Bio-diversity Characterization at Landscape level

We live in a landscape and fulfill our most of the needs from its diversity. The increasing human population satisfies their demand from various kinds of economic activities carried out on the landscape, which ultimately along with various geomorphic and biological processes give the birth of spatial and structural changes.

The landscape change spatially and temporally due to the tectonic, climate, biotic interaction with the environment. Of these the influences brought by the human beings through indiscriminate utilization of the natural resources and action without due regards to the environmental impacts and sustainable development can be prevented and controlled by scientific and technical know how, if proper data base is built. The landscape characterization has been proved to be effective for evaluation of landscape ecologically, and for the sustainable utilization of natural resources, to maintain the essential ecological processes and the life support system, to conserve the biological diversity and to prioritize the conservation areas and creation of network of protected areas.

The landscape structure, function and change analyzed using the patch elements. The patch characteristics viz., porosity, patchiness, interspersion, juxtaposition etc are analyzed and patch dynamics are studied using the GIS by developing the software for East Godavari district. The basic inputs are vegetation type and density, roads, villages, contours etc. These parameters are used to develop the disturbance index. The ring and edge entities are studied. Various indices of biodiversity generated. The contagion, association etc are studied. This in combination with the other information like species economic and scientific value etc can be used to derive the ecosystem uniqueness and biodiversity richness value. It can be used to study the fragmentation and disturbance indices for the attention of policy makers and the managers of the ecosystems and also for Study of landscape patterns for better management practices. These indices can be used for prioritization of natural and biological conservation areas and creation network of protected areas for present and future generations, to follow the WCS and NCS. It also helps in Acquisition and preparation of long term sets for perception of global climatic change, deforestation, forest dieback, desertification, acid precipitation etc., for management intervention. It also helps in study of inter & inter - specific competition among species using proximity analysis segregation and disturbance regime.

The software customization for biodiversity characterization is under progress for generating the biodiversity indices, and can be applied to all the areas.