The topographical and land use land cover features in Uttarakhand have experienced significant changes in recent years due to both natural and anthropogenic factors. These changes pose major threats to the region's ecological and economic stability. Therefore, conducting a meta-analysis of land use and land cover studies conducted in the state is crucial for understanding the spatial and temporal patterns as well as the driving forces behind such changes. This study offers a brief overview of current research trends and patterns, highlighting future directions to address existing gaps, promote ecological conservation, and improve management strategies. Over 2000 publications were collected from six databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, Springer Link, PubMed, and JSTOR, using keywords such as ‘land use land cover’, ‘change detection’, ‘Uttarakhand land use’, ‘Uttarakhand land cover’, ‘Uttarakhand Himalayan change’, and ‘central Himalaya’. The search efforts were conducted from 1st November 2024 to 1st March 2025, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach and bibliometric methods. Of these, 177 publications were reviewed by examining their content, publication patterns, spatial and temporal trends, and techniques used, based on available abstracts. While significant contributions have expanded knowledge in certain regions of the state, additional efforts are needed to fill gaps related to vital habitats. Future research should incorporate comprehensive approaches to biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, participatory processes, resource management, and policy development. The recommendations provided will help researchers expand their scientific understanding and support land managers and policymakers in implementing strategies aimed at sustainable development.
Chatterjee et al. (Fri,) studied this question.