IUCN

The third and final volume in this series devoted to insects in Nepal covers 3,131 species of insects in the orders Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera and Diptera. Another 63 species in the order Odonata have been appended as well, bringing the number of insect fauna in Nepal to 5,175 species. The text of this inventory follows the sequence of natural orders; super family, form, sub-form, and tribe are arranged alphabetically.

These species, a group of about 150 ground-dwelling gamebird, are found on every continent apart from Antarctica. They live in a wide variety of habitats from tropical forests, high-altitude alpine zones, temperate forests, open country, to desert environment. Although widespread, little is known of the species occuring outside Europe and North America, but several species are considered at grave risk of extinction.

In the five years since publication of the 1995-99 action plan, the Megapode Specialist Group has been active in promoting, initiating and executing conservation and research projects on thermometer birds. But the conservation outlook for many species remains bleak. Their habit of nesting on or near beaches, often on small islands, make them vulnerable to disturbance and egg-collection, and several species are greatly threatened.

As large ground-dwelling birds, pheasants are widely hunted for food, plumage and the live bird trade - consequently many species are threatened. They are largely dependent on forested habitats, making them highly vulnerable to deforestation and habitat degradation. The first edition covered 1995-1999, and many of its recommendations have been addressed.

Bryophytes are of great importance in their ecosystems and for human well-being. They stabilise soil crust through colonisation of bare grounds and rocks; they are essential in nutrient recycling, biomass production, and carbon fixing; they control water through an effective retention mechanism; and they have economic value as peat for fuel, horticulture, oil absorption, and as sources of a wide variety of chemical compounds.