Forest Cover Changes in Marat Longri Patradisa Longnit Forest Complex of Karbi Anglong District, North East India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26565/2410-7360-2026-64-30Keywords:
Forest cover change, Remote sensing, GIS, Hoolock Gibbon, Habitat fragmentation, Karbi Anglong, Northeast India, Land use and land cover (LULC), Biodiversity conservationAbstract
Purpose. This study analyzes the spatio-temporal dynamics of forest cover in the Marat Longri–Patradisa–Longnit Forest Complex (MLPL), Karbi Anglong district, Assam, over the period 1994–2024. The forest complex is an ecologically significant landscape in Northeast India, supporting rich biodiversity and serving as a critical habitat for several threatened species. The objectives were to quantify changes in major forest types, examine land use and land cover (LULC) transitions, assess anthropogenic drivers of forest degradation, and evaluate their implications for biodiversity conservation, particularly for the Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock).
Methodology. Multi-temporal satellite imagery, including Landsat 4–5 TM (1994 and 2004) and BHUVAN LISS IV (2014 and 2024), was used for the analysis. All images were radiometrically and geometrically corrected to ensure temporal consistency. The study area was classified into seven LULC categories: Semi-Evergreen Forest, Moist Mixed Deciduous Forest, Scrub Forest, Degraded Forest, Agricultural Land/Shifting Cultivation, Built-up Areas, and Water Bodies. Pixel-based supervised classification and post-classification change detection were performed using ArcGIS 10.3. Classification accuracy was evaluated using Producer Accuracy, User Accuracy, Overall Accuracy, and Kappa statistics.
Results. The results indicate a significant decline in Semi-Evergreen Forest and Moist Mixed Deciduous Forest, accompanied by notable increases in Degraded Forest, Scrub Forest, Agricultural Land/Shifting Cultivation, and Built-up Areas. These changes reflect increasing anthropogenic pressures, including shifting cultivation, illegal and selective logging, agricultural expansion, infrastructure development, and settlement growth. The classified maps achieved high accuracy, with average User Accuracy ranging from 90.64% to 96.53% and Kappa values between 0.81 and 0.93, confirming the reliability of the classification. The observed forest changes have intensified habitat fragmentation, reduced canopy connectivity, and degraded habitat quality for forest-dependent wildlife.
Scientific novelty and practical significance. This study presents a comprehensive long-term assessment of forest cover dynamics in the MLPL Forest Complex and demonstrates the ecological consequences of landscape transformation. By linking forest cover change with biodiversity conservation, particularly the conservation of the Western Hoolock Gibbon, the findings provide a scientific basis for sustainable forest management, restoration of degraded forests, regulation of shifting cultivation, and strengthened community-based conservation initiatives to enhance ecological resilience in Northeast India.
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