Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Monitoring conservation effectiveness in a global biodiversity hotspot: the contribution of land cover change assessment

Joseph, Shijo LU ; Blackburn, George Alan ; Gharai, Biswadip ; Sudhakar, S. ; Thomas, A. P. and Murthy, M. S. R. (2009) In Environmental Monitoring & Assessment 158(1-4). p.169-179
Abstract
Tropical forests, which play critical roles in global biogeochemical cycles, radiation budgets and biodiversity, have undergone rapid changes in land cover in the last few decades. This study examines the complex process of land cover change in the biodiversity hotspot of Western Ghats, India, specifically investigating the effects of conservation measures within the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. Current vegetation patterns were mapped using an IRS P6 LISS III image and this was used together with Landsat MSS data from 1973 to map land cover transitions. Two major and divergent trends were observed. A dominant degradational trend can be attributed to agricultural expansion and infrastructure development while a successional trend,... (More)
Tropical forests, which play critical roles in global biogeochemical cycles, radiation budgets and biodiversity, have undergone rapid changes in land cover in the last few decades. This study examines the complex process of land cover change in the biodiversity hotspot of Western Ghats, India, specifically investigating the effects of conservation measures within the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. Current vegetation patterns were mapped using an IRS P6 LISS III image and this was used together with Landsat MSS data from 1973 to map land cover transitions. Two major and divergent trends were observed. A dominant degradational trend can be attributed to agricultural expansion and infrastructure development while a successional trend, resulting from protection of the area, showed the resilience of the system after prolonged disturbances. The sanctuary appears susceptible to continuing disturbances under the current management regime but at lower rates than in surrounding unprotected areas. The study demonstrates that remotely sensed land cover assessments can have important contributions to monitoring land management strategies, understanding processes underpinning land use changes and helping to inform future conservation strategies. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Western ghats, management, Protected area, Tropical forest, Remote sensing, Change assessment
in
Environmental Monitoring & Assessment
volume
158
issue
1-4
pages
169 - 179
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000271670200015
  • scopus:72349087456
ISSN
1573-2959
DOI
10.1007/s10661-008-0571-4
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
96f5ba2b-0b7c-492f-80a7-96c1b1ff4b49 (old id 1519499)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:01:27
date last changed
2022-01-26 21:39:41
@article{96f5ba2b-0b7c-492f-80a7-96c1b1ff4b49,
  abstract     = {{Tropical forests, which play critical roles in global biogeochemical cycles, radiation budgets and biodiversity, have undergone rapid changes in land cover in the last few decades. This study examines the complex process of land cover change in the biodiversity hotspot of Western Ghats, India, specifically investigating the effects of conservation measures within the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. Current vegetation patterns were mapped using an IRS P6 LISS III image and this was used together with Landsat MSS data from 1973 to map land cover transitions. Two major and divergent trends were observed. A dominant degradational trend can be attributed to agricultural expansion and infrastructure development while a successional trend, resulting from protection of the area, showed the resilience of the system after prolonged disturbances. The sanctuary appears susceptible to continuing disturbances under the current management regime but at lower rates than in surrounding unprotected areas. The study demonstrates that remotely sensed land cover assessments can have important contributions to monitoring land management strategies, understanding processes underpinning land use changes and helping to inform future conservation strategies.}},
  author       = {{Joseph, Shijo and Blackburn, George Alan and Gharai, Biswadip and Sudhakar, S. and Thomas, A. P. and Murthy, M. S. R.}},
  issn         = {{1573-2959}},
  keywords     = {{Western ghats; management; Protected area; Tropical forest; Remote sensing; Change assessment}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1-4}},
  pages        = {{169--179}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Environmental Monitoring & Assessment}},
  title        = {{Monitoring conservation effectiveness in a global biodiversity hotspot: the contribution of land cover change assessment}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0571-4}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10661-008-0571-4}},
  volume       = {{158}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}