Mapping mangroves using LISS-IV and Hyperion data in part of the Indian Sundarban

Mangroves in different part of the globe including world's largest halophytic population in Sundarban are under tremendous pressure due to global warming, sea level rise, natural disasters and ever-increasing influence of human population. In such an alarming situation conservation of mangrove population has been recommended by the experts. Species-level mapping of mangroves is one of the important steps for sustainable conservation of mangrove ecosystem. This study demonstrates the efficiency of a combination of Hyperion hyperspectral and IRS Resourcesat-2 LISS-IV multispectral data for discriminating and mapping some mangrove species at Lothian Island and Saptamukhi Reserve Forest located in the western part of Sundarban Biosphere Reserve of India. The spectral signature drawn on Hyperion data helped to extrapolate field samples of various pure pixels of the mangrove plant species using a region growing approach. Those training samples were used to apply Object-based Image Analysis (OBIA) classification on 5 m spatial resolution LISS-IV data. Mostly dominant mangrove species like Aegialitis rotundifolia, Aegiceras corniculatum, Avicennia community, Ceriops community, Excoecaria agallocha, Lumnitzera racemosa and Phoenix paludosa have been successfully classified along with other associated landuse/landcover in these islands. The methodology used in the study has a huge potential in identification, mapping and management through restoration of mangroves in difficult terrain like the Sundarban.