In our ‘Field Diaries’ series, we are sharing stories from those out in the field. In this post, Shiwani from Dr. B.R Ambedkar University Delhi shares her experience doing field research in Ladakh, a trans-Himalayan region in India.
In this technology-driven era, where vast data can be generated through remote access, the significance of experiential learning is fast-eroding. Yet, as far as Ecology is concerned, it is best learnt in the field, where you can use your senses to perceive and understand the environment. An enthusiastic field researcher, I work on the ecology of Ladakh, a high-altitude trans-Himalayan region in India. Characterised by elevations over 4,200 meters, low primary productivity, and precipitation, Ladakh is a cold desert home to glaciers that feed the vital river systems of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Ladakh is also home to pastoral communities that have survived for millennia, owing to unique bio-cultural adaptations that allow life to thrive in these otherwise difficult climatic conditions. By unravelling some of my field experiences in Ladakh, in this blog, I provide a glimpse of the region and the research questions that I am pursuing.
My field site is a remotely located wetland, the Tso Kar Basin (Figure 1), an area of approx. 150 sq. km., located at an altitude of approx.14,800 feet. Besides supporting an array of flora and fauna, the basin also serves as a vital resource for the nomadic pastoral community, known as the Changpas. My first visit to the basin was with a colleague and friend. Seasonal tourist tents set up in the middle of a small village were our accommodation for the next 30 days, during which time we also grew accustomed to the concept of dry toilets. Further, since there was no mobile connectivity, our only way to communicate with family, friends and fellow researchers back in Delhi was through a satellite phone that catered to the entire village. With temperatures plummeting to -40 degrees Celsius in the winters, the preferred tourist season is usually the warmer summer months, with strong, cold and dry winds blowing throughout much of the day.
It was in such conditions that I set out to carry out my research. My research seeks to understand the spatial variability of carbon and nitrogen nutrients in the soil, as this is likely to reveal rich information on the subsistence livelihood and unique ecology of the basin. I began by conducting a systematic soil survey in the basin, to analyse soil variability and its correlation with other ecological variables. Equipped with a soil sampling kit and a GPS in hand (Figure 3), I head out of my village basecamp at 7 a.m. to collect samples.
While maintaining a straight path in the woods is known to be impossible, I discovered that this challenge is real even in an expansive open landscape like Tso Kar. On day one, after collecting samples from five locations, I ran into my first major hurdle that presented itself in the form of a huge trench (Figure 4). I had two options: I could either avoid the trench by taking a big detour, in the process changing my sampling strategy, or I could jump right into the pit and climb out the other side, continuing my sampling as planned. Who was I kidding? Sure enough, the next moment I found myself at the bottom of the pit, helplessly staring upwards, knowing this was a terrible mistake! After struggling for almost half an hour, I managed to climb back up, my only consolation being that I was still on my transect.
Since the basin is a mosaic of sandy soils, bogs, saltpans, lakes, grasslands and streams, I noticed that my sampling area changed in appearance every other day, requiring me to constantly adopt new strategies to navigate the landscape and adhere to my original sampling scheme. After sampling on foot for 15-20 km each day, I either hitchhike or walk back to the village basecamp, reaching by 6 p.m.
The most challenging thing I found is Ladakh’s erratic weather and strong winds, even as echoed by the locals, “yaha ka mausam Mumbai ke fashion ki tarh hai jo kabhi bhi badal sakta hai” (the weather here is like Mumbai’s fashion sense, that can change any time).
Some of my favourite moments in the field are when the landscape changes as I walk through the basin, with some portions of the basin resembling scenes straight out of a poet’s world, and I cannot help but sit in awe of the beauty of nature.
My first few visits to Ladakh were a part of my Master’s dissertation work, and provided an important baseline for my current doctoral research, that seeks to explore the linkage between social and ecological aspects of the region in the midst of changing climate. My doctoral field work has given me the opportunity to make multiple trips to Ladakh in the recent past. The results from my study so far have provided some interesting insights into the ecological patchiness of the nutrients and the changing relationships across scales among different variables. However, what really keeps me wanting to come back to Ladakh is my hunger for thrilling experiences and new stories, and the hope of learning from both nature and human beings. For me the contradictions of Tso Kar are difficult to ignore: it is a hostile cold desert, yet a beauty to behold; it is a region of low primary productivity, yet sustains a rich nomadic pastoral culture.
Discover more posts from our ‘Field Diaries‘ blog series here. If you would like to share your own story out in the field, please click here!
