Geo-Spatial Analysis of Forest Landscape for Wildlife Management (GIScience and Geo-environmental Modelling)

This book presents research on landscape ecology and the relationship between humans and wildlife. It helps readers understand how ecological patterns and processes are interconnected. This research illustrates and proposes (practicable) management strategies toward long-term ecological restoration and mitigation of consequences of conflict. Increasing wildlife activities in localities and forest fringes are an alarming issue. Ecological processes like movement, colonization, extinction and conflict issues depend on the landscape and ecological activities, the movement for example of migratory elephants and their colonization not only affects society but the wildlife and biodiversity too. Strategic management measures can contribute to enriching the biodiversity, habitat quality as well as landscape, while minimizing human-wildlife conflicts. This book describes landscape ecological patterns and processes, habitat dominancy, habitat dependency, suitability, connectivity and corridor selection. To synthesize these patterns and processes, several ecological indices are used. Use of geo-spatial techniques improves future management strategies for similar circumstances, especially, related to forest regeneration and forest restoration. This book provides a concise overview to a wide range of readers including postgraduate students, researcher, academics, landscape planners, decision makers and even local populations. The techniques and management strategies described should help planners to improve forest management, by implementing quality enhancement programs such as plantation area selection and corridor selection. Foreword 7 Preface 9 Contents 11 Abbreviations 11 List of Figures 16 List of Tables 21 List of Plates 23 List of Boxes 26 1 Introduction 27 Abstract 27 1.1 Wildlife of the Study Area at a Glance 27 1.2 Present Situation of Wildlife 28 1.3 Wildlife Conflict-Related Issues 30 1.3.1 Social Issues 30 1.3.2 Economic Issues 32 1.4 Spatio-temporal Changes of Landuse in West Bengal 33 1.4.1 Forest Landscape 33 1.4.2 Non-forest Landscape 35 1.5 Significance of the Study 39 References 41 2 Characterizing Major Wildlife Habitats in West Bengal 44 Abstract 44 2.1 Elephants in India: A Brief Introduction 44 2.1.1 Elephant Habits and Their Habitat 45 2.1.2 Elephant Population and Seasons of Migration 47 2.1.3 Elephants in North Bengal 48 2.1.4 Elephants in South Bengal 48 2.3 Spotted Deer of South Bengal 52 2.4 Crocodile of the Sundarbans 53 2.5 Wild Boar of South Bengal 55 2.6 Leopard in North Bengal 56 2.7 Unexpected Ecological Migration of Wildlife in South Bengal 57 References 64 3 Relationship Between Forest Habitat Composition and Wildlife from South West Bengal 67 Abstract 67 3.1 Nature of the Tropical Dry Deciduous Habitat 67 3.1.1 Structural Composition 68 3.1.1.1 Habitat Fragmentation and Loss 69 3.1.1.2 Habitat Edge Contrast 70 3.1.2 Plant Species Composition 70 3.1.2.1 Plant Species Diversity and Density 71 3.1.3 Locational Composition 73 3.1.3.1 Habitat Connectivity 74 3.2 Habitat Composition in Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve 75 3.3 Overall Outcomes 76 References 78 4 Habitat Quality Assessment Through Landscape Pattern, Plant Species Composition and Landscape Connectivity: Case Study from Bankura District 81 Abstract 81 4.1 Introduction 81 4.2 Habitat Quality Assessment Techniques and Methods 82 4.2.1 Habitat Pattern Characteristics 82 4.2.1.1 Habitat Dominance 83 4.2.1.2 Habitat Complexity 85 4.2.1.3 Habitat Dependency 86 4.2.2 Plant Species Compositional Characteristics 87 4.2.2.1 Plant Species Dominance 87 4.2.2.2 Plant Species Density 89 4.2.2.3 Plant Species Health (DBH and Height of Tree) 89 4.2.2.4 Undergrowth 89 4.2.2.5 Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) 90 4.2.3 Forest Habitat Connectivity 90 4.2.3.1 Mean Nearest-Neighbourhood Distance (MNN) 90 4.2.3.2 Mean Proximity Index (MPI) 90 4.2.3.3 Road Length Density 91 4.2.3.4 Canal Length Density 91 4.2.3.5 Built-up Area Density (Excluding Network Line) 92 4.2.4 Forest Range-Wise Distribution 92 4.2.4.1 Habitat Pattern Quality Distribution 92 4.2.4.2 Plant Species Compositional Quality Distribution 96 4.2.4.3 Connectedness Quality Distribution 96 4.3 Outcomes 105 References 107 5 Species Specific Corridor Demarcation: Case of Asian Elephant 109 Abstract 109 5.1 Potential Elephant Corridor and Its Consequence 109 5.1.1 Assessment Methods 111 5.1.2 Data Source and Preparation 111 5.1.3 Habitat Suitability Model 113 5.1.4 Model Variables 113 5.1.5 Variable Resistance Weights 115 5.1.6 Habitat Suitability Assessment in Arc Model 115 5.1.7 Least Cost Path (LCP) Analysis 116 5.2 Assessment Results 116 5.2.1 Habitat Suitability Classes 116 5.2.2 Potential Elephant Corridors 116 5.2.3 Potential Elephant Corridor Zone 117 5.2.4 Potential Elephant Corridor Characters 120 5.3 Overall Outcomes 122 References 123 6 Wildlife Conflict Area Demarcation—Special Reference to Human–Elephant Conflict 126 Abstract 126 6.1 Case Study from Bankura District, West Bengal, India 126 6.1.1 Methods and Data Used 127 6.1.2 Measuring Landscape Unit 128 6.1.2.1 Forest Cover 128 6.1.2.2 Multi-crop Area 131 6.1.2.3 Built-Up Area 131 6.1.2.4 Forest Fragmentation—Area Weighted Mean Shape Index (AWMSI) 131 6.1.2.5 Road Network 133 6.1.2.6 River and Canal 133 6.1.2.7 Water Patch 133 6.1.3 Taking Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) Approach 133 6.1.4 Results 135 6.1.5 Conclusion 136 6.2 Case Study from Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, Jharkhand, India 140 6.2.1 Materials and Methods 141 6.2.1.1 Data Base and Data Source 141 6.2.2 Selected Criterion Maps for Elephant Habitat Suitability 141 6.2.2.1 Forest 142 6.2.2.2 Water Body 144 6.2.2.3 Elevation 144 6.2.2.4 Slope and Hill Shade 144 6.2.2.5 Settlement 146 6.2.2.6 Aspect 146 6.2.2.7 Road 146 6.2.3 AHP Weights for Wildlife Habitat Suitability Mapping 148 6.2.3.1 Assigning Criterion Weights 149 6.2.4 Overly Weighted Analysis 149 6.2.5 Results and Discussions 150 6.2.6 Conclusion 153 6.3 Overall Outcomes 154 References 155 7 Operational Landscape Alteration Techniques to Improve Ecological Quality of Forest Habitat: Case Studies in the Fragmented Habitats 158 Abstract 158 7.1 Habitat Quality Enhancement by Landuse Planning 158 7.1.1 Habitat Structural Ecological Quality Improvement (Case Studies from Selected Forest Ranges Under Bankura District) 158 7.1.1.1 Methods 159 7.1.1.2 Discussion 161 7.1.2 Scientific Way of Plantation 164 7.1.2.1 Selected Plant Species for Habitat Quality Enhancement 164 7.1.3 Connectivity Development 165 7.1.3.1 Corridor Demarcation 166 7.1.3.2 Habitat Gap Minimization Through Habitat Corridor Development 166 7.1.3.3 Biodiversity Bridge and Tunnel 168 7.1.4 Perennial Water Source Development Inside the Habitat 170 7.1.5 Potential Biodiversity Zone Demarcation 172 References 172 8 Effective Management Methods for Wildlife Conservation in General and Elephants in Specific 175 Abstract 175 8.1 Wildlife Conservation: Global Scenario 175 8.2 Human–Elephant Conflict (HEC) Management 177 8.2.1 Biological Measures 177 8.2.1.1 Crop Type and Changing Pattern 178 8.2.1.2 Bio Fencing 179 8.2.1.3 Increases Food Availability Inside the Forest Habitat 179 8.2.2 Mechanical Measures 180 8.2.2.1 Trenching Along High Risk Zone 180 8.2.2.2 Advance Alert System 181 8.2.2.3 Rehabilitation Program 182 8.2.2.4 Awareness 183 Academic Lesson in Elementary Education 183 8.2.2.5 Movement Control by ‘Hula’ 184 8.2.2.6 Stakeholder Participation in Biodiversity Conservation 186 References 187 Index 190