The status and distribution of freshwater biodiversity in the eastern himalaya
Biodiversity within inland water ecosystems in the Eastern Himalaya region is both highly diverse and of great regional importance to livelihoods and economies. However, development activities are not always compatible with the conservation of this diversity, and the ecosystem requirements of biodiversity are frequently not considered in the development planning process. One of the main reasons cited for inadequate representation of biodiversity is a lack of readily available information on the status and distribution of inland water taxa. Conservation measures are proposed to reduce the risk of future declines in species diversity and the associated ecosystem services that contribute to the livelihoods of millions of people across the region. The geographic scope of this study is determined by the extended hydrological boundaries of the Eastern Himalaya region and includes all major river catchments with their origin within the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot.