Himalayan Landscapes of India

Abstract

The Himalaya of northern India comprise a series of mountain ranges, including the Siwaliks, Lesser and Greater Himalaya and Transhimalaya. The region is amongst the most geomorphically dynamic on the planet. The mountain ranges that constitute the Himalaya are the consequence of the continued collision of the Indian and Eurasian continental lithospheric plates. In addition to the tectonic processes that help create the mountains, glaciers and their associated processes, vast rivers that drain the mountains, mass movements, aeolian processes and weathering, are actively shaping them. Human-influences are also becoming important in modifying Himalayan landscapes, but their magnitude is yet to be fully assessed. The relative importance of tectonic and surface processes varies across the Himalaya, and their magnitude and frequency is greatly influenced by the climate gradients and topography. The spatial and temporal variation in processes has led to a great diversity in landscapes throughout the Himalaya of northern India, making it one of the most fascinating and challenging places to study geomorphology and landscape evolution.