Enhancing sustainable development through Spatiotemporal analysis of Ramsar wetland sites in South Asia

Abstract

The ecological significance of wetlands makes it imperative to study changes in their inundation extent and propose necessary conservation measures. Monitoring wetland dynamics and implementing strategies to protect these essential ecosystems is crucial for maintaining the balance of natural systems. This study used pre-processed Landsat imagery (1991–2020) to generate yearly composites and produce inundation maps based on an automated Short-Wave Infrared thresholding technique within the Google Earth Engine platform. The analysis was executed on individual wetlands to describe their typical condition owing to regional climatic and geographical circumstances. The Mann-Kendall test was used to understand the trends in the change of inundation extent. The thresholding method achieved an overall accuracy of 89.0 %, with average dry and wet Producer's accuracies of 90.6 % and 86.6 %, respectively. The accuracy was higher for open water lakes compared to wetlands with complex vegetation dynamics. The trend analysis revealed that 46 sites follow an increasing trend, while the remaining 43 sites were found to be decreasing. Among these 43, 12 sites were found to be significantly decreasing, with the Upper Ganga River showing a maximum decrease of about 59 % in the inundation extent. Factors such as elevation, precipitation, temperature, and climate type were found to influence the trends in wetland inundation. Wetlands at high altitudes (>4000 m) and those receiving less than 500 mm of annual precipitation were more likely to exhibit decreasing trends. Coastal wetlands showed varying trends, with five increasing and three significantly increasing. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the relationship between sustainable development and wetland conservation, supporting the Ramsar Convention's goals and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. The individualized analysis of Ramsar sites enables the development of localized management strategies, climate change adaptation, and informed policy-making, ultimately contributing to the sustainable use of these critical ecosystems in South Asia.