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Abstract
Land-surface modelling is traditionally based on reductionistic cause-effect models developed for the temperate region. Sustainable management of vulnerable and extreme regions demands a new holistic approach relying on first principles and integration of processes and patterns. In this article remotely sensed data and GIS are combined for creating digital data sets of elevation and vegetation over the Himalayan Sutlej river and its tributaries. GIS-coupled models are used for distributed estimates of precipitation,and modelling of the basin water cycle. Based on the derived data and their scale and error, an expert system incorporating fuzzy logic is used for index-related erosion modelling. It is concluded that GIS integrated modelling can pave the way to sustainable landscape management.