Analysing the fragile islandscape of Ritchie's Archipelago: understanding land use changes, biodiversity loss, and tourism impacts on both the ecosystem and islanders
摘要
This study aims to assess the spatio-temporal changes in land use and land cover within the Ritchie Archipelago islandscape by utilizing multi-date Landsat satellite imagery spanning 1993, 2003, 2014, and 2023. The thematic maps were generated using a visual interpretation approach, categorizing the landscape into four main classes: forest, mangrove, creeks, and settlements with agriculture. The study shown a significant decrease in forest cover, diminishing from 209.11 km2 in 1993 to 202.52 km2 in 2023, with a total reduction of 6.98 km2. Notably, a pronounced shift in forest dynamics occurred between 2014 (205.59 km2) and 2023 (202.13 km2). This transformation predominantly results from human activities, encompassing forest exploitation and land conversion for agriculture and settlements, motivated by economic considerations. This is compounded by a consistent rise in settlement with agriculture areas, increasing from 20.04 km2 in 1993 to 24.63 km2 in 2023. Concurrently, creeks remained relatively stable. Mangroves displayed growth, expanding by 2 km2 from 23.48 km2 in 1993 to 25.48 km2 in 2023. This increase is attributed to natural regeneration and the Andaman and Nicobar Forest department's conservation efforts. The study discussed in detail impact of anthropogenic and natural drivers on the region's biodiversity, with a primary emphasis on the ramifications of tourism development on islandcape natural resources and on islanders of Havelock and Neil Island.