Satellite Data Based Natural Resources Mapping of Banni Grassland, Kachchh District, Gujarat, India.

Natural resources provide a range of interrelated environmental functions and socioeconomic benefits, which support a variety of livelihood strategies for different stakeholders of the local community. Banni Grasslands Reserve form a belt of arid grassland ecosystem, located in northern part of Kachchh district. This area is known for rich wildlife and biodiversity and is spread across an area of 2,617 square kilometers. Different types of flora and fauna species present in this region. It’s a very important to observe & monitoring this region applying advanced technology such as Geographical Information Science with various remotely sensed data. With respect to Banni region, soils are moderate to strongly saline and are subject to flooding/inundation. Due to this inundation factor there is variation of vegetation also. The invasion species as Prosopis juliflora has taken a significant role for damaging the ecosystem through deceasing the grass areas. This region is totally dependent on livestock farming. This region has the Pastoralist community and they are locally called Maldhari who has camels, sheep, goats, cattle, and buffaloes. Besides these natural resources; long coast line is also contributing major portions in district economies. The natural resource map has been prepared with the advance Remote sensing technology for the Pastoral community to find out suitable vegetation for their grazing animals. Increasing of grazing pressure is also a major problem to this region. So, using of space technology in this region will be a great achievement for the development of pastoral community as well as its ecosystem conservation plan also.

Introduction:

We all are aware that there is no place on our earth where any habitat in case of flora or fauna grows without a proper environment. The Rann is flat, largely composed of salt and mud. The increase in grazing pressure implies a reduction in the production of palatable species and increase the proportion of unpalatable as well as woody species. Livestock is the main stay of the livelihood. In addition, the socio-economic survey carried-out by Joshi et al., (2009) showed that the Banni communities are highly dependent on the natural grassland for various purposes. Livestock based income is the mainstay in Banni which was estimated as Rs. 7700/cattle/year and Rs. 13,400/buffalo/year. Local Perceptions of grassland change and priorities for conservation of natural resources in Banni, Gujarat, India shows the dynamic change of biodiversity.

The threatening species due to influencing several factors mentioned by Joshi, P.N et al 2009. The Banni has an area of 2,617 km2 and has 48 villages, which are regulating by 19 panchayats (local governor’s body) under the state administration. The Banni was derived from a Kachchhi word “Bani” which means “Banni hui” in Gujarat (made up); signifying that the land has been formed by detritus. Banni grassland once referred as Asia’s finest Grassland, accounted for approximately 45 per cent state of the permanent pasture and 10 percent grazing ground available in the state. Total grazing animals are 18,68,290 and they are directly dependent on natural vegetation. Natural resources provide a range of interrelated environmental functions and socioeconomic benefits, which support a variety of livelihood strategies for different stakeholders of the local community. In addition, the socio-economic survey carried-out by Joshi et al., (2009) showed that the Banni communities are highly dependent on the natural grassland for various purposes. In particular, nine woody species were useful for construction of traditional house called Bhunga, for medicine and 22 for livestock fodder. Today Prosopis juliflora (here after Prosopis) has become a wide spread species in many parts of Kachchh district especially in the Banni area. Further, Prosopis spread may not be severe when whole Kachchh is considered, but the rate of increase of spread in Banni area was very high. The climate of Banni is arid therefore, the temperature is high during most of the time and it reaches a maximum of 48-49oC during May-June (the hottest months). The winter temperature goes down to 1oC with January and February being the coldest months. The total annual rainfall, occurring through south-west monsoon between June and September, is very low with an average of 317 mm per year. The increase in grazing pressure implies a reduction in the production of palatable species and increase the proportion of unpalatable as well as woody species.

Local Perceptions of grassland change and priorities for conservation of natural resources in Banni show the dynamic change of biodiversity. The grass species of Banni classified into 6 broad categories to find out the vegetation distribution on the pastoral community’s grazing way.

Methodology

This study has followed the several methods to fulfill the objectives. Some major steps has been taken for preparation of the vegetation map of Banni region. These are as follows

1. Satellite imagery LISS -III Resources Sat-2 data down loaded from the Bhuvan website, NRSC (National Remote Sensing Centre), Department of Space, Govt. of India with the help of Sahjeevan organization.
2. After raw data downloaded from NRSC few more steps applied for the preparation of False color Composite (FCC) image (Band : R=3, G=2, B=1) from the satellite data of the Banni region with the help of ARC GIS 10.4 and. Through the ENVI 5.1 software these steps has done i.e. Georectification, Layer stacking, Mosaicking and finally extracted the complete FCC image by Banni region boundary. Used Data Details Satellite Data Details:
   A) For this Study area Resource Sat-2 satellite data has been used. Data details are given bellow in the table no (2-1). This satellite has LISS-III sensor with 23.5 mts. Spatial Resolution, Spectral resolution 4 band (B2: 0.52-0.59, (green), B3: 0.62-0.68 (red) B4: 0.77-0.86, (NIR) B5: 1.55-1.70 (SWIR). swath is 141 km. For temporal variation in the region Google Earth satellite data has been taken to visualize the different objects of Banni grass land.|
   B) Ancillary Data or Secondary data: Ancillary data are collected from Census of India (1997, 2011) and ‘Sahjeevan’ (NGO) organization, K-link (NGO) organization.
3. Now the most important step is signature identification of the FCC satellite image, signature identification will depend on the image interpreter’s knowledge and his / her software expertness. So, the signature identification has been done with the proper vegetation classification of the entire Banni area based on the field verification knowledge and with the enormous research experience of mentor Pankaj N. Joshi.
4. After signature identification supervised classification process executes the signature values and generated the FCC satellite image (.img format) of Banni region.
5. For cross checking the image processing result with the ground truth reliability, calculating the accuracy of the classified image is necessary.
6. So the classified image was taken and field survey was carried out with hand held GPS receiver along with other ‘Sahjeevan’ team member.
7. Completion of the field verification in some area was recoded and again executed the classified process. Finally we got better accuracy of the classified image and final layout was prepared through the Arc GIS 10.4 software as Natural vegetation map of Banni region.

Result and Discussion

Variation in Biodiversity has taken a major role in this region. The ecological barriers on the west are the river estuaries and marshy lands. Vegetation in the marshy land and immediate inland is at the verge of collapsing. The north of the middle ridge, a large spread of Banni land, is traditionally devoid of agriculture. In every aspect of their day to day life these animals are involved. Strong emphasis is made here for agro biodiversity and cultivated agriculture development in Kachchh. Banni region has a large amount of dense Prosopis juliflora an invasive species distribution in villages such as Mota luna, Luna, southern Hodko, Northern Sargu, eastern Moti Dhadhar, northern Misariyado, southern Sarado, eastern Shervo, northern Raiyada and some western Banni part also. This will be a major threat to future floral diversity of the region.

In the present scenario there is significant amount of soil erosion both by wind and water was observed. The available land needs to be saved from salinity and desertification. As tall trees with high canopy except Neem, Banyan and Peepal in small scattered standings, there is no wind shield of natural source. The shrubs and scrubs apart from the Prosopis juliflora are not in strength to protect erosions. The sweeping high wind velocity and high temperature increases evaporation both from soil and all living flora and fauna. Saving land and maintaining it for better agricultural use in a planned way for eco-system development retaining agro-biodiversity is an immediate need. Irresponsible or thought less use of technological applications needs to be given-up. Remedial measures should be taken on invasive prosopis juliflora and the charcoal makers. Some peoples of Banni depend on charcoal making process for their economical growth. This process helps to decrease the rate of invasive species i.e. Ganda Babool (prosopis juliflora). In central Banni region as Mithdi, Bhagadio, western Luna, central Bhirindiyara, Mono Sarado, Nano Sarado has the combination of Open prosopis, Grass and other vegetation as salvadora, Tamerix etc. These are available due to the physiographic landscape. Western Banni has dense acacia nilotica in Hajipir range and in Sarado, Mithadi, Hodka1, Central Bhiridiyara, Misariyado, Berdo Kharod area has sparse distribution of open prosopis juliflora. Southern Banni the little Rann (LRK) means Charidhandh area has the different types of saline grass species as the Aluerops with the open prosopis juliflora. This combination as Aluerops with the open prosopis juliflora is rich in percentage around the Banni region. Another combination is Sueda, Kal and Open Prosopis juliflora seen in the high to moderate saline area where the soil is also saline. Udai , Lakhabo, Rann of Banni, Bhitara, Gorewali, eastern Dhadhar and northern sargu has such kind of vegetation combination.

Kal grasses spread over this region, eastern Banni grass land. In this grass land, there are several grass species such as Cenchrus ciliaris (Dhaman), Sporobolus marginatus (Dhrabad), Dichanthium annulatum (Jinjvo), Dactyloctenium sindicum (Madhanu), Desmostachya bipinnata (Dhrab), Sporobolus fertilis (Khevai), and Chloris barbata (Siyarpuchha); and sparsely distributed colonies of Cynodon dactylon (Chhabar), Eleusine compressa (Nanu Mandhanu); besides sedge like, Cyperus rotundus (Chiyo), Scirpus affinis (Kal), Cyperus alopecuroides (Kaluro), Eleocharis sp. (Nano Chiyo), Fimbristylis miliacea and coarse and pioneer. Colonising grasses like Aeluropus lagopoides (Khariyu) and Cressa cretica (Oin) occur extensively. Under shrub like Suaeda maritimum (Lano), Suaeda fruticosa (Unt morar), Suaeda nudiflora (Lano), and Tamarix aphylla (Lai), these are specially seen in water logging areas. Banni region has rich biodiversity and the remarkable fauna distribution comparison with the other Asiatic grass land. Banni Wildlife habitat fully depended in this grass land.

We have to monitor through the proper conservation plan as establishment of drinking water site for the animal and also for the Banni pastoral communities. Scarcity of water generates a big problem to any community’s development. The tragic phenomenon of this region is that there are many water bodies, but they are changed into saline water body after the changing season due to climatic variation in this region. For the Banni pastoral community, water problem is the most important chronicle to them. For their development and growth and also maintain their animal’s growth status is also a big challenge for them due to scarcity of water. So, in the following map we have shown the fresh water bodies over the Banni region with GPS survey. We have collected the secondary data that include- the ownership of these water bodies and their location.

Conclusion

Banni region has one of the most important cluster as Charidhandh which is the maximum overloaded for grazing in two seasons (summer & winter). From this study we observed that the Charidhandh cluster has the maximum grazing pressure in overall three seasons because other cluster’s camel pastoralist like Jangi, Jadva, Pachchham (in summer & winter) comes for grazing in Charidhandh area. This cluster is for the kachhi camel pastoralist. This region is not suitable for monsoon season except some agricultural places due to the water logging for low slopes of land. Banni has other pastoral community other than camel, they are goat, ship etc. but in this study we have focused on camel pastoralis because most of the peoples of Banni region chose their profession as camel pastoralist. That will be better to take any remedial measure for the biodiversity and community development. We can generate a layer with specific suitable wildlife habitat area or zone for the development of ecological Biodiversity through this technology in future.