Ecologically Sensitive Regions in the Western Ghats, a Biodiversity Hotspot
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2023/v149i11/169382Keywords:
Biodiversity, Conservation, Cluster-Based Development, Ecological Fragility, Endemic Species, Sustainable Development.Abstract
Ecological sensitivity or fragility refers to the permanent and irreparable loss of extant life forms or significant damage to the natural processes of evolution and speciation with the alterations in the ecological integrity of a region. The comprehensive knowledge of the ecological fragility of a region is quintessential for evolving strategies for conserving the area, which entails identifying factors responsible for ecological sensitiveness, including landscape dynamics, and visualizing future transitions to mitigate the problems of haphazard and uncontrolled development approaches. Analyses of ecologically sensitive regions in the Western Ghats, one among 36 global biodiversity hotspots using temporal remote sensing data, highlight serious concerns about the status of forests and conservation measures. Ecological sensitive region (ESR) delineation considers abiotic, biotic, and socio/anthropological factors, reflecting the current status of the fragile landscape and their significance in maintaining ecosystem 2 equilibrium. ESR analyses depict 63,148 km2 area under significantly higher ecological fragility, 27,646 km2 under high ecological fragility, 48,490 km2 as moderate, and 20,716 km2 as low ecological fragility. Integrating ESRs in the sustainable development policy framework would aid in regulating unplanned developmental activities, which aid in ensuring ecological security with the continuance of the essential ecosystem services to sustain the livelihood of people.References
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