Evaluating Biodiversity and Spatial Simulation of Land-Cover Change in the Tropical Region of Western Ghats, India

Abstract

The present study proposes an approach for monitoring the conservation of phytodiversity using remote sensing and GIS in the Kalakad–Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu (India), an ecological hotspot. The focus is on identifying the remnant patches of intact evergreen forest using multi-temporal satellite data for delineation of vegetation types and their likelihood of sustenance in the coming decades, studying the compositional changes in vegetation in these patches through the conjunctive use of satellite data and phytosociology, analysing the processes regulating the changes, and identifying the conservation areas and monitoring parameters in one of the ecologically sensitive biodiversity hotspots.