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Evolution of Wetlands in Lower Reaches of Bagmari-Bansloi-Pagla Rivers:A Study Using Multidated Images and Maps


Affiliations
1 Department of Geography, Subhas Chandra Bose Centenary College, P.O. Murshidabad, Murshidabad 742 149, India
2 Department of Geography, University of Gour Banga, P. O. English Bazar, Malda 732 103, India
 

Numerous seasonally flooded wetlands in the lower Gangetic floodplain offer unique natural habitat for many migratory bird species due to their geographical location and hydro-ecological functioning. The various developmental projects change the riverine flow regime and cause hydro-ecological modification in the Gangetic floodplain wetland system. This study presents a comprehensive spatio-temporal monitoring of wetland dynamics in the lower segment of the Bagmari-Bansloi-Pagla sub-basin of the Ganga-Bhagirathi rivers using image classification technique and some fragmentation indices. Our results reveal that the land-use conversion and fragmentation processes that affect the wetland landscape are generally represented as the evolution, and consecutive drying and squeezing of wetland patches over the study area. The water-spreading area of the wetlands was highest during 1975 after the construction of the Bhagirathi feeder canal. The situation has worsened since 1980 due to cumulative effects of agriculture after the Green revolution, and the whole landscape has become a fragmented, isolated and agronomically managed wetland.

Keywords

Ahiran Wetland, Fragmentation, Green Revolution, Hydrological Alteration, Landsat Image.
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  • Evolution of Wetlands in Lower Reaches of Bagmari-Bansloi-Pagla Rivers:A Study Using Multidated Images and Maps

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Authors

Debabrata Mondal
Department of Geography, Subhas Chandra Bose Centenary College, P.O. Murshidabad, Murshidabad 742 149, India
Swades Pal
Department of Geography, University of Gour Banga, P. O. English Bazar, Malda 732 103, India

Abstract


Numerous seasonally flooded wetlands in the lower Gangetic floodplain offer unique natural habitat for many migratory bird species due to their geographical location and hydro-ecological functioning. The various developmental projects change the riverine flow regime and cause hydro-ecological modification in the Gangetic floodplain wetland system. This study presents a comprehensive spatio-temporal monitoring of wetland dynamics in the lower segment of the Bagmari-Bansloi-Pagla sub-basin of the Ganga-Bhagirathi rivers using image classification technique and some fragmentation indices. Our results reveal that the land-use conversion and fragmentation processes that affect the wetland landscape are generally represented as the evolution, and consecutive drying and squeezing of wetland patches over the study area. The water-spreading area of the wetlands was highest during 1975 after the construction of the Bhagirathi feeder canal. The situation has worsened since 1980 due to cumulative effects of agriculture after the Green revolution, and the whole landscape has become a fragmented, isolated and agronomically managed wetland.

Keywords


Ahiran Wetland, Fragmentation, Green Revolution, Hydrological Alteration, Landsat Image.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv112%2Fi11%2F2263-2272