PS 3.101: Climate Change and Mountain Eco-security

Climate change is a global issue, but it places greater stress on mountain regions worldwide. Under the influence of an accelerating changing climate, ecosystems may reconfigure in different trajectories, making the maintenance of regional ecological security increasingly challenging. Ecological security is not an isolated scientific term. It is embedded in every node of the nexus among humans, non-human species, the environment, and the well-being of all living forms on Planet Earth. Human society relies entirely on the supporting and sustaining services of ecosystems, which are interconnected with species distribution, productivity, and regulatory functions. Once the system becomes unbalanced, species distributions may shift, and the range of food and cash crops may expand or contract, followed by regime shifts in pests and pathogens associated with these organisms. Collectively, these changes could pose new and alarming challenges to ecological resilience in mountain regions. Therefore, collective intellect and wisdom across the world are vital for future adaptation to such challenges. This plenary session focuses on the relationship between climate change and regional ecological security challenges across mountain regions of the world, from the Himalayas to the Alps and the Andes. Session presenters and participants discuss the range shifts or expansions of mountain-dwelling species, food and cash crops, pests, and diseases affecting agriculture, forestry, husbandry, and public health in mountain habitats worldwide.