Research Projects

Forested wetland ecosystems, especially in the tropics, are critical for biodiversity and carbon storage, yet are continuously threatened by anthropogenic pressures such as deforestation, urban encroachment, mining, and agriculture. The delicate balance between ecological integrity and development plans is thus put under more and more strain, which frequently results in inconsistent conservation efforts and exclusion of wetlands from larger land-use planning. Previous studies have focused on either conservation or planning or socioeconomic benefits separately, but none of the studies have followed a holistic approach required by policymakers. In order to address the degradation of the forested wetland ecosystem, current research efforts need an immediate and multidisciplinary initiative. The study proposed aims to provide an integrated decision-support system that combines ecological field data, machine learning algorithms, stakeholder-informed spatial analytics, and multi-source remote sensing. It will involve contemporary advanced satellite-based monitoring along with leveraging high-resolution datasets from platforms like Landsat, Sentinel, and MODIS, as well as radar systems to account for ecological disturbances, quantifying carbon stocks. It includes species parameters like species habitats through the Species Distribution Model for the keystone species of the study area over time. Fire severity, vegetation dynamics, degradation, and soil moisture conditions will also be a part of this through advanced modeling and temporal analysis techniques, refined with extensive field-based validation. All these layers will provide past and present data of forest productivity, forest carbon sequestration potential, ecosystem health, and species dynamics. Additionally, socioeconomic and anthropogenic data layers such as infrastructure networks, population density, and land use patterns will be mapped and clubbed alongside ecological variables to clarify actionable trade-offs. Using machine learning and spatial optimisation approaches like MaxEnt and linear weighted overlay framework generates spatially explicit zones for conservation, restoration, and cautious development. An adaptive web-based dashboard will be created to encourage participatory landscape planning as the result of these efforts. The platform will act as a link between intricate ecological models and real-world decision-making by facilitating scenario-based outcomes in real-time. It provides a replicable model for striking a balance between ecological and economic agendas in a high-stakes environment, supporting India's larger climate and biodiversity commitments under SDG 13 and SDG 15. The suggested system has the potential to change wetland conservation from a reactive to a strategic endeavor by operationalizing ecological complexity through high-resolution mapping and stakeholder engagement, guaranteeing sustainability and resilience in some of India's most delicate ecosystems.