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Evaluation of wetland ecosystem health using geospatial technology: evidence from the lower Gangetic flood plain in India

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Abstract

The floodplain wetland habitat in the lower Gangetic plains of West Bengal played a significant role in protecting from environmental degradation like pollution, lowering groundwater table, natural hazards, and others as well as supports for human wellbeing. Thus, it is needed to investigate the health status of wetlands and suggest restoration strategies to protect the livelihood patterns dependent on wetlands. This paper presents the health of the wetland ecosystem by comprising the wetland ecosystem health index (WHI) in 2011 and 2018 at the block level of Malda district, as a part of the lower Gangetic flood plain using the pressure–state–response model (PSR model) and AHP method. A total number of six Landsat satellite images and statistical census data were used to determine the wetland health. Wetlands are classified as very healthy (2.81–3.33), healthy (2.41–2.80), sub-healthy (2.01–2.40), unhealthy (1.61–2.00), and sick (0–1.60) category on the basis of the wetland ecosystem health index score. The results of this study showed that the wetlands located surrounding English Bazar, Manikchak, Ratua-II, and Kaliachak-II blocks have a sub-healthy to very healthy condition in 2011 but changed to unhealthy to sick category in 2018 due to the increase of rapid urbanization, population density, and development activities. These areas have belonged to the sub-healthy to sick category in the year 2011 as well as 2018 due to high wetland pressure. Our observation reveals that the ecosystem service value provided by wetlands decreased by 62.51% and 20.46 in the observed period. Management of WEH should emphasize on large (>100 ha) and medium (51–100 ha) sizes of wetlands in the Diara region of West Bengal. Developing local-level institutions and setting restoration goals are useful strategies to manage wetland resources, and protecting biodiversity should be guided by the Government organization and NGOs.

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Data availability

The datasets used and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors show their kind acknowledgment to the Dept. of Geography and Microbiology, Raja N. L. Khan Women’s College (Autonomous), and Department of Geology & Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, West Bengal, India, for their laboratory facilities and kind encouragement.

Funding

This research was supported by the Department of Geography, Raja N. L. Khan Women’s College (Autonomous), affiliated to Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, India. The author (P. K. Shit) gratefully acknowledges West Bengal DSTBT for financial support through R&D Research Project Memo no. 104(Sanc.)/ST/P/S&T/ 10G-5/2018.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Narajole Raj College, Midnapore, West Bengal, India

    Subhasis Das

  2. PG Department of Geography, Raja N. L. Khan Women’s College (Autonomous), Gope Palace, Midnapore, West Bengal, 721102, India

    Subhasis Das &  Pravat Kumar Shit

  3. Department of Geography, Seacom Skill University, Bolpur, West Bengal, India

    Gouri Sankar Bhunia

  4. Department of Geography, Sidho Kanho Birsha University, Purulia, India

    Biswajit Bera

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  1. Subhasis Das
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  2. Gouri Sankar Bhunia
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  4. Pravat Kumar Shit
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Contributions

P.K.Shit—conceptualized and planned the study and reviewed and edited the manuscript. S. Das—conducted the survey, analyzed the data, prepared the maps, and interpreted the results. G.S.Bhuni—reviewed and edited the manuscript. B.Bera—supervised the study and reviewed and edited the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Pravat Kumar Shit.

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Highlights

• The rate of wetland loss is 3.64% per year in the period of 2001 to 2018, which is nearly seven times of the global rate.

• Population growth and expansion of urban settlement are the main pressure factor of the degradation of wetland health which is increased by 21.22% and 124.81% from 2001 to 2011.

• The results of this study showed that WEH was decreased from 2011 to 2018. The wetlands residing in English Bazar, Manikchak, Ratua-II, and Kaliachak-II blocks have sub-healthy to very healthy condition in 2011 but changed to unhealthy to sick category in 2018 due to the increase of wetland pressure.

• Our observation ravels that ecosystem service value provided by wetlands decreased by 62.51% and 20.46 in between 2001–2018 and 2011–2018, respectively.

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Das, ., Bhunia, G.S., Bera, B. et al. Evaluation of wetland ecosystem health using geospatial technology: evidence from the lower Gangetic flood plain in India. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 1858–1874 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15674-9

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