WILDLIFE HABITAT SUITABILITY ANALYSIS AROUND MADIHAN FOREST, MIRZAPUR DISTRICT, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA: A GEOSPATIAL APPROACH

Abstract

The tropical dry deciduous forests of Mirzapur district in Uttar Pradesh (state) in India are facing severe threat from agricultural expansion, increased urbanization, infrastructure development and unsustainable use of forest produce. As a result the forests are now fragmented and wildlife habitat is vanishing. Dwindling numbers of wild animal species has become a cause of concern. The present study has analyzed satellite remote sensing data of Landsat OLI (2013) in conjunction with GIS and support of GPS to identify suitable habitat for wild animals. Various thematic maps like land use/land cover, forest cover type, lakes, roads and slope data were prepared in support of the objective of the paper. The weighted overlay method was used for integration of the thematic layers for identification of potential habitat and corridors for wild life movement. Most suitable (2.54%), moderately suitable (12.0%) and least suitable (16.20%) areas were delineated and represented in a map. Highly suitable habitat was found at Dadri and Kotwa forest. Moderately suitable habitat was found in Darhi Ram forests. Least suitable areas were found in the outer fringes of Kotwa, Dadri, Darhi Ram and Sarson forests. Such data is the pre requisite for wildlife conservation effort. 

Keywords

• Dry deciduous
• geospatial
• habitat suitability
• Mirzapur
• Uttar Pradesh
• weighted overlay
• wildlife

WILDLIFE HABITAT SUITABILITY ANALYSIS AROUND MADIHAN FOREST, MIRZAPUR DISTRICT, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA: A GEOSPATIAL APPROACH

Öz

Hindistan Uttar Pradesh eyaletinde bulunan Mirzapur bölgesindeki kurakçıl ormanlar tarım alanlarının genişletilmesi, şehir alanlarının büyümesi, inşaat alanlarının artması ve orman kaynaklarının aşırı kullanımı ile çok yüksek bir baskı altında kalmaktadır. Bunun sonucu olarak, orman alanlarında bölünmeler olmakta ve yaban hayatı yok olma tehlikesi ile karşı karşıya kalmaktadır. Yaban hayatı sayısının azalması önemli bir tehdit hâline gelmiştir. Bu çalışma ile, Lansat OLI (2013) uydusuna ait uzaktan algılama verileri GIS ortamında GPS yardımıyla kullanılarak yaban hayatına uygun alanların tespit edilmesi için analizler yapılmıştır. Çalışmanın verilerini sunarken açıklayıcı olması maksadıyla, arazi kullanımı/arazi örtüsü, orman örtüsü tipi, göller, yol, eğim verisi gibi konu özlü tabaka haritalar kullanılmıştır. Yaban hayatına uygun yaşam alanlarının ve geçit koridorlarının belirlenmesi için, konu özlü harita tabakalarının ağırlıklandırmalı bindirme yöntemi kullanılmıştır. En uygun (%2.54), orta uygun (%12.0) ve en az uygun (%16.2) alanlar haritalar üzerinde gösterilmiştir. En uygun alanlar Dadri ve Kotwa ormanlarında, orta uygunluktaki alanlar Darhi Ram ormanlarında ve en az uygun alanlar Kotwa, Dadri, Darhi Ram ve Sarson ormanlarının dış çevrelerinde tespit edilmiştir. Bu verilerin, yaban hayatı alanlarının korunması için çok yararlı olacağı düşünülmektedir. 

Anahtar Kelimeler

• ağırlıklandırmalı bindirme
• kurak yapraklı
• mekânsal
• Mirzapur
• Uttar Pradesh
• Yaban hayatı
• yaşama alanı uygunluğu

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