Geospatial Technologies in Coastal Ecologies Monitoring and Management

This book contributes to the advancement of scientific knowledge by demonstrating how geospatial technologies can support more effective coastal planning and management. These technologies, such as remote sensing, GIS, and GNSS, play a vital role in monitoring coastal ecosystems and offer powerful tools for data collection, analysis, visualization, and decision-making. They enhance the understanding of coastal needs and enable more informed and sustainable management strategies.

Intended for scientists, professionals, researchers, planners, students, and the general public, the book promotes a deeper understanding of how geospatial tools address contemporary coastal challenges. It also emphasizes inclusive decision-making and supports the development of strategies for sustainable socio-ecological coastal systems.

The book is structured into six parts. Part One introduces the fundamentals of remote sensing, including sensor networks, satellite systems, aerial imaging, photogrammetry, and air photo interpretation. Part Two covers key GIS concepts, data analysis, database management, digital image processing, and participatory GIS. Part Three explores GNSS and GPS techniques. Part Four discusses the application of geospatial tools in coastal ecological monitoring and management. Part Five presents real-world case studies and field narratives that explore a range of topics, including climatic trend analysis, shoreline dynamics modelling, mangrove canopy health, coastal land use and land cover changes, land surface temperature variations, ecological transformations, mangrove-human conflicts, climate adaptation strategies, the management of climate gaps, spatial considerations in coastal zone management, and the role of climate communication in shaping coastal narratives. And finally, Part Six examines the evolving nature of coastal research, highlighting the role of GIScience in transdisciplinary approaches and strategic decision-making.

Dr. Kousik Das Malakar is a socio-ecological geographer, GIS analyst, and researcher with a specialization in climate change and policy. He currently holds the position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, GDC Memorial College (Ch. Bansi Lal University), BRCM Vidyagram Campus, Haryana. Dr. Malakar earned his Ph.D. from the Department of Geography, Central University of Haryana, India. He also possesses a master's degree in social science geography from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, and a bachelor's degree from Vidyasagar University, Medinipur, West Bengal. His research interests encompass the climate crisis, socio-ecological systems, coastal environments and societies, sustainability, disaster studies, participatory policy planning, and the application of geospatial technologies. In his field of research, Dr. Malakar has participated in over 150 academic events and has published research papers, authored books, edited volume, edited chapters, and conference proceedings research papers in internationally reputed publications. He has received numerous certifications from the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) in Dehradun, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in Hyderabad, and the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) in New Delhi, recognizing his ability to engage in and acquire research ideas and knowledge. Additionally, he actively serves as a reviewer for academic journals and books, and is a member of several academic and professional organizations, including the Human Development and Capability Association (USA), Unequal World (USA), the International Society for Urban Health (USA), the International Centre of Excellence in Engineering & Technology (Portugal), and the International Centre of Excellence in Humanities, Social Sciences, and Interdisciplinary Studies (Portugal).

Ms. Supriya Roy is a GIS analyst and socio-environmental geographer. She holds a master’s degree in social science geography from the Department of Geography, Institute of Humanities & Social Sciences, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, and a double bachelor’s degree in social science geography from the University of Gour Banga and Vidyasagar College of Education, West Bengal (India). In her field of research, she has participated in more than 100 workshops/seminars/conferences/webinars and has contributed research monograph and articles to both national and international journals. She has been awarded multiple certifications from NIDM (New Delhi) and IIRS (Dehradun) for her active participation in research and the acquisition of knowledge and research ideas. Her research interests encompass a diverse range of topics, including coastal indigenous communities, anthropo-environmental conflicts, climate justice, climate migration, society and politics, participatory policy planning, and applications of geographic information science.

Dr. Manish Kumar has been serving as an Assistant Professor and Programme Coordinator of the M.Sc. Geoinformatics program in the Department of Geography at the School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Haryana, Mahendragarh, India, since 2020. With over 12 years of experience in teaching and research, he has authored and edited 06 books published by Springer Nature including Climate Change and Socio-Ecological Transformation, Geographic Information Systems in Urban Planning and Management, Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems for Policy Decision Support, and Geoecology of Landscape Dynamics, among others. Dr. Kumar has published more than 30 research papers in nationally and internationally recognized journals indexed in Science Citation and Scopus. He has supervised 02 Ph.D. scholars and 33 postgraduate theses. Notably, he led the Indian delegation to Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan, under the Indo-Japan Joint Research Program. He also serves as a Steering Committee Member of the International Geographical Union (IGU) Commission on Modeling Geographical Systems. His research interests include application of remote sensing and GIS in urban and regional planning, land use and land cover change, and environmental monitoring and modeling.