Environmental Geography of South Asia: Contributions Toward a Future Earth Initiative (Advances in Geographical and Environmental Sciences)

This volume synthesizes critical environmental challenges of dynamic earth and human environment systems in South Asia emphasizing geographical dimensions. It deals with spaceborne monitoring, climate, ecohydrology, forests and biodiversity, land-use and land-cover change (LUCC), natural hazards, and disasters in order to contribute towards a sustainable future. The contributions range from traditional field techniques to the use of remote sensing and geographic information systems. The book integrates environmental attributes relating the past, present, and future of South Asia broadly based on biophysical and human dimensions in spatio-temporal perspectives. The monitoring of natural hazards and climate issues is considered a vital component in the context of environmental geography, especially in observation and understanding of climate and water-induced disasters. It is important to communicate the advances in geoscience techniques to increase the resilience of the vulnerable society of South Asia and to promote livelihood security. The sustainability of South Asia depends strongly on the earth environment, and thus the development of geo-environmental monitoring is critical for a better understanding of our living environment. The aim of the book is to present dynamic aspects of environmental geography to contribute to future earth initiatives in South Asia. Front Matter....Pages i-ix Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Disaster Mitigation and Management and Importance of Earth Observation....Pages 3-20 Exclusionary Urbanisation in South Asia....Pages 21-45 Front Matter....Pages 47-47 Prioritizing Watersheds for Sustainable Development in Swan Catchment Area, Himachal Pradesh, India....Pages 49-66 Deglaciation and Impact of Extreme Rainfalls on Recent Relief Transformation of the Upper Pindari Valley: The Kumaun Himalaya, India....Pages 67-82 Riverbeds Level Changes in the Margin and Foreland of the Darjeeling Himalaya During the Years with a Normal Monsoon Rainfall....Pages 83-95 Bioclimate of the Andaman Islands and Its Impact on the Lives of the Native and Non-native Populations of the Archipelago....Pages 97-111 Spatial and Temporal Variations of Rainfall in the Southern Part of the Meghalaya Plateau....Pages 113-132 Rainfall Structure for Cherrapunjee and Mawsynram in Northeast India....Pages 133-142 Land Use and Land Cover Changes in the Area with the Highest Rainfall in the World (Meghalaya Plateau, India): Causes and Implications....Pages 143-159 Maximum Flow and Maximum Specific Flow in a Small Catchment Affected by an Extreme Rainfall Near Cherrapunjee in Northeast India....Pages 161-175 Altitudinal Zonation of Floral Biodiversity and Its Conservation Pattern in Mizoram, North-East India....Pages 177-187 The Distribution and Management of Forests in Arunachal Pradesh, India....Pages 189-207 Institutional Dimensions and Changing Role of Forest Management Governance in Dehradun Valley....Pages 209-232 Organic Agriculture from the Perspective of Small Farmers’ Livelihood Strategies: Two Cases from Central and South India....Pages 233-248 Integrated Coastal Zone Management in North Kanara Coast....Pages 249-267 Front Matter....Pages 269-269 Anthropogenic and Environmental Disturbance Factors in the Annapurna Conservation Area of Nepal....Pages 271-285 Mangrove Diversity Across Salinity Gradient in Negombo Estuary-Sri Lanka....Pages 287-304 Nepal: Urban Environment Analysis....Pages 305-334 Fighting Floods for Survival: Experiences of Suffering People in Bangladesh....Pages 335-351 ℗lThis volume synthesizes critical environmental challenges of dynamic earth and human environment systems in South Asia emphasizing geographical dimensions.℗lIt deals with spaceborne monitoring, climate, ecohydrology, forests and biodiversity, land-use and land-cover change (LUCC), natural hazards, and disasters in order to contribute towards a sustainable future. The contributions range from traditional field techniques to the use of remote sensing and geographic information systems. The book integrates environmental attributes relating the past, present, and future of South Asia broadly based on biophysical and human dimensions in spatio-temporal perspectives. The monitoring of natural hazards and climate issues is considered a vital component in the context of environmental geography, especially in observation and understanding of climate and water-induced disasters. It is important to communicate the advances in geoscience techniques to increase the resilience of the vulnerable society of South Asia and to promote livelihood security. The sustainability of South Asia depends strongly on the earth environment, and thus the development of geo-environmental monitoring is critical for a better understanding of our living environment. The aim of the book is to present dynamic aspects of environmental geography to contribute to future earth initiatives in South Asia