Mountain Research and Development Vol 46, No 2 available online and open access

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In this open issue, MountainResearch articles focus on links between rural outmigration and land use change in Argentina, a tool to support land use decisions in Ethiopia, and adaptive strategies of small ski areas in Japan. A MountainDevelopment article reviews a participatory digital mapping intervention and resulting local learning in Nepal. In the MountainPlatform section, UNIMONT showcases its work on plant agrobiodiversity conservation, and GLOMOS presents its systemic, participatory research approach to fostering resilience and reducing risks. The issue also contains 3 book reviews and a MountainViews article that calls for efforts to monitor overlooked micro-endemic species.
The issue is available online and open access: https://bioone.org/journals/mountain-research-and-development/volume-46/issue-2
Read about the journal’s section policies, guidelines, and submission procedure at: https://www.mrd-journal.org/
The MRD Editorial Team MRD Editorial Office, University of Bern, Centre for Development and Environment mrd-journal.cde@unibe.ch
Action is needed to protect the unique natural and cultural heritage and promote sustainable livelihoods in the Caucasus Mountains. ...
This MRD Talk brought together panelists from science, the private sector, civil society, and a global initiative to show and ...
How can tourism contribute to sustainable development in mountains? This focus issue brings together insights from the European Alps, the ...
Born from a fruitful partnership with the Canadian Mountain Network, this issue showcases knowledge collaborations between mountain researchers and Indigenous ...
Healthy social–ecological systems in mountains are essential for reducing disaster risk and achieving sustainable development globally. This focus issue illuminates ...
Two articles in this open issue focus on ski resorts in the USA and how they can respond to climate ...
A study across all Andean countries details how immigration in the region is linked to an increase in exotic plant ...
Mountain Research and Development is looking for papers that systematically assess experiences of how digitalization supports transformative change in mountains ...

Facts Only

* MountainResearch articles focus on links between rural outmigration and land use change in Argentina.
* The issue presents a tool to support land use decisions in Ethiopia.
* Adaptive strategies of small ski areas in Japan are featured.
* A MountainDevelopment article reviews a participatory digital mapping intervention and local learning in Nepal.
* UNIMONT showcases work on plant agrobiodiversity conservation in the MountainPlatform section.
* GLOMOS presents a systemic, participatory research approach to fostering resilience and reducing risks.
* The issue contains three book reviews and a MountainViews article calling for monitoring overlooked micro-endemic species.
* One topic addresses efforts needed to protect natural and cultural heritage and promote livelihoods in the Caucasus Mountains.
* Two articles focus on ski resorts in the USA and their response to climate change.
* A study details the link between immigration across Andean countries and an increase in exotic plant species.
* Mountain Research and Development seeks papers assessing how digitalization supports transformative change in mountains.

Executive Summary

The publication features research focusing on several interdisciplinary themes related to environmental and social systems in mountainous regions. Specific topics include the links between rural outmigration and land use change in Argentina, tools for land use decisions in Ethiopia, and adaptive strategies for small ski areas in Japan. Other featured work examines participatory digital mapping interventions and local learning in Nepal, reviews of plant agrobiodiversity conservation efforts by UNIMONT, and systemic research approaches to resilience and risk reduction by GLOMOS. The issue also includes a call for monitoring micro-endemic species, reflections on tourism's role in sustainable development within the European Alps, knowledge collaborations between researchers and Indigenous groups from the Canadian Mountain Network, and studies detailing immigration links to exotic plant increases across Andean countries. Additionally, there are specific focuses on health of social–ecological systems for disaster risk reduction and studies concerning ski resorts responding to climate change, alongside a broader focus on how digitalization supports transformative change in mountains.

Full Take

The collection of topics reveals a recurring tension between localized, specific ecological management (micro-endemics, local learning) and large-scale systemic concerns (global climate adaptation, systemic resilience, cross-border migration). The integration of research from diverse geographical contexts—Andes, Caucasus, Alps, Japan, Nepal, and Argentina—suggests an implicit acknowledgment that mountain sustainability requires situated knowledge and multi-scalar perspectives. The emphasis on digitalization alongside traditional ecological monitoring points toward a tension between data-driven decision-making and place-based understanding. A key pattern emerges in the focus on human systems interacting with physical environments: whether migration impacts land use, how tourism functions sustainably, or how digital tools mediate environmental change. The juxtaposition of participatory methods (mapping, local learning) with systemic approaches (GLOMOS, plant agrobiodiversity) implies a search for governance mechanisms that bridge the gap between scientific modeling and on-the-ground agency. The underlying implication is that true sustainability in mountain environments requires acknowledging layered vulnerabilities: those related to biodiversity loss, human movement, and climate instability simultaneously, demanding solutions that respect both ecological limits and social realities.