Spatio temporal dynamics in central India landscape using geospatial techniques: a case study of Surguja and Jashpur forest divisions (Chhattisgarh)
Student name: Mr Akash Ratan Gupta
Guide: Dr Chander Kumar Singh
Year of completion: 2018
Host Organisation: IGCMC, WWF-India, New Delhi
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr G. Areendran
Abstract: Central Indian landscapes are known for inhibiting elephants. Though these giant mega-herbivores are more prominent in numbers in the southern part of the country but Central Indian landscape has the most number of human elephant conflicts and loss of life and property due to this. This is attributed to the habitat loss and urban developmental pressure. The current study focuses on one such elephant inhibited habitat. The Surguja Jashpur forest division faces habitat crunch for elephants due to forest fragmentation and habitat reduction. The study uses GIS and remote sensing to analyse remotely sensed data for both these forest divisions and the corridor connecting these forest divisions. The study carries out a land use land cover change assessment of the region in between 2007 and 2017 and this gives out the changes in land use patterns in between the decade. It illustrates the different changes in different land cover classes and what percentage of forests and water resources or factors like settlements and agriculture have increased in this mean time. Followed by this, these changes are further analysed for the region and a habitat suitability mapping for elephants in the region is done by using various parameters of like road, rivers and water bodies, settlements, forests, mining and slope and elevation of the region. All these parameters are assigned scores in between -5 to 5 based on their suitability for elephant habitat. These scores were formed on the basis of literature review about elephant habitats and expert advice. These scores were then used for reclassification and overlay was done with the weighted sum tool of ArcGIS to produce a habitat suitability map. This gives the description of the areas that are least, moderately and most suitable for elephants the overall outcome of the study illustrates the degradation in resources such as forests and water that are essential for elephant habitats and it also illustrates the fact settlements, agriculture, roads, mines are negatively suitable for elephant habitat whereas waterbodies and rivers, forests are highly suitable parameters for elephant habitats. This study highlights the conservation concerns relating to the depletion of elephant habitat with passing time. This study also shows how GIS and remote sensing can be used for assessment and monitoring. This study can be illustrated further and with implementation of species modelling and prey-predator relationships to find more accuracy in suitability study for elephants. This study can be replicated for other form of wildlife as well with appropriate parameters in respect to the form of wildlife chosen.
Key Words: - Human-elephant conflict, Surguja-Jashpur, GIS, landuse landcover change, Habitat suitability
