Sudhanshu Sekhar Panda
University of North Georgia, USA
Title: Geospatial technology based alligator snapping turtles habitat suitability analysis in southern Georgia for preservation decision support
Biography
Biography: Sudhanshu Sekhar Panda
Abstract
Alligator Snapping Turtles (AST) are a species found in the southeastern part of North America. Specific to climate, soil, water depth, elevation and land cover, ASTs can only live in particular habitats. This species is not endangered but threatened showing that this type of turtle should be better protected as for fear of extinction. Studies are needed to determine AST preserves. Our area of interest (AOI) was the southern counties of the state of Georgia. Geospatial Technology (GIS, Remote Sensing, GPS and Information Technology) is considered as the most efficient tools for flora and fauna habitat suitability analysis for better protection of biodiversity. Th e objectives of the study are to: Conduct a thorough literature review on the ASTs to understand their habitat, food source, external threats, diseases and other living related parameters; Obtain and preprocess the geospatial data for the AST habitat suitability model development and develop automated geospatial model to indicate most suitable locations for the AST habitat for preservation decision support. A thorough literature review was conducted on the ASTs’ living parameters and thus the types of geospatial data responsible for its habitat suitability analysis. Geospatial data like Georgia counties (determining the AOI), major rivers (finding suitability for AST breeding and living), major roads (finding threats for AST movement), Digital Elevation Model (obtaining slope map to determine if female turtle can climb the slope for laying eggs), Georgia Land Use Trend (GLUT) (Finding suitable land uses in Georgia for AST suitable habitat including Beaches/Dunes/Mud class), STATSGO soil (developing suitable drainage and bulk-density rasters for easy AST habitat) were obtained from authentic sources, preprocessed in ArcGIS 10.2 soft ware. An automated geospatial model was developed in ArcGIS 10.2 Model Builder for one click processing of all the data to provide the most suitable location information in South Georgia for AST Conservation/Preservation decision support. Th e model was developed by converting all geospatial data into rasters of two classes (Suitable (1) and unsuitable (0)) and then overlaying them together with Weighted Sum. Th e weights provided to individual AST habitat suitability analysis were developed with thorough team deliberation using the DELPHI procedure. Finally, the current conservation areas in the state geospatial data were taken into consideration to determine the suggested new preservation area for AST habitat. Our study result could be used by Georgia Department of Natural Resources to take AST preservation decision. Th e automated geospatial model developed for this study can be replicated for any other biodiversity habitat suitability analysis by just changing the input data suitable. Th is study was set out to explain and show the areas that are best suitable for Alligator Snapping Turtles to live reproduce and sustain a healthy life.
