Mangrove mapping and change detection around Mumbai (Bombay) using remotely sensed data

Remote sensing technology was used to detect changes in the mangrove habitat around the Mumbai suburban region. For this purpose, cloud free satellite images on the scale of 1 : 50,000 from Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite IRS-ID and IRS-IC were used. The total area of mangroves in Mumbai suburban region has been estimated to be 56.40 km super(2) (including mud flats) with dense mangroves contributing 45.4% to the total. During 1990 to 2001, a total mangrove area of 36.54 km super(2) was lost, indicating a 39.32% decrease in the area of mangroves. It has been observed that the quantitative degradation of mangrove vegetation is largely due to burgeoning population pressure, construction and development activities, conversion to agricultural land and fish farms besides the effect of industrial effluents. Avicennia marina was found to be the most dominant mangrove species. Measures have been suggested for conservation and management of mangroves of Mumbai on a sustainable basis.