Sundarbans Mangrove Systems : A Geo-Informatics Approach

Sundarbans, a UNESCO heritage site, is the world’s largest single chunk of mangroves distributed on the Indian and Bangladesh coasts. The mangroves and associated ecosystems are one of the most fertile ecosystems of the earth. Sundarbans Mangrove Systems: A Geo-Informatics Approach portrays different perspectives of studying Sundarbans and mangroves using geospatial analysis. This book highlights the major issues with the Sundarbans mangrove forest, its future conservation strategies and its ecological importance using geo-informatics technology. It explains the usage of remote sensing data for providing information about the present state of mangroves and their tropic status, including assessment in terms of extent, density of community, condition, diversity, identifying potential habitats and heterogeneity. Furthermore, it discusses the use of hyperspectral remote sensing data for species level classification of mangroves, community zonation for biodiversity assessment and for preparing management plans for conservation.

This book is aimed at graduate students and researchers in environmental sciences, ecology, marine sciences, biology, geosciences and GIS/remote sensing areas.

Dr. Anirban Mukhopadhyay is a Geospatial researcher. After completing two masters in Marine Science (Calcutta University) and Remote Sensing and GIS (Indian Institute of Remote Sensing), he has achieved his Doctoral degree from Jadavpur University. After working on different multinational environmental projects with Jadavpur University, International Growth Centre, The World Bank, etc., he has joined as a researcher at Center for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), University of Manitoba, Canada. Dr. Mukhopadhyay has numerous publications on remote sensing and GIS. He has vast experience in geospatial analysis of Mangroves and the environment of Sundarbans. Dr. Mukhopadhyay also has an interest in understanding the land-ocean dynamics and their effect on the mangrove ecosystem. He has a particular interest in the study of the impact of climate change on this fragile ecosystem. He has worked on both Indian and Bangladesh Sundarbans.

Dr. Debashis Mitra is a geologist by profession. He passed his Master in Applied Geology and M.Tech in Engineering Geology from IIT (ISM), Dhanbad, and completed his doctorate from ITC, The Netherlands, in sandwich mode. Dr. Mitra is working with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for the last 25 years. He is presently heading the Department of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Dehradun. He is responsible for capacity building activities on remote sensing and GIS applications on Ocean and atmospheric sciences at IIRS. Dr. Mitra has vast experience in Remote Sensing and GIS application for Coastal Zone Management, Coastal hazards, and Coastal geology and Geomorphology. He has more than 80 publications in peer-reviewed journals, along with several chapters in international books. He has also edited a book on Environmental Remote Sensing from Springer Publication. Dr. Mitra leads several Projects sponsored by ISRO and other organizations on geospatial applications for the coastal zone. Dr. Mitra has guided numerous students in Ph.D., M.Tech, and Postgraduate Diploma level. He is a reviewer of several national and international journals and an editorial board member of GI Science and Remote Sensing. Dr.Mitra is working on geospatial analysis of Mangroves and Sundarbans for the last two decades. He is a lead scientist in this field with a vast experience in Sundarbans.

Dr. Sugata Hazra, a Geologist by profession, is a Professor of Coastal Zone Management and former Director of the School of Oceanographic Studies at Jadavpur University, India. He has done pioneering research on Sundarbans, Climate Change, and Biophysical impact. He has led several international and national level research projects on Sundarbans and coastal oceans and has more than 100 international publications, edited volumes, monographs to his credit. He has mentored over30 Ph.D. students.

Dr. Hazra has been a member of the Indian Antarctic Expedition in the year 1996-97. He is a recipient of the Gold Medal from the Asiatic Society and is a member of the West Bengal State Coastal Zone Management Authority, nominated by the Government of India.

Some of his ongoing projects include ‘Opportunities and trade-offs between the SDGs for food, welfare and the environment in deltas(UKIERI-DBT),’ Tidal energy for village electricity supply in Indian Sundarban biosphere(UKIERI-DST), Vulnerability Assessment of Mangroves and Corals of West Bengal, Odisha and Andaman Islands(DST), Study of carbon dynamics in estuaries and nearshore waters of Hugli Estuary(NRSC), Geospatial assessment of mangrove’s species discrimination in Indian Sundarbans, their health and its effect on the environment and climate using airborne hyperspectral (AVIRIS NG) and RISAT-I remote sensing data(SAC), Enhancing adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change of small and marginal farmers in Purulia and Bankura district West Bengal(NABARD, India through Development Research Communication and Services Centre).