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Mechanisms to mitigate climate change in tropical countries such as India require information on forest structural components i
.e., biomass and carbon for conservation steps to be implemented successfully. The present study focuses on investigating the potential use of a one time, QuadPOL ALOS PALSAR L-band 25 m data to estimate above-ground biomass (AGB) using a water cloud model (WCM) in a wildlife sanctuary in India. A significant correlation was obtained between the SAR-derived backscatter coefficient (σ°) and the field measured AGB, with the maximum coefficient of determination for cross-polarized (HV) σ° for Shorea robusta, and the weakest correlation was observed with co-polarized (HH) σ° for Tectona grandis forests. The biomass of S. robusta and that of T. grandis were estimated on the basis of field-measured data at 444.7 ± 170.4 Mg/ha and 451 ± 179.4 Mg/ha respectively. The mean biomass values estimated using the WCM varied between 562 and 660 Mg/ha for S. robusta; between 590 and 710 Mg/ha for T. grandis using various polarized data. Our results highlighted the efficacy of one time, fully polarized PALSAR data for biomass and carbon estimate in a dense forest
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Roy, P. S.; Behera, M. D.; Murthy, M. S. R.; Roy, A.; Singh, S.; Kushwaha, S. P. S.; Jha, C. S.; Sudhakar, S.; Joshi, P. K.; Reddy, C. S.; Gupta, S.; Pujar, G.; Dutt, C. B. S.; Srivastava, V. K.; Porwal, M. C.; Tripathi, P.; Singh, J. S.; Chitale, V.; Skidmore, A. K.; Rajshekhar, G.; Kushwaha, D.; Karnataka, H.; Saran, S.; Giriraj, A.; Padalia, H.; Kale, M.; Nandy, S.; Jeganathan, C.; Singh, C. P.; Biradar, C. M.; Pattanaik, C.; Singh, D. K.; Devagiri, G. M.; Talukdar, G.; Panigrahy, R. K.; Singh, H.; Sharma, J. R.; Haridasan, K.; Trivedi, S.; Singh, K. P.; Kannan, L.; Daniel, M.; Misra, M. K.; Niphadkar, M.; Nagbhatla, N.; Prasad, N.; Tripathi, O. P.; Prasad, P. R. C.; Dash, P.; Qureshi, Q.; Tripathi, S. K.; Ramesh, B. R.; Gowda, B.; Tomar, S.; Romshoo, S.; Giriraj, S.; Ravan, S. A.; Behera, S. K.; Paul, S.; Das, A. K.; Ranganath, B. K.; Singh, T. P.; Sahu, T. R.; Shankar, U.; Menon, A. R. R.; Srivastava, G.; Neeti; Sharma, S.; Mohapatra, U. B.; Peddi, A.; Rashid, H.; Salroo, I.; Krishna, P. H.; Hajra, P. K.; Vergheese, A. O.; Matin, S.; Chaudhary, S. A.; Ghosh, S.; Lakshmi, U.; Rawat, D.; Ambastha, K.; Kalpana, P.; Devi, B. S. S.; Gowda, B.; Sharma, K. C.; Mukharjee, P.; Sharma, A.; Davidar, P.; Raju, R. R. V.; Ketewa, S. S.; Kant, S.; Raju, V. S.; Uniyal, B. P.; Debnath, B.; Rout, D. K.; Thapa, R.; Joseph, S.; Chhetri, P.; Ramchandran, R.
A seamless vegetation type map of India (scale 1: 50,000) prepared using medium-resolution IRS LISS-III images is presented
. The map was created using an on-screen visual interpretation technique and has an accuracy of 90%, as assessed using 15,565 ground control points. India has hitherto been using potential vegetation/forest type map prepared by Champion and Seth in 1968. We characterized and mapped further the vegetation type distribution in the country in terms of occurrence and distribution, area occupancy, percentage of protected area (PA) covered by each vegetation type, range of elevation, mean annual temperature and precipitation over the past 100 years. A remote sensing-amenable hierarchical classification scheme that accommodates natural and semi-natural systems was conceptualized, and the natural vegetation was classified into forests, scrub/shrub lands and grasslands on the basis of extent of vegetation cover. We discuss the distribution and potential utility of the vegetation type map in a broad range of ecological, climatic and conservation applications from global, national and local perspectives. We used 15,565 ground control points to assess the accuracy of products available globally (i.e., GlobCover, Holdridge’s life zone map and potential natural vegetation (PNV) maps). Hence we recommend that the map prepared herein be used widely. This vegetation type map is the most comprehensive one developed for India so far. It was prepared using 23.5 m seasonal satellite remote sensing data, field samples and information relating to the biogeography, climate and soil. The digital map is now available through a web portal (Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. Typ
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Roy, P. S.; Behera, M. D.; Murthy, M. S. R.; Roy, A.; Singh, S.; Kushwaha, S. P. S.; Jha, C. S.; Sudhakar, S.; Joshi, P. K.; Reddy, C. S.; Gupta, S.; Pujar, G.; Dutt, C. B. S.; Srivastava, V. K.; Porwal, M. C.; Tripathi, P.; Singh, J. S.; Chitale, V.; Skidmore, A. K.; Rajshekhar, G.; Kushwaha, D.; Karnataka, H.; Saran, S.; Giriraj, A.; Padalia, H.; Kale, M.; Nandy, S.; Jeganathan, C.; Singh, C. P.; Biradar, C. M.; Pattanaik, C.; Singh, D. K.; Devagiri, G. M.; Talukdar, G.; Panigrahy, R. K.; Singh, H.; Sharma, J. R.; Haridasan, K.; Trivedi, S.; Singh, K. P.; Kannan, L.; Daniel, M.; Misra, M. K.; Niphadkar, M.; Nagbhatla, N.; Prasad, N.; Tripathi, O. P.; Prasad, P. R. C.; Dash, P.; Qureshi, Q.; Tripathi, S. K.; Ramesh, B. R.; Gowda, B.; Tomar, S.; Romshoo, S.; Giriraj, S.; Ravan, S. A.; Behera, S. K.; Paul, S.; Das, A. K.; Ranganath, B. K.; Singh, T. P.; Sahu, T. R.; Shankar, U.; Menon, A. R. R.; Srivastava, G.; Neeti; Sharma, S.; Mohapatra, U. B.; Peddi, A.; Rashid, H.; Salroo, I.; Krishna, P. H.; Hajra, P. K.; Vergheese, A. O.; Matin, S.; Chaudhary, S. A.; Ghosh, S.; Lakshmi, U.; Rawat, D.; Ambastha, K.; Kalpana, P.; Devi, B. S. S.; Gowda, B.; Sharma, K. C.; Mukharjee, P.; Sharma, A.; Davidar, P.; Raju, R. R. V.; Ketewa, S. S.; Kant, S.; Raju, V. S.; Uniyal, B. P.; Debnath, B.; Rout, D. K.; Thapa, R.; Joseph, S.; Chhetri, P.; Ramchandran, R.
A seamless vegetation type map of India (scale 1: 50,000) prepared using medium-resolution IRS LISS-III images is presented
. The map was created using an on-screen visual interpretation technique and has an accuracy of 90%, as assessed using 15,565 ground control points. India has hitherto been using potential vegetation/forest type map prepared by Champion and Seth in 1968. We characterized and mapped further the vegetation type distribution in the country in terms of occurrence and distribution, area occupancy, percentage of protected area (PA) covered by each vegetation type, range of elevation, mean annual temperature and precipitation over the past 100 years. A remote sensing-amenable hierarchical classification scheme that accommodates natural and semi-natural systems was conceptualized, and the natural vegetation was classified into forests, scrub/shrub lands and grasslands on the basis of extent of vegetation cover. We discuss the distribution and potential utility of the vegetation type map in a broad range of ecological, climatic and conservation applications from global, national and local perspectives. We used 15,565 ground control points to assess the accuracy of products available globally (i.e., GlobCover, Holdridge’s life zone map and potential natural vegetation (PNV) maps). Hence we recommend that the map prepared herein be used widely. This vegetation type map is the most comprehensive one developed for India so far. It was prepared using 23.5 m seasonal satellite remote sensing data, field samples and information relating to the biogeography, climate and soil. The digital map is now available through a web portal (Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. Typ
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Information on activity profile of the Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica) and its responses to human interference were lacking
. A study following focal animal sampling protocol with individual-follow method and assessment of human interference on dolphin occurrence and behavior was hence conducted. Based on logical reasoning and prior assumptions, dolphin activities were broadly categorized into four types viz., surfacing, movement, chasing/feeding and underwater. Percentage frequencies of occurrence of these activities in dolphin activity budget were 50%, 26%, 6% and 18% with corresponding time allocations of 1%, 60%, 4% and 35%, respectively; without any significant difference between male and female activity patterns (χ2 = 0.832, df = 3, P > 0.05). Five different modes of surfacing were observed with dive-times ranging from 4 to 504 sec and average prey chase-time of 38 (SD = ±29) sec. Human interference had a negative relationship with dolphin presence (β = -0.6398, z = -3.816, P < 0.001). All recorded dolphin activities showed a positive relationship with human presence except underwater activity (β = -0.1115, z = -3.76, P < 0.001). Detailed behavioral study and proper check on increasing anthropogenic influence is necessary to ensure the species safe survival
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This report attempts to introduce a prototype scoring system for the ecological status of rivers in India and illustrate it through the applications in several major river basins
. This system forms part of the desktop environmental flow assessment and is based on a number of indicators reflecting ecological condition and sensitivity of a river. The unique aspect of this study is that it interprets, for the first time, the existing ecological information for Indian rivers in the context of environmental flow assessment. The report targets government departments, research institutions and NGOs which are engaged in environmental flow management and associated policy development, and suggests some subsequent steps in environmental flow work in India
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