Landscape Dynamics in North East Region of India (Meghalaya State) Using Spatial Decision Tree Model

Abstract

India has figured with two hotspots ‐ the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas ‐ in an identification of 8 ‘hottest’ biodiversity hotspots (Myers et. al. 2000). The Meghalaya state (study area) in North Eastern India lies within the “Indo‐Burma” area, which is one of the 8 ‘hottest’ biodiversity hotspots. Timber extraction, the age‐old practice of shifting cultivation and mining has been a major cause of extensive changes in this landscape. Human induced disturbance differs from natural disturbance especially in extension, severity and frequency. Spatial presentation of landscape dynamics can be used to infer disturbance regimes horizontally. Disturbance regimes are mostly dominated by landuse practices in Meghalaya and these landuse practices are important contributors for overall interpretation of ecological processes operating within the landscape. In this scenario, the development of models to study landscape dynamics using remote sensing and GIS would be of great importance to ecologists. In this paper, we make an attempt to characterize landscape dynamics using a decision tree based approach. The varying impacts of human interventions reflected in three zones at landscape level have been brought out in the present study. The physiographic zones of Meghalaya (viz. Garo hills, Khasi hills and Jaintia hills) manifest different landscape characteristics and present varying degree of degradation status. Garo hills, experiences maximum shifting cultivation and has shown highest dynamism in the study area followed by Jaintia and Khasi hills. Characterization of landscape dynamics is important in the perspective of decision makers and policy makers in order to prioritize conservation strategies, so that urgent and necessary action can be taken.