Geomorphic settings of mangrove ecosystem in South Andaman Island: A geospatial approach

YUVARAJ, E; DHARANIRAJAN, K; Jayakumar, S.; Living Smile Vidya,

Geomorphic settings of mangrove ecosystem in South Andaman Island: A geospatial approach

2014

YUVARAJ, E | DHARANIRAJAN, K | Jayakumar, S. | Living Smile Vidya,

Mangroves are habitats in the coasts of tropics and subtropics, hence the geomorphology of the coast prevails in both the ocean and the land processes. To study the geomorphic setting of mangroves, it is necessary to explore both the topography of the land and the bathymetry of the sea. In this study, the geomorphic setting of mangroves in the South Andaman Island has been studied in detail using remote sensing and GIS technology. The ortho-rectified IRS satellite image was used to identify and to map the mangroves and the associated features using the visual interpretation technique. Using the GIS technique, topographic and bathymetric DEMs (Digital Elevation Models) were created to understand the geomorphology and its influence on the mangrove ecosystem. This DEM was interpreted with mangrove distribution and its associated features to create the DTM (Digital Terrain Model) of the mangrove ecosystem. Topography and bathymetry of the coast result in three dominant features like rivers, tides and waves, which play a role in shaping the geomorphic settings of mangroves, which are classified into five major types. In this study, it is identified that all the five categories of major geomorphic settings of the mangrove community exist in the south Andaman. In the field surveys, ground truth of topographic elevation, mangrove species, and associated coastal land cover features were identified and confirmed in these geomorphic settings. It is concluded that topography and bathymetry settings of the island play an indispensable role in this fragile mangrove ecosystem.

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