Tree cover percent investigation with respect to geographical area, vegetation types, agro ecological regions and in agriculture landscape of India: a geospatial approach

Abstract

This study has utilized the remote sensing and GIS datasets such as tree cover, harmonized land cover, agriculture mask and ancillary source of India for better comprehension of tree cover percent distribution in geographical territory/vegetation classes/agro-ecological zones/agriculture landscapes. The study revealed in the year 2000 the forest area in India was 15.4% of the total geographical area. Furthermore, the total agriculture area in India (including single/double/continuous/rainfed area) for the year 2000 was found 63% of the total geographical area and approximately 10% of the agriculture land retains at least 10% of tree cover which is roughly one-fourth of the total global average. The mean tree cover distribution in various vegetation types was found highest (76.4%) in the category of “Tropical and sub-tropical mountain forests, broadleaved, evergreen > 1000 m”. The vegetation category “Tropical mixed deciduous and dry deciduous forests” occupied high area percent (14.4%) and showed significantly low mean tree cover percent (15.1%). The tree cover percent analysis in various agro-ecological zones of India showed high mean tree cover in those zones where the rainfall is significantly high and soil fertility is adequate such as the categories “North Eastern Hills” (62.5%), “Eastern Himalayas” (60.0%) and “Western Ghats and Coastal Plain” (30.70%).