Abstract

Climate change is precipitating simultaneous crises in soil health and glacial stability, with cascading consequences for agricultural productivity and biodiversity across ecologically sensitive regions. This study synthesizes evidence from agroecosystems in the Indian subcontinent and Himalayan watersheds to examine the interconnected effects of soil carbon depletion, accelerated glacial retreat and shifting precipitation regimes on crop production and biological diversity. Using a multidisciplinary framework incorporating remote sensing data, soil nutrient analysis, hydrological modelling and biodiversity indices, we demonstrate that glacial melt contributes to short-term irrigation surpluses followed by severe longterm water deficits in downstream agricultural zones. Simultaneously, intensive agricultural practices have reduced soil organic matter by 18-34% across arid and semi-arid regions, undermining microbial biodiversity and nutrient cycling capacity. Our findings reveal that the compounding of these stressors threatens not only staple crop yields-projected to decline by 15-28% by 2050 under moderate warming scenarios-but also the ecological resilience of agro-biodiversity hotspots. We propose an integrated adaptive management framework encompassing glacier-sensitive irrigation planning, soil biome restoration, agroforestry expansion and community-based seed conservation to reconcile productivity demands with biodiversity conservation. These results have significant implications for the formulation of science-driven agricultural policies in climate-vulnerable nations.

Keywords:Agricultural biodiversity; Glacial retreat; Soil degradation; Climate change adaptation; Food security; Agroecosystem resilience; Himalayan watersheds; Sustainable land management