Manish Kale

Bio: Manish Kale is an academic researcher from Centre for Development of Advanced Computing. The author has contributed to research in topics: Land cover & Vegetation. The author has an hindex of 9, co-authored 14 publications receiving 443 citations.

Development of Decadal (1985–1995–2005) Land Use and Land Cover Database for India

Abstract: India has experienced significant Land-Use and Land-Cover Change (LULCC) over the past few decades. In this context, careful observation and mapping of LULCC using satellite data of high to medium spatial resolution is crucial for understanding the long-term usage patterns of natural resources and facilitating sustainable management to plan, monitor and evaluate development. The present study utilizes the satellite images to generate national level LULC maps at decadal intervals for 1985, 1995 and 2005 using onscreen visual interpretation techniques with minimum mapping unit of 2.5 hectares. These maps follow the classification scheme of the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP) to ensure compatibility with other global/regional LULC datasets for comparison and integration. Our LULC maps with more than 90% overall accuracy highlight the changes prominent at regional level, i.e., loss of forest cover in central and northeast India, increase of cropland area in Western India, growth of peri-urban area, and relative increase in plantations. We also found spatial correlation between the cropping area and precipitation, which in turn confirms the monsoon dependent agriculture system in the country. On comparison with the existing global LULC products (GlobCover and MODIS), it can be concluded that our dataset has captured the maximum cumulative patch diversity frequency indicating the detailed representation that can be attributed to the on-screen visual interpretation technique. Comparisons with global LULC products (GlobCover and MODIS) show that our dataset captures maximum landscape diversity, which is partly attributable to the on-screen visual interpretation techniques. We advocate the utility of this database for national and regional studies on land dynamics and climate change research. The database would be updated to 2015 as a continuing effort of this study.

Forest cover change detection of Western Ghats of Maharashtra using satellite remote sensing based visual interpretation technique.

Abstract: In this article, we attempt to quantify change in forest area of the Western Ghats of Maharashtra over a 20year time period (1985–87 to 2005) using visual interpretation technique at 1 : 250 K scale. The study was conducted using the Forest Survey of India vegetation maps for 1985–87, prepared using Landsat TM data and IRS LISS III imagery for 2005. The results reveal loss of dense forest at an annual rate of 0.72% and that of open forest at 0.49%. It also reports an increase in mangrove vegetation and water bodies in the study area. In addition, it also reports districtwise pattern of change in forest cover.

Decadal Land Use and Land Cover Classifications across India, 1985, 1995, 2005

Abstract: This data set provides land use and land cover (LULC) classification products at 100-m resolution for India at decadal intervals for 1985, 1995 and 2005. The data were derived from Landsat 4 and 5 Thematic Mapper (TM), Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), and Multispectral (MSS) data, India Remote Sensing satellites (IRS) Resourcesat Linear Imaging Self-Scanning Sensor-1 or III (LISS-I, LISS-III) data, ground truth surveys, and visual interpretation. The data were classified according to the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) classification scheme.

Biomass equations of dominant species of dry deciduous forest in Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh

Abstract: In the present study allometric equations were developed to estimate bole biomass of five prominent species found in dry deciduous forest in Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh, central India, using a non-destructive method. For this, wood samples were taken from the permanent sample plots (where these species were available) in all the available girth classes and their biomass values were calculated. Efforts were made to establish the relationship between sample biomass values and different bole parameters like circumference at breast height (cbh), cbh squared multiplied by height of bole and log cbh values (log-log model). Finally, the best relationship was used to derive constants using linear regression to estimate biomass using Y = a + b * X model.

Remote Sensing And Image Interpretation

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Plantation Forests and Biodiversity: Oxymoron or Opportunity?

Abstract: Losses of natural and semi-natural forests, mostly to agriculture, are a significant concern for biodiversity. Against this trend, the area of intensively managed plantation forests increases, and there is much debate about the implications for biodiversity. We provide a comprehensive review of the function of plantation forests as habitat compared with other land cover, examine the effects on biodiversity at the landscape scale, and synthesise context-specific effects of plantation forestry on biodiversity. Natural forests are usually more suitable as habitat for a wider range of native forest species than plantation forests but there is abundant evidence that plantation forests can provide valuable habitat, even for some threatened and endangered species, and may contribute to the conservation of biodiversity by various mechanisms. In landscapes where forest is the natural land cover, plantation forests may represent a low-contrast matrix, and afforestation of agricultural land can assist conservation by providing complementary forest habitat, buffering edge effects, and increasing connectivity. In contrast, conversion of natural forests and afforestation of natural non-forest land is detrimental. However, regional deforestation pressure for agricultural development may render plantation forestry a ‘lesser evil’ if forest managers protect indigenous vegetation remnants. We provide numerous context-specific examples and case studies to assist impact assessments of plantation forestry, and we offer a range of management recommendations. This paper also serves as an introduction and background paper to this special issue on the effects of plantation forests on biodiversity.

Climate-induced variations in global wildfire danger from 1979-2013

Abstract: Climate strongly influences global wildfire activity, and recent wildfire surges may signal fire weather-induced pyrogeographic shifts. Here we use three daily global climate data sets and three fire danger indices to develop a simple annual metric of fire weather season length, and map spatio-temporal trends from 1979 to 2013. We show that fire weather seasons have lengthened across 29.6 million km2 (25.3%) of the Earth's vegetated surface, resulting in an 18.7% increase in global mean fire weather season length. We also show a doubling (108.1% increase) of global burnable area affected by long fire weather seasons (>1.0 σ above the historical mean) and an increased global frequency of long fire weather seasons across 62.4 million km2 (53.4%) during the second half of the study period. If these fire weather changes are coupled with ignition sources and available fuel, they could markedly impact global ecosystems, societies, economies and climate.

Anthropogenic transformation of the terrestrial biosphere

Abstract: Human populations and their use of land have transformed most of the terrestrial biosphere into anthropogenic biomes (anthromes), causing a variety of novel ecological patterns and processes to emerge. To assess whether human populations and their use of land have directly altered the terrestrial biosphere sufficiently to indicate that the Earth system has entered a new geological epoch, spatially explicit global estimates of human populations and their use of land were analysed across the Holocene for their potential to induce irreversible novel transformation of the terrestrial biosphere. Human alteration of the terrestrial biosphere has been significant for more than 8000 years. However, only in the past century has the majority of the terrestrial biosphere been transformed into intensively used anthromes with predominantly novel anthropogenic ecological processes. At present, even were human populations to decline substantially or use of land become far more efficient, the current global extent, duration, type and intensity of human transformation of ecosystems have already irreversibly altered the terrestrial biosphere at levels sufficient to leave an unambiguous geological record differing substantially from that of the Holocene or any prior epoch. It remains to be seen whether the anthropogenic biosphere will be sustained and continue to evolve.

Methods to Estimate Above-Ground Biomass and Carbon Stock in Natural Forests - A Review

Abstract: Carbon exists as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and constitutes about 0.04% of the atmosphere. In the recent past, it has gained a lot of attention as a greenhouse gas, as it has potential to influence the climate pattern of the world. Anthropogenic activities like industrialisation, deforestation, forest degradation and burning of fossil fuel, has caused an increase in the level of carbon in the atmosphere and disrupted the global carbon cycle. However, nature has its own mechanism of sequestering and storing the carbon in its “reservoirs” or “sinks’’. Forest plays an important role in the global carbon cycle as carbon sinks of the terrestrial ecosystem. The carbon sequestered or stored on the forest trees are mostly referred to as the biomass of the tree or forest. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identified five carbon pools of the terrestrial ecosystem involving biomass, namely the aboveground biomass, below-ground biomass, litter, woody debris and soil organic matter. Among all the carbon pools, the above-ground biomass constitutes the major portion of the carbon pool. Estimating the amount of forest biomass is very crucial for monitoring and estimating the amount of carbon that is lost or emitted during deforestation, and it will also give us an idea of the forest’s potential to sequester and store carbon in the forest ecosystem. Estimations of forest carbon stocks are based upon the estimation of forest biomass. Forest’s carbon stocks are generally not measured directly; however, many authors assume the carbon concentration of tree parts to be 50% or 45% of the dry biomass. This paper, aims to review and summarise the various methods and studies that were carried out to estimate the above-ground biomass of the forest.