The basic concept of phytosociology is crucial for the assessment of species composition and dynamic ecological succession of forests supporting ecological services,functions,disturbance,and resilience that lead to th...The basic concept of phytosociology is crucial for the assessment of species composition and dynamic ecological succession of forests supporting ecological services,functions,disturbance,and resilience that lead to the development of integrated areas such as ecological niche modeling and contribute to identifying the valuable bio-indicators which can be used in framing conservation and management planning.B.utilis is one of the most dominant tree species of treeline ecotone in the Himalayan Region.The species is also considered as indicator species for monitoring the past and recent climate change impact.The current study was carried out in the natural populations of B.utilis from the sub-alpine zone of North-western Indian Himalaya.The birch dominated forest harbors a total of 305 plant species comprising Angiosperms(51 families,160 genera and 277 species),Gymnosperms(03 families,05 genera and 07 species)and Pteridophytes(07 families,11 genera and 21 species)with Asteraceae,Ranunculaceae and Rosaceae as dominant family.Birch forests are found dominant in shady moist habitat and North West aspect.Geographical characteristics,anthropogenic and developmental activities affect the population structure of B.utilis and associated species.However,the species has fair regeneration status in the study area.The acidic nature of soil pH and spatial variation in edaphic characteristics may be due to geographical differences,rooting patterns and litter accumulation of below and above-ground vegetation.Biomass estimation of a representative population of B.utilis from each site showed that TAGBD,TCD and TBD were found maximum in ST3(Hamta Pass II site).The CCA analysis determined that environmental variables such as altitude,organic matter,available phosphorous,organic carbon,available nitrogen,and electrical conductivity played a significant role in determining tree species composition and distribution in B.utilis dominated forests.展开更多
Ecotourism aims to deliver the philosophy of sustainable development through environmental conservation as well as socio-economic development.Areas with rich biodiversity and scenic beauty,like the Indian Himalayan re...Ecotourism aims to deliver the philosophy of sustainable development through environmental conservation as well as socio-economic development.Areas with rich biodiversity and scenic beauty,like the Indian Himalayan region,have been one of the major destination centers for nature lovers from historical time.In view of conserving the rich biodiversity and natural heritage of the Himalayan region 92 protected areas have been set aside,of these Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve(NDBR) is a well known world heritage site.Over a period of time establishing NDBR has invited conflicts between the local people and reserve authorities on the management approaches and utilization criteria of the natural resources,especially banning the traditional bio-resource collection rights of local community,expeditions,trekking,and other anthropogenic activities in the core zones.The present study aims to understand and analyze the various people-park conflicts,and also to suggest ways to mitigate such conflicts in view of biodiversity conservation and improvement of economic status of local people by promoting ecotourism.With this view the study further discusses the various aspects of ecotourism,its pros and cons,and the avenues of developing appropriate strategies for promotion of ecotourism in buffer zone areas of NDBR.展开更多
The developmental activities, particularly the construction of hydroelectric projects are causing a great loss of biodiversity in the Indian Himalayan Region. The Himachal Pradesh, a part of IHR is well known for the ...The developmental activities, particularly the construction of hydroelectric projects are causing a great loss of biodiversity in the Indian Himalayan Region. The Himachal Pradesh, a part of IHR is well known for the development of hydroelectric projects. The Parbati H.E. Project is amongst the major projects of the State. The different stages of the project are all causing loss of biodiversity of the area. Stage Ⅲ of the Parbati H.E. Project is a run of the river scheme on the Sainj River downstream of Power House of Parbati H.E. Project Stage Ⅱ. The project shall utilize regulated discharge of Parbati H.E. Project Stage Ⅱ and inflow of River Sainj for power generation, and has been contemplated as a peaking station operating in tandem with Stage Ⅱ. The present study has been undertaken to see the impact of hydroelectric project on the biodiversity, particularly on medicinal plants. A total of 104 species of medicinal plants, belonging to different life forms, i.e., trees (23 spp.), shrubs (22 spp.), herbs (57 spp.) and ferns (2 spp.) were recorded. The species have been analyzed and studied for their distribution, classification, altitudinal zones, part (s) used, indigenous uses, nativity, endemism and rarity.Different parts of these species, such as whole plants, roots (including rhizomes and tubers), leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, stems, barks, spikes, nuts and insect galls are used by the inhabitants for curing various diseases and ailments. 30 species are native to the Himalayan region, 9 species native to the Himalayan region and adjacent countries also and 65 species are non-natives. 9 species are near endemics. Considering the whole Himalaya as a biogeographic unit (sensu lato), the near endemics are endemic to the Himalaya. Among these species, Zanthoxylum armatum is categorized as Endangered and Valeriana wallichii as Vulnerable. Hedychium spicatum, Rhus javanica, Berberis lycium, Thalictrum foliolossum, Salvia lanata, Rubia cordifolia and Bergenia ligulata may be considered as threatened species due to their over exploitation for trade. 90 species are propagated by seeds, 8 species by seeds and rhizomes/roots/tubers, 4 species by seeds and cuttings, and 2 species by sori. A management plan for the cultivation and conservation of the medicinal plants in the dam submergence area, and the commercially viable medicinal plants with high value in the catchment area is suggested.展开更多
Mountain ecosystem,on the earth,has plenty of natural resources. In Himachal Pradesh all the rivers are snowfed and therefore rich in water resources. These resources have been supporting enough for the generation of ...Mountain ecosystem,on the earth,has plenty of natural resources. In Himachal Pradesh all the rivers are snowfed and therefore rich in water resources. These resources have been supporting enough for the generation of electricity through introducing hydropower projects since the last decade. However,every developmental activity has its own negative impacts on the surrounding environment. Due to the fragile nature of topography and delicacy of ecology of the Himalaya,it results in lot of disturbances because of high degree of human interferences like construction of major hydropower projects. The increased extent of geological hazards,such as landslides,rock fall and soil erosion,have mainly due to alike developmental interventions in the natural ecosystem. So understanding and analysing such impacts of the hydropower projects have mainly been on the environment in various forms but natural hazards have been frequent ones. The present study,therefore,focuses mainly on the Parbati Stage Ⅱ (800 MW) and the Parbati Stage Ⅲ (520 MW) hydropower projects; both of which fall within the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Based on the perception survey of the local communities,the existing land use pattern,status of total acquired land of the residents by hydropower projects,frequent natural hazards and resultant loss to the local communities due to upcoming construction of hydropower projects surrounding to the Parbati Stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ have been analysed in the paper. Also,the preventive measures to mitigate these adverse impacts have been suggested to strengthen these projects in eco-friendly manner in the mountain context.展开更多
The labile organic carbon(C)and C-related enzymes are sensitive indicators capturing alterations of soil organic matter(SOM),even in a short-time scale.Although the effects of crop husbandry and land use change on the...The labile organic carbon(C)and C-related enzymes are sensitive indicators capturing alterations of soil organic matter(SOM),even in a short-time scale.Although the effects of crop husbandry and land use change on these attributes have been well studied,there is no consensus about how plant phenology may impact them.This study aimed to determine the short-term effect o f six distinct phenological stages(PS-1:full bloom;PS-2:fruit set;PS-3:pit hardening;PS-4:physiological maturity;PS-5:60 d after physiological maturity;and PS-6:fall)o f peach on the changes in soil organic carbon(SOC)fractions of different oxidizability,labile C pools,and C-cycle enzyme activities in soils,for two consecutive years(2015 and 2016)in the North-Western Himalayas(NWH).Peach rhizosphere soils were sampled at the topsoil(0-15 cm)and subsoil(16-30 cm)layers,along with rhizosphere soils from adjacent perennial grasses,which served as a control.Values for most of the assessed parameters,including very labile C,labile C,microbial biomass C,permanganate oxidizable C,dissolved organic C,mineralizable C,amylase activity,and carboxymethyl-cellulase activity,were significantly(P<0.05)higher at PS-3 than at other phenological stages of peach.Conversely,a sudden decline in these soil variables was recorded at PS-5,followed by a slight buildup at PS-6,particularly in the topsoil of the peach orchard.Short-term changes in organic C fractions of different oxidizability,influenced by peach phenological stage,significantly(P<0.05)affected C management index,C pool index,and lability index.Both the C management index and lability index showed their highest values at PS-3 and their lowest values at PS-5,clearly indicating short-term accretion and depletion of SOC,in tandem with the peach phenological events.Principal component analysis suggested that a composite of soil indicators,including microbial biomass C,dissolved organic C,amylase,and invertase,could help detect short-term changes in SOC content.It is concluded that peach phenological events had a major impact on the short-term variations of the studied soil variables,which could be attributed to changes in the above-and belowground plant residues,as well as the extent of nutrients and water acquisition.展开更多
Granitic gneisses have been widely found in crystalline rocks in the Dinggye area of the Higher Himalaya (HHM) and the LhagoiKangri area of the North Himalaya (NHM), Tibet. In the HHM, the gneisses intruded in the gra...Granitic gneisses have been widely found in crystalline rocks in the Dinggye area of the Higher Himalaya (HHM) and the LhagoiKangri area of the North Himalaya (NHM), Tibet. In the HHM, the gneisses intruded in the granulite-amphibolite facies metamorphosed sedimentary rocks, known as Nyalam group. In the NHM, the gneisses intruded in the amphibolite facies metamorphosed ones, known as LhagoiKangri group. These granitic gneisses are peraluminous monzonitic granites in terms of their mineral assemblage, and are considered as being derived from metamorphosed sedimentary rocks by anatexis based on the transitional relationship of the gneisses with their migmatitized wall rocks. Zircons are similar in crystal shape and interior structure from both gneisses. Most of them are euhedral or subhedral elongated prism-shaped transparent crystals, with fine oscillatory zoning, showing the magmatic genesis. Some of them are short prism-shaped and with relict core inherited from magma source and oscillatory zoning mantle crystallized from magma. SHRIMP U-Pb dating of zicons shows that both the granitic gneisses in the HHM and NHM are Paleoproterozoic (1811.6±2.9 Ma and 1811.7±7.2 Ma, respectively). These ages are similar to those (1815 to 2120 Ma) from granitic gneiss which is widely distributed in the Lesser Himalaya (LHM). The ages of inherited zircons (>2493.9±7.0 Ma, 2095.8± 8.8 Ma, 1874±29 Ma) exhibit the possible presence of several thermal events in Paleoproterozoic. All of the ages suggest the same India basement beneath the different units in Himalaya area, and do not support the idea that the HHM and NHM are accretionary terranes in Pan-Africa orogenic event. The fact that the basement in HHM is as old as or even younger than LHM is inconsistent with the presently prevalent orogenic models such as either extrusion of low-viscosity mid-crust or orogenic channel.展开更多
The Himalayan orogen consists of three major lithologic units that are separated by two major north-dipping faults: the Lesser Himalayan Sequence (LHS) below the Main Central Thrust (MCT), the Greater Himalayan Crysta...The Himalayan orogen consists of three major lithologic units that are separated by two major north-dipping faults: the Lesser Himalayan Sequence (LHS) below the Main Central Thrust (MCT), the Greater Himalayan Crystalline Complex (GHC) above the MCT, and the Tethyan Himalayan Sequence (THS) juxtaposed by the South Tibet Detachment fault (STD) over the GHC. Due to widespread meta-morphism and intense deformation, differentiating the above three lithologic units is often difficult. This problem has been overcome by the use of Sm-Nd isotopic analysis. The previous studies suggested that the LHS can be clearly distinguished from the GHC and THS by their Nd isotope compositions. However, the lack of detailed and systematic Sm-Nd isotopic studies of the THS across the Himalaya in general has made differentiation of this unit from the nearby GHC impossible, as the two appear to share overlapping Nd compositions and model ages. To address this problem, we systematically sam-pled and analyzed Nd isotopes of the THS in southeastern Tibet directly north of Bhutan. Our study identifies two distinctive fields in a εNd -TDM plot. The first is defined by the εNd(210 Ma) values of -3.45 to -7.34 and TDM values of 1.15 to 1.29 Ga from a Late Triassic turbidite sequence, which are broadly similar to those obtained from the Lhasa block. The second field is derived from the Early Cretaceous meta-sedimentary rocks with εNd(130 Ma) values from -15.24 to -16.61 and TDM values from 1.63 to 2.00 Ga; these values are similar to those obtained from the Greater Himalayan Crystalline Complex in Bhutan directly south of our sampling traverse, which has εNd(130 Ma) values of -10.89 to -16.32 and Nd model ages (TDM) of 1.73 to 2.20 Ga. From the above observations, we suggest that the Late Triassic strata of the southeast Tibetan THS were derived from the Lhasa block in the north, while the Early Cretaceous strata of the THS were derived from a source similar to the High Himalayan Crystalline Complex or Indian craton in the south. Our interpretation is consistent with the existing palaeocurrent data and provenance analysis of the Late Triassic strata in southeastern Tibet, which indicate the sediments derived from a northern source. Thus, we suggest that the Lhasa terrane and the Indian craton were close to one another in the Late Triassic and were separated by a rift valley across which a large submarine fan was transported southward and deposited on the future northern margin of the Indian continent.展开更多
基金the GBPI Mountain Division-Himalayan Research Fellowship for financial support
文摘The basic concept of phytosociology is crucial for the assessment of species composition and dynamic ecological succession of forests supporting ecological services,functions,disturbance,and resilience that lead to the development of integrated areas such as ecological niche modeling and contribute to identifying the valuable bio-indicators which can be used in framing conservation and management planning.B.utilis is one of the most dominant tree species of treeline ecotone in the Himalayan Region.The species is also considered as indicator species for monitoring the past and recent climate change impact.The current study was carried out in the natural populations of B.utilis from the sub-alpine zone of North-western Indian Himalaya.The birch dominated forest harbors a total of 305 plant species comprising Angiosperms(51 families,160 genera and 277 species),Gymnosperms(03 families,05 genera and 07 species)and Pteridophytes(07 families,11 genera and 21 species)with Asteraceae,Ranunculaceae and Rosaceae as dominant family.Birch forests are found dominant in shady moist habitat and North West aspect.Geographical characteristics,anthropogenic and developmental activities affect the population structure of B.utilis and associated species.However,the species has fair regeneration status in the study area.The acidic nature of soil pH and spatial variation in edaphic characteristics may be due to geographical differences,rooting patterns and litter accumulation of below and above-ground vegetation.Biomass estimation of a representative population of B.utilis from each site showed that TAGBD,TCD and TBD were found maximum in ST3(Hamta Pass II site).The CCA analysis determined that environmental variables such as altitude,organic matter,available phosphorous,organic carbon,available nitrogen,and electrical conductivity played a significant role in determining tree species composition and distribution in B.utilis dominated forests.
文摘Ecotourism aims to deliver the philosophy of sustainable development through environmental conservation as well as socio-economic development.Areas with rich biodiversity and scenic beauty,like the Indian Himalayan region,have been one of the major destination centers for nature lovers from historical time.In view of conserving the rich biodiversity and natural heritage of the Himalayan region 92 protected areas have been set aside,of these Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve(NDBR) is a well known world heritage site.Over a period of time establishing NDBR has invited conflicts between the local people and reserve authorities on the management approaches and utilization criteria of the natural resources,especially banning the traditional bio-resource collection rights of local community,expeditions,trekking,and other anthropogenic activities in the core zones.The present study aims to understand and analyze the various people-park conflicts,and also to suggest ways to mitigate such conflicts in view of biodiversity conservation and improvement of economic status of local people by promoting ecotourism.With this view the study further discusses the various aspects of ecotourism,its pros and cons,and the avenues of developing appropriate strategies for promotion of ecotourism in buffer zone areas of NDBR.
文摘The developmental activities, particularly the construction of hydroelectric projects are causing a great loss of biodiversity in the Indian Himalayan Region. The Himachal Pradesh, a part of IHR is well known for the development of hydroelectric projects. The Parbati H.E. Project is amongst the major projects of the State. The different stages of the project are all causing loss of biodiversity of the area. Stage Ⅲ of the Parbati H.E. Project is a run of the river scheme on the Sainj River downstream of Power House of Parbati H.E. Project Stage Ⅱ. The project shall utilize regulated discharge of Parbati H.E. Project Stage Ⅱ and inflow of River Sainj for power generation, and has been contemplated as a peaking station operating in tandem with Stage Ⅱ. The present study has been undertaken to see the impact of hydroelectric project on the biodiversity, particularly on medicinal plants. A total of 104 species of medicinal plants, belonging to different life forms, i.e., trees (23 spp.), shrubs (22 spp.), herbs (57 spp.) and ferns (2 spp.) were recorded. The species have been analyzed and studied for their distribution, classification, altitudinal zones, part (s) used, indigenous uses, nativity, endemism and rarity.Different parts of these species, such as whole plants, roots (including rhizomes and tubers), leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, stems, barks, spikes, nuts and insect galls are used by the inhabitants for curing various diseases and ailments. 30 species are native to the Himalayan region, 9 species native to the Himalayan region and adjacent countries also and 65 species are non-natives. 9 species are near endemics. Considering the whole Himalaya as a biogeographic unit (sensu lato), the near endemics are endemic to the Himalaya. Among these species, Zanthoxylum armatum is categorized as Endangered and Valeriana wallichii as Vulnerable. Hedychium spicatum, Rhus javanica, Berberis lycium, Thalictrum foliolossum, Salvia lanata, Rubia cordifolia and Bergenia ligulata may be considered as threatened species due to their over exploitation for trade. 90 species are propagated by seeds, 8 species by seeds and rhizomes/roots/tubers, 4 species by seeds and cuttings, and 2 species by sori. A management plan for the cultivation and conservation of the medicinal plants in the dam submergence area, and the commercially viable medicinal plants with high value in the catchment area is suggested.
文摘Mountain ecosystem,on the earth,has plenty of natural resources. In Himachal Pradesh all the rivers are snowfed and therefore rich in water resources. These resources have been supporting enough for the generation of electricity through introducing hydropower projects since the last decade. However,every developmental activity has its own negative impacts on the surrounding environment. Due to the fragile nature of topography and delicacy of ecology of the Himalaya,it results in lot of disturbances because of high degree of human interferences like construction of major hydropower projects. The increased extent of geological hazards,such as landslides,rock fall and soil erosion,have mainly due to alike developmental interventions in the natural ecosystem. So understanding and analysing such impacts of the hydropower projects have mainly been on the environment in various forms but natural hazards have been frequent ones. The present study,therefore,focuses mainly on the Parbati Stage Ⅱ (800 MW) and the Parbati Stage Ⅲ (520 MW) hydropower projects; both of which fall within the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Based on the perception survey of the local communities,the existing land use pattern,status of total acquired land of the residents by hydropower projects,frequent natural hazards and resultant loss to the local communities due to upcoming construction of hydropower projects surrounding to the Parbati Stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ have been analysed in the paper. Also,the preventive measures to mitigate these adverse impacts have been suggested to strengthen these projects in eco-friendly manner in the mountain context.
文摘The labile organic carbon(C)and C-related enzymes are sensitive indicators capturing alterations of soil organic matter(SOM),even in a short-time scale.Although the effects of crop husbandry and land use change on these attributes have been well studied,there is no consensus about how plant phenology may impact them.This study aimed to determine the short-term effect o f six distinct phenological stages(PS-1:full bloom;PS-2:fruit set;PS-3:pit hardening;PS-4:physiological maturity;PS-5:60 d after physiological maturity;and PS-6:fall)o f peach on the changes in soil organic carbon(SOC)fractions of different oxidizability,labile C pools,and C-cycle enzyme activities in soils,for two consecutive years(2015 and 2016)in the North-Western Himalayas(NWH).Peach rhizosphere soils were sampled at the topsoil(0-15 cm)and subsoil(16-30 cm)layers,along with rhizosphere soils from adjacent perennial grasses,which served as a control.Values for most of the assessed parameters,including very labile C,labile C,microbial biomass C,permanganate oxidizable C,dissolved organic C,mineralizable C,amylase activity,and carboxymethyl-cellulase activity,were significantly(P<0.05)higher at PS-3 than at other phenological stages of peach.Conversely,a sudden decline in these soil variables was recorded at PS-5,followed by a slight buildup at PS-6,particularly in the topsoil of the peach orchard.Short-term changes in organic C fractions of different oxidizability,influenced by peach phenological stage,significantly(P<0.05)affected C management index,C pool index,and lability index.Both the C management index and lability index showed their highest values at PS-3 and their lowest values at PS-5,clearly indicating short-term accretion and depletion of SOC,in tandem with the peach phenological events.Principal component analysis suggested that a composite of soil indicators,including microbial biomass C,dissolved organic C,amylase,and invertase,could help detect short-term changes in SOC content.It is concluded that peach phenological events had a major impact on the short-term variations of the studied soil variables,which could be attributed to changes in the above-and belowground plant residues,as well as the extent of nutrients and water acquisition.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40572113)China Geological Survey Important Base Research (Grant No. 2005CCV05600)1:250000 Geology Survey (Grant No. 20001300009231)
文摘Granitic gneisses have been widely found in crystalline rocks in the Dinggye area of the Higher Himalaya (HHM) and the LhagoiKangri area of the North Himalaya (NHM), Tibet. In the HHM, the gneisses intruded in the granulite-amphibolite facies metamorphosed sedimentary rocks, known as Nyalam group. In the NHM, the gneisses intruded in the amphibolite facies metamorphosed ones, known as LhagoiKangri group. These granitic gneisses are peraluminous monzonitic granites in terms of their mineral assemblage, and are considered as being derived from metamorphosed sedimentary rocks by anatexis based on the transitional relationship of the gneisses with their migmatitized wall rocks. Zircons are similar in crystal shape and interior structure from both gneisses. Most of them are euhedral or subhedral elongated prism-shaped transparent crystals, with fine oscillatory zoning, showing the magmatic genesis. Some of them are short prism-shaped and with relict core inherited from magma source and oscillatory zoning mantle crystallized from magma. SHRIMP U-Pb dating of zicons shows that both the granitic gneisses in the HHM and NHM are Paleoproterozoic (1811.6±2.9 Ma and 1811.7±7.2 Ma, respectively). These ages are similar to those (1815 to 2120 Ma) from granitic gneiss which is widely distributed in the Lesser Himalaya (LHM). The ages of inherited zircons (>2493.9±7.0 Ma, 2095.8± 8.8 Ma, 1874±29 Ma) exhibit the possible presence of several thermal events in Paleoproterozoic. All of the ages suggest the same India basement beneath the different units in Himalaya area, and do not support the idea that the HHM and NHM are accretionary terranes in Pan-Africa orogenic event. The fact that the basement in HHM is as old as or even younger than LHM is inconsistent with the presently prevalent orogenic models such as either extrusion of low-viscosity mid-crust or orogenic channel.
基金China University of Geosciences (Beijing)a Changjiang Fellowship from the Chinese Ministry of Education awarded to Yin An
文摘The Himalayan orogen consists of three major lithologic units that are separated by two major north-dipping faults: the Lesser Himalayan Sequence (LHS) below the Main Central Thrust (MCT), the Greater Himalayan Crystalline Complex (GHC) above the MCT, and the Tethyan Himalayan Sequence (THS) juxtaposed by the South Tibet Detachment fault (STD) over the GHC. Due to widespread meta-morphism and intense deformation, differentiating the above three lithologic units is often difficult. This problem has been overcome by the use of Sm-Nd isotopic analysis. The previous studies suggested that the LHS can be clearly distinguished from the GHC and THS by their Nd isotope compositions. However, the lack of detailed and systematic Sm-Nd isotopic studies of the THS across the Himalaya in general has made differentiation of this unit from the nearby GHC impossible, as the two appear to share overlapping Nd compositions and model ages. To address this problem, we systematically sam-pled and analyzed Nd isotopes of the THS in southeastern Tibet directly north of Bhutan. Our study identifies two distinctive fields in a εNd -TDM plot. The first is defined by the εNd(210 Ma) values of -3.45 to -7.34 and TDM values of 1.15 to 1.29 Ga from a Late Triassic turbidite sequence, which are broadly similar to those obtained from the Lhasa block. The second field is derived from the Early Cretaceous meta-sedimentary rocks with εNd(130 Ma) values from -15.24 to -16.61 and TDM values from 1.63 to 2.00 Ga; these values are similar to those obtained from the Greater Himalayan Crystalline Complex in Bhutan directly south of our sampling traverse, which has εNd(130 Ma) values of -10.89 to -16.32 and Nd model ages (TDM) of 1.73 to 2.20 Ga. From the above observations, we suggest that the Late Triassic strata of the southeast Tibetan THS were derived from the Lhasa block in the north, while the Early Cretaceous strata of the THS were derived from a source similar to the High Himalayan Crystalline Complex or Indian craton in the south. Our interpretation is consistent with the existing palaeocurrent data and provenance analysis of the Late Triassic strata in southeastern Tibet, which indicate the sediments derived from a northern source. Thus, we suggest that the Lhasa terrane and the Indian craton were close to one another in the Late Triassic and were separated by a rift valley across which a large submarine fan was transported southward and deposited on the future northern margin of the Indian continent.
