The Brahmaputra’s silent riparian: the silent biodiversity of the river
Ananya Malik
Associate at MRC
Key Highlights
- Brahmaputra region is home to unique flora and fauna.
- Ensuring adequate conservation of natural capital along the Brahmaputra River has become one of the most essential prioritises.
- Species and their habitat must be protected to ensure the survival of all living things.
The Brahmaputra basin is home to diverse ecosystems ranging from the Himalayan Mountains to the fertile plains of Assam and West Bengal. Due to the basin’s capacity to absorb floods, it also includes the flood plains of Assam and Bangladesh, which results in an incredible variety of ecosystems, forest/vegetation, wildlife, and all biotic and non-biotic components of nature.
Almost 75 protected areas exist in the region of Northeast India, which explains its biodiversity. North-east India’s Brahmaputra basin belongs to the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, one of the 25 mega biodiversity hotspots recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In India, it is the richest reservoir of biodiversity due to its unique physiographic and climatic characteristics. With 59% forest cover in the north-eastern region of India, this region is the most forested in the country.
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Ananya Malik
Associate at MRC
Ananya Malik is an associate at MRC. Her research involves geopolitical, social, and ecological analysis of transboundary waters particularly Brahmaputra River. She is an alumnus of TERI where she did her masters in water science and governance. Her other research areas include climate risk, water security and carbon finance.