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 Part of the Nyenchen Tanglha range in the Trans himalayas | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Mount Nyenchen Tanglha |
| Elevation | 7,162 m (23,497 ft) |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 1,600 km (990 mi) |
| Geography | |
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| State | Tibet |
| Range coordinates | 30°23′00″N90°34′31″E / 30.383427°N 90.5752890°E /30.383427; 90.5752890 |
| Parent range | Alpine orogeny,Tibetan Plateau (perimeter range) |
TheTrans himalaya (also spelledTrans-Himalaya), or "Gangdise – Nyenchen Tanglha range" (Chinese:冈底斯-念青唐古拉山脉;pinyin:Gāngdǐsī-Niànqīngtánggǔlā Shānmài), is a 1,600-kilometre-long (990 mi) mountain range inChina,India andNepal, extending in a west–east direction parallel to the mainHimalayan range.[1][2] Located north ofYarlung Tsangpo river on the southern edge of theTibetan Plateau, the Transhimalaya is composed of theGangdise range to the west and theNyenchen Tanglha range to the east.
The nameTranshimalaya was introduced by the Swedish geographerSven Hedin in early 20th century.[3] The Transhimalaya was described by theColumbia Lippincott Gazetteer in 1952 as an "ill-defined mountain area" with "no marked crest line or central alignment and no division by rivers." On more-modern maps theKailas Range (Gangdise or Kang-to-sé Shan) in the west is shown as distinct from the Nyenchen Tanglha range in the east.[4]
The Transhimalayas are geologically distinct from the other Himalayan ranges. They were probably formed by subduction of sediments from the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. A consensus of different dating methods suggests that the older parts of this range formed in the upperCretaceous (82-113 Mya), while the younger regions formed in theEocene (40-60 Mya).[1]
The Transhimalays generally have a cold, arid montane climate. For example, theSpiti region ofHimachal Pradesh, India, has an annual rainfall of about 170 mm.[2] However, studies inMustang District, Nepal, indicate that climate change is warming the Transhimalayas at a rate of about 0.13 degrees a year.[5]
The Transhimalayas generally have low species diversity (and vegetation cover) and are classified as dry alpine steppes. However, a study in the Spiti region found 23 medicinal plants. Previous surveys in this region had found a total of over 800 species ofvascular plants.[2]
The Transhimalayas are home to the once endangeredsnow leopard, theEurasian lynx,Tibetan wolf,red fox andTibetan fox. Native herbivores include theargali,Tibetan gazelle,urial, wild ass orkiang,Asiatic ibex,yak andbharal.[2]
The Tibetan wolf, snow leopard and lynx are major predators of livestock in theLadakh region of India. Goats, sheep, yak and horses were their most common prey.[6] In Mustang, Nepal, rising temperatures and declining snowfall are reducing the area available for agriculture, forcing villagers to relocate and reducing grassland and forest cover. This has also led to bharal shifting to lower elevations, where they raid crops. In turn, this attracts snow leopards to human settlements, where they prey on livestock.[5]
On the other hand, many wild herbivores are out-competed and displaced by livestock.[7][8] A historical analysis suggests that the Transhimalayas have lost four wild herbivores over the last millennium or so of human habitation.[9] Many parts of the Transhimalayas are now conserved. These include theKangrinboqê National Forest Park in China, thePin Valley National Park (675 km2.) andKibber Wildlife Sanctuary (1400 km2.) in India and parts of theAnnapurna Conservation Area (7,629 km2.) in Nepal.[2] In addition to protecting species diversity, restoration of the native Transhimalayan grasslands has also been found to trap more carbon in the soil, mitigating climate change.[10]
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