Dr. Himani Karki | Ecology | Best Researcher Award
Assistant Professor (Contractual), Kumaun University, Nainital, India
Dr. Himani Karki is an emerging researcher in the field of ecology with a strong academic and professional background centered on forest ecology, soil carbon dynamics, biodiversity conservation and agroforestry systems in the Kumaun Himalaya. She completed her Ph.D. in Botany (2016–2021) at the Department of Botany, DSB Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital, where her doctoral research focused on floral composition, regeneration status and carbon stock in cypress–oak mixed forests. Prior to this, she obtained her M.Sc. in Botany with a specialization in Forest Ecology (2012–2014) and her B.Sc. in Zoology, Botany and Chemistry (2010–2012) from the same institution. Professionally, she has served as a Project Fellow in an ICSSR-sponsored study on women’s roles in agroforestry systems, as a JRF and SRF in a UGC-funded project on homegarden agroforestry and as a Project Associate-I in a JICA-funded biodiversity assessment at the Wildlife Institute of India. Since 2022, she has been a Guest Faculty at Kumaun University, actively engaging in teaching and mentoring. Her research interests span sustainable land use, climate change mitigation through soil carbon sequestration, biodiversity assessment and ecosystem services. She is skilled in ecological field surveys, soil analysis, biodiversity assessment and has proficiency in scientific communication supported by her strong presentation record at national and international conferences, including the Indian Science Congress, UCOST and the International Conference on Sustainable Development. Her publication record includes 7 Scopus-indexed articles with 233 citations and an h-index of 7, reflecting her growing impact in the research community. She has also actively participated in workshops, training programs and outreach events on climate data analysis, intellectual property rights and bioinformatics, further strengthening her interdisciplinary expertise. Recognized for her sincerity, dedication and collaborative spirit, Dr. Himani Karki stands out as a promising ecologist whose work not only contributes to advancing scientific knowledge but also addresses pressing environmental challenges, making her highly deserving of recognition and future leadership roles in ecological research.
Featured Publications
1. Manral, V., Bargali, K., Bargali, S. S., Karki, H., & Chaturvedi, R. K. (2023). Seasonal dynamics of soil microbial biomass C, N and P along an altitudinal gradient in central Himalaya, India. Sustainability, 15(2), 1651.
2. Karki, H., Bargali, K., & Bargali, S. S. (2021). Spatial and temporal trends in soil N-mineralization rates under the agroforestry systems in Bhabhar belt of Kumaun Himalaya, India. Agroforestry Systems, 95(8), 1603–1617.
3. Pandey, R., Bargali, S. S., Bargali, K., Karki, H., & Chaturvedi, R. K. (2024). Dynamics of nitrogen mineralization and fine root decomposition in sub-tropical Shorea robusta Gaertner f. forests of Central Himalaya, India. Science of the Total Environment, 921, 170896.
4. Awasthi, P., Karki, H., Bargali, K., & Bargali, S. S. (2016). Germination and seedling growth of pulse crop (Vigna spp.) as affected by soil salt stress. Current Agriculture Research Journal, 4(2), 159–170.
5. Karki, H., Bargali, K., & Bargali, S. S. (2022). Dynamics of fine roots and soil nitrogen in Mangifera indica-based agroforestry systems in the Central Himalayan region, India. Land Degradation & Development, 33(17), 3523–3538.