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ABSTRACT
The coastal zone of Sagar Island, India, is subjected to various cyclic and random processes that continuously modify the region. The shoreline and land-use/land cover changes have been studied using Indian Remote Sensing Satellite 1C (IRS IC) linear imaging self-scan sensor (LISS) III satellite data from 1998 and 1999. A comparison between a topomap of 1967 and satellite data of 1999 established that during these years about 29.8 km of coastline was eroded, whereas the accretion is only 6.03 km^sup 2^. A comparison of satellite data from 1998 and 1999 showed that the island had undergone severe erosion of about 3.26 km^sup 2^, while the accretion was just about 0.08 km^sup 2^. Change detection studies based on land-use patterns of the region revealed that the areal extent of mangrove vegetation of the island during 1998 and 1999 was 2.1 km^sup 2^ and 1.3 km^sup 2^, respectively. The areal extent of agricultural fields during these periods was 130.4 km^sup 2^ and 118.6 km^sup 2^, respectively. These results can be used to develop an index for temporal land-use changes in the region as an aid to quantify the extent and nature of the development change and to understand the surrounding environment, which in turn may help the planning agencies to develop sound and sustainable land-use practices.
ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS: Land-use pattern, mangroves, satellite data, Sagar Island, India.
INTRODUCTION
The vast Indian coastline, about 7500 km, supports a large number of island ecosystems, which are unique and scientifically interesting. These zones also have immense biological diversity and are often rich in living resources. By virtue of their location, their high productivity, and the services they offer, island ecosystems are often subjected to severe ecological pressures. Environmental issues of these zones are highly complex, and resource use and management systems often confront multiple conflicts. As the hinterland becomes crowded and resources get used up and exploited, greater attention is often being paid to the development of these zones. The complex interactions between natural and man-made processes of island ecosystems thus must be well understood so that adverse effects on natural environment and ecology can be avoided or minimized. Because of the complexity and their variations from sector to sector, a great deal of site-specific research is...