REMOTE SENSING AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYTEM FOR CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF 
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 
L.R.A.Narayan, Distingushed Fellow, MSSRF, Madras, India 
Commission IV, Working Group 1 
KEY WORDS: Biodiversity, Coast, Mangrove, Monitoring 
ABSTRACT: 
The Biological diversity is characterised by exploring three different levels of biological perception such as ecological 
diverstiy, species diversity and genetic diversity. In coastal zone the diversity is mainly concerned with specialised 
ecosystems such as mangroves, coral reefs and sea grass beds. This paper highlights the application of remote 
sensing and geographic Information System in finding the coastal wetland changes in Pichavaram mangrove forest of 
Tamil Nadu, India which has been carried out in Centre for Research and Sustainable Agricultural and Rural 
Development of M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation. Which reveals that there occured considerable change in the 
coast line bordering the mangroves as well as topography of the wetland itself and reduction in mangrove forest area. 
This study provided vital information for developing and implementing restoration strategies. And similar study is 
being carried out for Bhitarkanika National Park, Orissa, Inida. Different parameters such as physical setting, ecological 
resources, social environmentand human impact are to be studied and data are to be collected and stored in spatial 
and non-spatial format in Geographic Information System to develop an approach for conservation, restoration, 
  
evoluation, classification and utilisation of the natural resources of this coastal ecosystem. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Biodiversity is more at risk now than at any time in 
human history. The continuing rapid rate of habitat loss 
and degradation, have led to unprecedented threats to 
the biodiversity on which the current and future 
livelihoods of local communities and national economies 
ultimately depend. 
The value of biodiversity lies in its contribution to the 
ecological systems which maintain life and human 
economic activity; in the utilisation of components of this 
diversity by humankind for food, medicines and raw 
materials and in its cultural, spiritual and aesthetic 
significance for human societies. The destruction of 
habitats rich in biodiversity also disrupts hydrological 
cycles and leads to such human hardship. 
India has a variety of geological and biogeographical 
zones viz., Trans-Himalayan, Himalayan, Indian desert, 
Semi arid, Western Ghats, Deccan peninsula, Gangetic 
plains, Northern India, Islands and coasts. 
Throughout the Indian coasts, mangrove wetlands, a 
major natural resource for the ecological and livelihood 
security of the coastal communities, have seen severely 
degraded. Similarly in the inland areas including hilly 
terrain, soil is being degraded by cultivating high yielding 
crop varieties which require high inorganic fertilisers. In 
the biologically rich areas such as tropical rain and moist 
forests, genetic resources are being depleted at a fast 
rate due to human induced stresses such as 
deforestation and their developmental activities. 
And the Geographic Information System is also used for 
the analysis for identifying and suggesting management 
practices in block level for a district as a pilot work. 
To tackle these problems and provide necessary input to 
the Government agencies for better management M.S. 
Swaminathan Research Foundation has conducting a 
variety of research and demonstration projects. In most 
of these projects remotely sensed data are being used 
for planning, implementation and monitoring activities. 
A case study related to the conservation and 
management of mangrove wetlands of Pichavaram in 
which remotely sensed data were effectively utilised is 
given below. 
2. ROLE OF REMOTELY SENSED DATA IN THE 
CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF 
PICHAVARAM MANGROVES - A CASE STUDY 
Pichavaram mangrove wetland (Latitude 11 27'N and 
Longitude 79 47' E) is located at the northern end of the 
Cauvery delta, in the state of Tamil Nadu, in the south 
east coast of India. Compared to to other mangroves of 
India, Pichavaram mangroves are rich in species and 
diversity, especially of true mangrove plant species. A 
total number of 14 exclusive mangrove species are 
recorded in the mangrove wetlands, out of which 
conservation of 3 species namely, Rhizopora apiculata, 
Rhizopora mucronata and Rhizopora lamarckii require 
urgent attention. These species, though once present in 
other mangroves of India, now have become locally 
extinct in the localities like Muthupet mangroves or have 
become endangered in other mangroves of India such as 
Sunderban, Godavari, and Krishna mangroves. Realising 
these facts, Government agencies have been taking a 
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International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B4. Vienna 1996 
  
  
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