Recent Species’ Range Expansion in the Himalayan Highlands: New Distribution Records of Naturalized Alien Plants from Ladakh, India

Range shifts are a key mechanism that species employ in response to climate change. Increasing global temperatures are driving species redistributions to cooler areas. Studies have documented climate change–induced shifts in species distributions. The range shift in three plant species, namely Bellis perennis L., Cannabis sativa L., and Portulaca oleracea L. to the Himalayan highlands of Ladakh, India, is reported for the first time. These species are not native to the region but have naturalized and are currently occurring as large natural populations at multiple sites. By providing detailed information on taxonomic descriptions, habitat characteristics, distribution maps, global distribution and ecology, the study aims to facilitate the identification of these species in the field which is required for early response and timely interventions to prevent them from becoming invasive in the natural habitats of the Himalayan region.