahkuch Marshland: A Unique Wetlands Ecosystem in Hindukush Mountain Ranges. J Water Resour Ocean Sci. 2015;4(6):92-99. doi: 10.11648/j.wros.20150406.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.wros.20150406.13,
      author = {Yawar Abbas and Babar Khan and Farasat Ali and Garee Khan and Syed Naeem Abbas and Rizwan Karim and Saeed Abbas and Nawazish Ali and Ejaz Hussain},
      title = {Exploring the Socio-Ecological Characteristics of Gahkuch Marshland: A Unique Wetlands Ecosystem in Hindukush Mountain Ranges},
      journal = {Journal of Water Resources and Ocean Science},
      volume = {4},
      number = {6},
      pages = {92-99},
      doi = {10.11648/j.wros.20150406.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wros.20150406.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wros.20150406.13},
      abstract = {Gahkuch marshland spreading over 133.54 hectare amidst Hindukush mountain ranges in northern Pakistan is characterized by typical wetlands ecosystem, comprising of small lakes, streams, peat lands, bogs, marshy areas and riverain forests. The area abodes largest resident population of waterfowl in Gilgit- Baltistan, in addition to providing wintering and staging ground for a large number of migratory birds and other aquatic life. A detailed socio ecological study conducted during August to September, 2011 revealed that the area is rich in biodiversity, harboring eight large and three small mammal species, 35 species of birds, seven species of fish, eight species of trees and 18 species of medicinal and economic plants and seventeen families of benthic-macro invertebrates. Moreover, six physical, nineteen chemical and three biological parameters of water bodies were also determined. In addition to its ecological significance the area also supports livelihoods of about 10000 people by providing timber, fuel wood, grazing ground and fish resources. Anthropogenic pressures includes solid waste, influent and illegal hunting were key threats to wetlands and its resources. Wetlands management planning in collaboration with key stakeholders would be effective approach to protect important biodiversity and wetlands resources of the area.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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    AU  - Yawar Abbas
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    AB  - Gahkuch marshland spreading over 133.54 hectare amidst Hindukush mountain ranges in northern Pakistan is characterized by typical wetlands ecosystem, comprising of small lakes, streams, peat lands, bogs, marshy areas and riverain forests. The area abodes largest resident population of waterfowl in Gilgit- Baltistan, in addition to providing wintering and staging ground for a large number of migratory birds and other aquatic life. A detailed socio ecological study conducted during August to September, 2011 revealed that the area is rich in biodiversity, harboring eight large and three small mammal species, 35 species of birds, seven species of fish, eight species of trees and 18 species of medicinal and economic plants and seventeen families of benthic-macro invertebrates. Moreover, six physical, nineteen chemical and three biological parameters of water bodies were also determined. In addition to its ecological significance the area also supports livelihoods of about 10000 people by providing timber, fuel wood, grazing ground and fish resources. Anthropogenic pressures includes solid waste, influent and illegal hunting were key threats to wetlands and its resources. Wetlands management planning in collaboration with key stakeholders would be effective approach to protect important biodiversity and wetlands resources of the area.
    VL  - 4
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Author Information
  • World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan, NLI Colony Jutiyal, Gilgit, Pakistan

  • World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan, NLI Colony Jutiyal, Gilgit, Pakistan

  • World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan, NLI Colony Jutiyal, Gilgit, Pakistan

  • World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan, NLI Colony Jutiyal, Gilgit, Pakistan

  • Forest, Parks and Wildlife Department, Gilgit, Pakistan

  • Department of Forestry and Range Management, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

  • World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan, NLI Colony Jutiyal, Gilgit, Pakistan

  • Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Karakoram International University, Gilgit, Pakistan

  • World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan, NLI Colony Jutiyal, Gilgit, Pakistan

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