scholarly journals Tracking Forest Loss and Fragmentation During 1930–2020 in Asian Elephant (Elephas Maximus) Habitats in Nepal

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok Kumar Ram ◽  
Nabin Kumar Yadav ◽  
Pem Narayan Kandel ◽  
Samrat Mondol ◽  
Bivash Pandav ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
Elephas Maximus ◽  
Topographic Maps ◽  
Forest Loss ◽  
Landsat Images ◽  
Elephant Conservation ◽  
Source Data ◽  
Habitat Loss And Fragmentation ◽  
Primary Determinant

Abstract Forest cover is the primary determinant of elephant distribution, thus, understanding forest loss and fragmentation is crucial for elephant conservation. We assessed deforestation and patterns of forest fragmentation during 1930–2020 in Chure Terai Madhesh Lanscape (CTML) which covers the entire elephant range in Nepal. Forest cover maps and fragmentation matrices were generated using multi-source data (Topographic maps and Landsat images of 1930, 1975, 2000, and 2020) and spatiotemporal changes was quantified. Forest cover within the elephant range was 19,069 km2. Overall, 21.5% of elephant habitat was lost between 1930 to 2020, with a larger (12.3%) forest cover loss between 1930 & 1975. Area of the large forests (Core 3) in CTML has decreased by 43.08% whereas smaller patches (Core 2, Core 1, edge and patch forests) has increased multifold during 1930–2020. The continued habitat loss and fragmentation probably fragmented elephant populations during the last century and made them insular with long-term ramifications for elephant conservation and human-elephant conflict. Given the substantial loss in forest cover and high levels of fragmentation, improving the resilience of elephant habitats in Nepal would urgently require habitat and corridor restoration to enable the movement of elephants.

scholarly journals Tracking forest loss and fragmentation between 1930 and 2020 in Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) range in Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok Kumar Ram ◽  
Nabin Kumar Yadav ◽  
Pem Narayan Kandel ◽  
Samrat Mondol ◽  
Bivash Pandav ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Images ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Elephas Maximus ◽  
Topographic Maps ◽  
Forest Loss ◽  
Elephant Conservation ◽  
Source Data ◽  
Primary Determinant ◽  
Landsat Satellite

AbstractForest cover is the primary determinant of elephant distribution, thus, understanding forest loss and fragmentation is crucial for elephant conservation. We assessed deforestation and patterns of forest fragmentation between 1930 and 2020 in Chure Terai Madhesh Lanscape (CTML) which covers the entire elephant range in Nepal. Forest cover maps and fragmentation matrices were generated using multi-source data (Topographic maps and Landsat satellite images of 1930, 1975, 2000, and 2020) and spatiotemporal change was quantified. At present, 19,069 km2 forest cover in CTML is available as the elephant habitat in Nepal. Overall, 21.5% of elephant habitat was lost between 1930 and 2020, with a larger (12.3%) forest cover loss between 1930 and 1975. Area of the large forests (Core 3) has decreased by 43.08% whereas smaller patches (Core 2, Core 1, edge and patch forests) has increased multifold between 1930 and 2020. The continued habitat loss and fragmentation probably fragmented elephant populations during the last century and made them insular with long-term ramifications for elephant conservation and human-elephant conflict. Given the substantial loss in forest cover and high levels of fragmentation, improving the resilience of elephant populations in Nepal would urgently require habitat and corridor restoration to enable the movement of elephants.

scholarly journals Uncertainty in Historical Land-Use Reconstructions with Topographic Maps

2014 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 55-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik Kaim ◽  
Jacek Kozak ◽  
Krzysztof Ostafin ◽  
Monika Dobosz ◽  
Katarzyna Ostapowicz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Reliability Assessment ◽  
Swiss Alps ◽  
Topographic Maps ◽  
Forest Cover Change ◽  
Change Analysis ◽  
Polish Carpathians ◽  
Historical Land Use

Abstract The paper presents the outcomes of the uncertainty investigation of a long-term forest cover change analysis in the Polish Carpathians (nearly 20,000 km2) and Swiss Alps (nearly 10,000 km2) based on topographic maps. Following Leyk et al. (2005) all possible uncertainties are grouped into three domains - production-oriented, transformation- oriented and application-oriented. We show typical examples for each uncertainty domain, encountered during the forest cover change analysis and discuss consequences for change detection. Finally, a proposal for reliability assessment is presented.

scholarly journals Distribution and habitat preferences of Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) in Riau, Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 226-235
Author(s):  
YOHANES WISHNU SUKMANTORO ◽  
HADI S. ALIKODRA ◽  
AGUS P. KARTONO ◽  
EFRANSJAH EFRANSJAH
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Elephas Maximus ◽  
Plantation Forest ◽  
Color Analysis ◽  
Minimum Convex Polygon ◽  
Landsat Images

Sukmantoro YW, Alikodra HS, Kartono AP, Efransjah. 2019. Distribution and habitat preferences of Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) in Riau, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 226-235. The research on elephant distribution and habitat preference was carried out in two locations Balai Raja and Tesso Nilo, Riau Province, Indonesia on 2012-2016. Three GPS Collars were installed on one individual adult female at Balai Raja (Desma) and two individuals at Tesso Nilo (Angelina and Butet). For the elephants’ habitat, the forest cover identification was performed by spectral color analysis on the 8 ETM+ Landsat images and resulted in land cover detail on MCP (Minimum Convex Polygon), and 50% and 95% fix kernel density of movement of the elephant including in the morning, the day and the night. Based on MCP estimation, Desma habitat area was 328.86 km2, while Angelina and Butet were 632.57 km2 and 701.60 km2, respectively. Land cover in MCP indicated that the oil palm, mixed agriculture, and rubber were dominantly areas used by Desma, while acacia, forest and oil palm plantation were dominantly area used by Angelina and Butet. In habitat preferences, Desma preferred forests and swamp areas to day activity. However, Angelina and Butet selected acacia plantation, forest, infrastructures such as the mills and land opening as the location of movement. Water bodies and shrub were not widely used for the elephants’ activities. This study indicated that the pattern of habitat selection is a strategy for elephants to avoid conflict with the human. Although resources are limited, the habitat selection can reduce conflict incidence.

scholarly journals Perception of Human–Elephant Conflict and Conservation Attitudes of Affected Communities in Myanmar

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 194008291983124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christie Sampson ◽  
Peter Leimgruber ◽  
Shari Rodriguez ◽  
John McEvoy ◽  
Elaine Sotherden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Elephas Maximus ◽  
Conservation Policies ◽  
Societal Challenges ◽  
Conservation Attitudes ◽  
Elephant Conservation ◽  
Term Management

Myanmar is an ideal location for Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus L.) conservation because it still contains large expanses of elephant habitat. However, increasing human–elephant conflict (HEC) threatens to derail ongoing elephant conservation programs. We conducted 303 interviews in rural communities living near elephants to help inform long-term management strategies to conserve this endangered species. We sought to understand the main challenges that people in these communities face in improving their quality of life, as well as the types and levels of HEC they experience and their attitudes toward elephant conservation. Poverty, not conflict with elephants, was the greatest obstacle reported by our participants. However, HEC was deemed a moderate to major problem, with 38% of farmers indicating they lost half or more of their crops to elephants the previous year. Our results showed that communities living in proximity to and often harmed by elephants were nevertheless supportive of elephant conservation and willing to contribute to conservation efforts. This result offers hope in the quest to maintain elephant populations in Myanmar. We conclude that conservation policies that also address societal challenges such as poverty may be more effective in protecting elephants than policies that address HEC alone.

scholarly journals Spatio–Temporal Changes of Forests in Northeast China: Insights from Landsat Images and Geospatial Analysis

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunying Ren ◽  
Lin Chen ◽  
Zongming Wang ◽  
Bai Zhang ◽  
Yanbiao Xi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northeast China ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Geospatial Analysis ◽  
Forest Loss ◽  
Landsat Images ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Spatio Temporal

Dramatic changes of forests have strong influence on regional and global carbon cycles, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Understanding dynamics of forests from local to global scale is crucial for policymaking and sustainable development. In this study, we developed an updating and object-based image analysis method to map forests in Northeast China using Landsat images from 1990 to 2015. The spatio–temporal patterns of forests were quantified based on resultant maps and geospatial analysis. Results showed that the percentage of forested area occupying the entire northeast China was more than 40%, about 94% of initial forest cover remained unchanged (49.37 × 104 km2) over the course of 25 years. A small net forest loss (1051 km2) was observed during 1990–2015. High forest gain (10,315 km2) and forest loss (9923 km2) both occurred from 2010 to 2015. At the provincial level, Heilongjiang demonstrated the highest rate of deforestation, with a net loss of 1802 km2 (0.89%). Forest changes along elevation, slope, and distance from settlements and roads were also investigated. Over 90% of forest changes occurred in plains and low mountain areas within the elevation of 200–1000 m and slope under 15°. The most dramatic forest changes can be found within the distance of 2000 m from settlements and roads. The reclamation of sloping land, construction of settlements and roads, and possible smallholder clearing contributed more to forest loss, while ecological projects and related government policies play an important role on afforestation and reforestation. These results can provide useful spatial information for further research on the driving forces and consequences of forest changes, which have critical implications for scientific conservation and management of forests.

scholarly journals Integrating Landsat Time Series Observations and Corona Images to Characterize Forest Change Patterns in a Mining Region of Nanjing, Eastern China from 1967 to 2019

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yali Zhang ◽  
Wenjuan Shen ◽  
Mingshi Li ◽  
Yingying Lv
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Eastern China ◽  
Landscape Patterns ◽  
Forest Loss ◽  
Forest Change ◽  
Crown Density

Long-term surface mining and subsequent vegetation recovery greatly alter land cover types, reshape landscape patterns and impose several impacts on local ecosystem services. However, studies on the history of forest changes in mining areas from the 1960s to the present have not been reported. This study developed a new idea to investigate the spatial and temporal dynamics of forest cover in a mining area of Mufu Mountain (Mt. Mufu) from 1967 to 2019 by integrating Landsat and Corona data, and to explore the relationships among the forest changes, landscape structures and ecosystem functions. Firstly, we applied the vegetation change tracker (VCT) algorithm and visual interpretation to create annual forest change datasets. Subsequently, the forest loss process was divided into subdivision, shrinkage, perforation and attrition components. An improved forest restoration model in this study extended the recovery process to bridge, branch, infilling and increment components. Finally, remote sensing variables and crown density were coupled to assess the forest aboveground biomass (AGB) to reflect the ecosystem function in the restoration area. Results showed that the combined use of Corona and the dense time series of Landsat can provide more detailed information on forest changes. Forest cover sharply decreased from 343.89 in 1967 to 298.44 ha in 1990, and after 2003, the forest area substantially increased and finally reached a maximum of 434.16 ha in 2019. Subdivision and bridge not only occupied the larger areas in the process of forest loss and restoration, but also they had strong correlations with forest changes and the Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were respectively 0.96 and 0.91. These all revealed that forest changes mainly affected landscape structure connectivity. The total forest AGB of Mt. Mufu increased from 20,173.35 in 2006 to 31,035.77 t in 2017, but the increases in AGB were only 30-40 t/ha in most recovery areas with high structure connectivity (bridge regions), indicating there is room for improving restoration projects in the future. The obtained findings can provide mining site restoration managers with clear, long-term forest change information and mine restoration assessment methods.

scholarly journals Global synthesis of forest cover effects on long-term water balance partitioning in large basins

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Mercado-Bettín ◽  
Juan F. Salazar ◽  
Juan Camilo Villegas
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Forest Loss ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Biophysical Properties ◽  
Critical Determinant ◽  
Social Challenges ◽  
The World

Abstract. Global changes in forest cover have been related to major scientific and social challenges. There are important uncertainties about the potential effects of ongoing forest loss on continental water balances. Here we present an observation-based analysis of long-term water balance partitioning (precipitation divided into evaporation and runoff) in 22 large basins of the world, whereby we identify two partitioning patterns likely related to biophysical mechanisms that depend on the presence and abundance of forests. In less forested basins, evaporation dominates water balance and, as forest cover increases, this dominance of evaporation over runoff is reduced. When forest is the predominant cover, both components account for nearly half of precipitation in the long-term water balance. The distinction between these two patterns is not fully explained by differences between water- and energy-limited environments, but requires consideration of other biophysical properties that affect precipitation and its conversion into evaporation and runoff. Our results indicate that forest cover is an effective descriptor of basin attributes that are relevant for characterizing long-term water balance partitioning in large basins of the world. Further, our results provide insights to understanding and predicting the potential consequences of forest loss on continental water availability, a critical determinant for multiple ecological and societal processes.

scholarly journals Shedding New Light on Mountainous Forest Growth: A Cross-Scale Evaluation of the Effects of Topographic Illumination Correction on 25 Years of Forest Cover Change across Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2131
Author(s):  
Jamon Van Den Hoek ◽  
Alexander C. Smith ◽  
Kaspar Hurni ◽  
Sumeet Saksena ◽  
Jefferson Fox
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Geographic Distribution ◽  
Classification Accuracy ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Forest Growth ◽  
Forest Cover Change ◽  
Scale Evaluation ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Affect Detection

Accurate remote sensing of mountainous forest cover change is important for myriad social and ecological reasons, but is challenged by topographic and illumination conditions that can affect detection of forests. Several topographic illumination correction (TIC) approaches have been developed to mitigate these effects, but existing research has focused mostly on whether TIC improves forest cover classification accuracy and has usually found only marginal gains. However, the beneficial effects of TIC may go well beyond accuracy since TIC promises to improve detection of low illuminated forest cover and thereby normalize measurements of the amount, geographic distribution, and rate of forest cover change regardless of illumination. To assess the effects of TIC on the extent and geographic distribution of forest cover change, in addition to classification accuracy, we mapped forest cover across mountainous Nepal using a 25-year (1992–2016) gap-filled Landsat time series in two ways—with and without TIC (i.e., nonTIC)—and classified annual forest cover using a Random Forest classifier. We found that TIC modestly increased classifier accuracy and produced more conservative estimates of net forest cover change across Nepal (−5.2% from 1992–2016) TIC. TIC also resulted in a more even distribution of forest cover gain across Nepal with 3–5% more net gain and 4–6% more regenerated forest in the least illuminated regions. These results show that TIC helped to normalize forest cover change across varying illumination conditions with particular benefits for detecting mountainous forest cover gain. We encourage the use of TIC for satellite remote sensing detection of long-term mountainous forest cover change.

scholarly journals Linking Long-Term Changes in Soil Salinity to Paddy Land Abandonment in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 211
Author(s):  
Tharani Gopalakrishnan ◽  
Lalit Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Soil Salinity ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Soil Salinization ◽  
Landsat Images ◽  
Paddy Land ◽  
Semi Arid Region

Soil salinity is a serious threat to coastal agriculture and has resulted in a significant reduction in agricultural output in many regions. Jaffna Peninsula, a semi-arid region located in the northern-most part of Sri Lanka, is also a victim of the adverse effects of coastal salinity. This study investigated long-term soil salinity changes and their link with agricultural land use changes, especially paddy land. Two Landsat images from 1988 and 2019 were used to map soil salinity distribution and changes. Another set of images was analyzed at four temporal periods to map abandoned paddy lands. A comparison of changes in soil salinity with abandoned paddy lands showed that abandoned paddy lands had significantly higher salinity than active paddy lands, confirming that increasing salts owing to the high levels of sea water intrusion in the soils, as well as higher water salinity in wells used for irrigation, could be the major drivers of degradation of paddy lands. The results also showed that there was a dramatic increase in soil salinity (1.4-fold) in the coastal lowlands of Jaffna Peninsula. 64.6% of the salinity-affected land was identified as being in the extreme saline category. In addition to reducing net arable lands, soil salinization has serious implications for food security and the livelihoods of farmers, potentially impacting the regional and national economy.

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