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Railroad impacts on wetland habitat: GIS and modeling approach

Author

Listed:
  • Subhro Mitra

    (University of North Texas at Dallas)

  • Achintya N. Bezbaruah

    (North Dakota State University)

Abstract

Deepor Beel is one of the most important wetlands in the Brahmaputra Valley of lower Assam in India and is representative of the wetlands found within the Burma Monsoon Forest biogeography region. Deepor Beel is a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention and is contiguous with Rani and Garbhanga reserved forests. These forests house endangered Asiatic elephants (Elephas maximus) in addition to other birds and animals. The elephants depend on the wetland for water and food. Indian Railways constructed Assam state’s southern railroad through the wetland in 2001. The railroad has fragmented the wetland into at least two subsystems and has segregated the wetland-forest ecosystem. Accelerated degradation of elephant habitat has been observed in the wetland since the railroad was constructed. Further, a number of elephants have died because of collisions with rail traffic. This study quantifies the impacts of the present railroad on the Deepor Beel ecosystem with special reference to Asiatic elephants. Geographic information systems (GIS) and mathematical models are used in impact quantification. The tools developed in this study can be used in analyses of similar ecosystems around the world.

Suggested Citation

  • Subhro Mitra & Achintya N. Bezbaruah, 2014. "Railroad impacts on wetland habitat: GIS and modeling approach," The Journal of Transport and Land Use, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, vol. 7(1), pages 15-28.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:jtralu:0118
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Luke Brander & Raymond Florax & Jan Vermaat, 2006. "The Empirics of Wetland Valuation: A Comprehensive Summary and a Meta-Analysis of the Literature," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 33(2), pages 223-250, February.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    wetland; habitat degradation; Railroad impacts;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General

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