A. K. Kandya , M. M. Kimothi , R. N. Jadhav , J. P. Agarwal

Abstract

Occurrcnce of frequent fire is one of the reasons for degradation of forests in the country/ elsewhere in the world. The forest fires affect (a) standing vegetation, (b) soil, (c) productive capacity of the forest, (d) productive value of the forest, (e) wildlife and (f) recreational. Or scenic values. An attempt has been made to map the fire-prone areas of a part of Junagadh District of Gujarat. IRSIB, LISS-II data were visually classified to ascertain the vegetation status of the study area. The roadnetwork and the huts/settlements were mapped through the Survey ofIndia (SoI) topographical map. Finally, to begin with, these three parameters out of many, which may have direct/indirect influence over the occurrence of fire, were integrated using Geographic Information System (GIS) approach resulting in a 'fire-prone' map of the area.

Full Text

     

Ketan Tatu , M. M. Kimothi , J. S. Parihar

Abstract

Due to various activities of man, wetlands are facing destruction and degradation which further leads to the progressive loss of biological diversity including diversity of waterbirds. Under such situation, there is an urgent need of monitoring and sustainabl by managing at least protected wetland areas on priority basis by applying modern tools and techniques. Satellite remote sensing is a technique which is found very useful for this purpose. Apart from mapping and monitoring waterbird habitats in wetlands, it can also facilitate evaluation of wetlands as wildlife (waterbird) habitats through the development of quantitative models. There is a need of developing such a model which quickly provides a quantitative insight into the availability of different habitats/microhabitats required by a waterfowl species in the entire wetland prior to the detailed evaluation of the habitat quality/suitability. Habitat Availability Model (HAM) is one such model. With its grid.based quantitative approach, the model may help a wetland! wildlife manager in quantitatively and quickly knowing the magnitude and spatial distribution of habitat availability for a waterbird at a wetland in 1 km × 1 km sampling plots spread over the entire wetland. In the present paper development and application of HAM has been demonstrated for two waterbird species occurring at Nal Sarovar (Gujarat) namely, White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) and Chestnut Bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus).lt may enable field based wildlife/wetland managers of developing countries to construct and apply appropriate models on the similar lines for managing wetlands as habitats for important waterfowl.

Full Text

     

Ketan Tatu , M. M. Kimothi , J. S. Parihar

Abstract

Waterbird (Waterfowl) habitats in wetlands are deteriorating due to variety of human activities threatening the survival of waterfowl. Sound management of such habitats is possible ifinformation regarding them is available. Satellite remote sensing can be very useful in providing such information through delineation, mapping and inventorying of habitats. The methodology developed for delineation, mapping and inventorying waterbird habitats in an inland wetland viz. Nal Sarovar (Gujarat State) has been discussed in the present paper. Suitability and limitations of important aspects of the methodology adopted for preparing 'Habitat Distribution Maps' are also revealed and discussed. Mid-winter season (January/February) data of Landsat (MSSITM) and IRS LISS II has been found very appropriate for studying waterbird habitats. Classification system up to level III has been developed. IRS LISS II FCC has been found to be more effective in distinguishing habitat of emergent aquatic vegetation from the nearby terrestrial herbaceous cover during early post-monsoon period. Mapping scale of 1: 50,000 was found appropriate with respect to the resolution of the Landsat (MSS/ TM) and IRS LISS II images employed in the study. Accuracy of the 'Habitat Distribution Maps' was tested on the sample basis assuming a binomial distribution for the probability of success/failure of sample points. It was found to be 92 per cent at 90 per cent confidence level.

Full Text

     

M. M. Kimothi , R. N. Jadhav , A. K. Kandya , M. B. Mankare , P. B. Bhalekar , S. G. Chavan

Abstract

Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) is multistate multipurpose river valley which is expected to benefit and aid in development of four states namely Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The catchment area of Narmada river above Sardar Sarovar Dam, is 88.000 km² of which 1676 km² area is part of Maharashtra State. The area is predominantly forested and tribal in nature and social and economic life of the people is totally dependent on forest for food, fuel, fodder, timber and medicines. This needs for up-to-date and reliable information on current status of land utilization for important planning processes such as catchment area treatment (CAT). At the instance of Maharashtra Forest Department a detailed microlevel catchment area treatment package was evolved using remotely sensed satellite data (IRS-LISS II and SPOT) and the recommendation for five categories of CAT has been made to preserve forest and biodiversity in the catchment area along with development of tribal community by way of massive afforestation programme coupled with soil and water conservation. Five years phasing of CAT plan with annual target of 20% area under various treatments have been recommended. The total cost of the CAT plan has been worked out around 2801.40 lakhs with an employment generation of 64.39 lakhs man days. Based on this CAT plan using remotely sensed data the implementation of the CAT has been started from Oct, 1993 with an opening of four new Watershed Management Division by the Maharashtra Forest Department.

Full Text

     

K. Gurumurti , M. M. Kimothi , D. P. Raturi , J. S. Rawat

Abstract

Studies on growth, assimilation rate, biomass production, solar energy conversion efficiency and seasonal energy conversion efficiency by Eucalypts under energy plantation practices (short spacing, 13m × 13m) have been carried out at six monthly intervals for a period of 36 months under semi-arid non-irrigated conditions in Gujarat. The results show that there exists considerable variation among the population of the trees which increase with increasing age. The total biomass ranged from 5 dt/ha at 12 months to 66 5 dt/ha at 36 months,the utilizable biomass (wood, bark, branch) ranging from 2.25 dt/ha to 43 5 dt/ha for the same periods. There existed a direct correlation between, the leaf biomass and total biomass by different categories of trees. The results on various growth parameters, viz,net assimilation rate, relative growth fate and crop growth fate is also presented. The relationship between D²H and total as well as utilizable dry malter production by trees has been worked out and presented. The solar energy conversion efficiency as found to be maximal at 36 months of the age being 126. The seasonal energy conversion efficiency showed two peaks, one 18-24 ond another 30-36 month., the values being 1.77 and 3.16 per cent of PAR coinciding with lhe period of moisture availability. The high biomass production by trees under energy plantation practices as related to the CO₂ profile and energy conversion efficiency is briefly discussed.

Full Text

     

R. S. Mathur , M. M. Kimothi , K. Gurumurti

Abstract

During the last ten years there is increasing awareness about the role of forest biomass to alleviate the fuelwood crisis particularly in developing countries in view of their predominant dependence on traditional fuels. Among the various non-conventional energy sources namely photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, microhydal, oceanthermal and biomass, biomass has an edge over others from the point of production, availability and conversion. Biomass has the verstality to be converted into solid, liquid and gaseous fuels which further can be transformed into four principle usable energy forms namely, steam, mechanical power, electricity and heat. It is shown that on global basis there is abundant availability of wood, however, on regional basis there is shortage, particularly in developing countries. In India the fuelwood shortage is of the order of 170 million cubic meters, threatening to become more than an energy issue. In this context the need for implementing the energy plantation concept for improving the per hectare yield is stressed. The advantages as well as disadvantages of implementing energy plantation practices is presented. It is shown that advantages far out-weigh the disadvantages. Evidences are amassed to show that fuels from biomass can be profitably produced in all parts of the world. This review details the conventional investigations on forest biomass and analyses the growth and yield under energy plantation practices in addition to discussing the energy conversion efficiency of the forest plants with emphasis on energy plantation practices. The need for extensive understanding of nutrient distribution and cycling in the context of biomass production systems is also presented. It is concluded that there exists considerable scope to bridge the gap between potential productivity and actual productivity using energy plantation practices even in thickly populated tropics The role of energy plantations to mitigate the fuelwood crisis is presented with particular reference to Indian conditions. This review has 131 references and 6 Tables.

Full Text