Partha Sarathi Roy
Hyderabad Central University
Date: Monday, March 1st, 2013
Time: 3 PM
Venue: CS101.
Biodiversity characterisation at landscape level is first effort to characterize the biological rich regions in India using the vegetation types and other landscape edaphic, climatic and topographic attributes along with the field based phyto-sociological databases. The vegetation type map prepared for the country is first of its kind. A total of 150 vegetation and land use classes were delineated and mapped using dry and wet season satellite imagery and on-screen visual interpretation technique. This database is a baseline database on vegetation types, fragmentation, disturbance status and biological richness of Indian landscape, which is the key to biodiversity conservation planning and developing future management strategies for conservation efforts and climate change studies. Using the spatially linked species database across the country in association with spatial ecological data, risk species and habitats under potential species loss risk can be identified using statistical modeling. The wider dissemination and an open software environment for further value additions by integration of other available datasets with knowledge institutions has been achieved by development of web GIS-based central and distributed information services (www.bisindia.org). In the coming decades this information archived and disseminated along with its associated knowledge base will help in conservation and sustainable use of the biological resources for the benefit of mankind (www.ibin.co.in).
Partha Sarathi Roy is the former Director of the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) of ISRO. He had spent more than 35 years with ISRO/DOS of which more than 18 years were in NRSC at various positions. His specialization in the field of Earth Observation Science. Currently, he is the Geospatial Chair Professor at Center for Earth and Space Science of Hyderabad Central University, and has been leading a national initiative of ISRO and DBT on Biodiversity Information System. He has received multiple awards and honors and has been a Fellow of National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Indian Society of Remote Sensing, and Indian Geophysical Union.