Emissions from vegetation burning in Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR), south India: a study using temporal IRS‐P6 AWiFS satellite data

Abstract

Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) is a sensitive area for wildlife, including Indian tiger and Asiatic elephant, in Kerala, southern India. Recently, forest fires in the PTR have threatened both the native vegetation as well as wildlife. In this study, we used temporal satellite remote sensing datasets corresponding to IRS‐P6 AWiFS with 56 m resolution to identify the burnt areas and thereby estimate greenhouse gas emissions resulting from biomass burning. Results from satellite derived area estimates suggested nearly 2803 ha as burnt during the dry season (February–April), of which evergreen vegetation accounted for 12.29%, mixed deciduous forests about 40.39% and grasslands 47.3%. Variations in biomass burning events were related to both climatic and anthropogenic factors. Of the different vegetation types, grasslands accounted for the highest amount of CO₂ emissions compared to others. Nearly 0.0126Tg of CO₂ has been released during the four‐month period from vegetation burning. Further, vegetation burning in the PTR region accounted for release of 0.00050Tg of CO, 1.81E‐05 Tg of CH₄, 2.67E‐05 NOx, 3.03 E‐05 Tg NOx, 1.64E‐06Tg of N₂O. Primary causes of vegetation fires in the tiger reserve have been analysed and quantitative estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from biomass burning have been provided. There is a need to provide alternative energy sources for the local people in order to ease the pressure on PTR forest resources. The results will be useful for forest managers and policy‐makers to undertake some mitigation options relating to fire management and greenhouse gas emissions in the sensitive zones of the study area.

Keywords:

• Biomass burning
• Greenhouse gases
• Satellite data
• Burnt area

Acknowledgements

We sincerely acknowledge the help received from forest officials of Periyar Tiger Reserve, during the ground truth surveys and validation exercise of remote sensing imagery. Special appreciation is extended to Dr A.Veeramani, Ecologist, Periyar Foundation, for providing useful literature on species composition and ecology of grasslands in PTR. We would also like to thank other scientists from forestry and ecology division, National Remote Sensing Agency (Department of Space, Government of India), for initial discussions and helpful comments on vegetation mapping in the study region. We thank the Director, NRSA and the Deputy Director (RS&GISAA), NRSA for providing the facilities.