Understanding carbon and water fluxes in Himalayan ecosystems is critical in the face of rapid climate-induced changes. The Eddy covariance (EC) technology offers a direct and highly accurate method to monitor ecosystem-atmosphere interactions, such as net ecosystem exchange (NEE), evapotranspiration, and heat fluxes, all with minimal theoretical assumptions and no empirical constants. The Himalayan region, experiencing significant shifts in temperature, precipitation, and land cover, plays a key role in accelerating global climate change. These shifts not only intensify glacier melt but also disrupt land-atmosphere processes, with cascading effects on regional hydrology, vegetation dynamics, and ecosystem services critical to local communities. Degradation of forests and grasslands further amplifies these impacts, underlining the need for robust, site-specific data to inform sustainable conservation and adaptation strategies. Despite the global expansion of EC networks, India, particularly the Himalayan region, remains underrepresented in such monitoring efforts. To address this gap, the G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE), in collaboration with CSIR-4th Paradigm Institute, Bengaluru, established the a 30 meter EC flux tower at Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand.

The site is located in a Pine-dominated (Pinus roxburghii) forest, a key vegetation type in the central Himalaya. Continuous flux and micro-meteorological data collected since the year 2014 have provided insights into: atmospheric boundary layer dynamics over complex terrain and water-climate-plant biodiversity interactions. Building on this, a second EC site was established in the year 2016 at Gangolihat, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand within an Oak-dominated ecosystem (Quercus leucotrichophora) under the “National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem Task Force-3”, Govt. Of India. A third site was established at an alpine grassland site in Darma Valley, Panchachuli glaciated catcment, Uttarakhand. The site is supported by National Mission on Himalayan Studied, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt. Of India. Together, these sites (Table 1) provide a comparative understanding of forest and grassland responses to varying climatic conditions and help model future ecosystem trajectories. With the Himalayas at the frontline of climate change, eddy covariance measurements are vital for capturing real-time carbon and water fluxes and informing evidence-based policy. These pioneering EC sites in Uttarakhand not only fill a critical data gap but also set the foundation for a broader regional monitoring network, essential for safeguarding ecosystem functions and local livelihoods in a warming world.