Depleting Wetlands of Lower Sindh, Pakistan: A Spatio-Temporal Study through Satellite Remote Sensing

Wetlands are among the world´s most productive environments and are essential part of our landscape. They are the cradle of biological diversity and a vital component of the freshwater cycle. Wetlands provide countless benefits that include rich floral and faunal habitat, improved water quality, flood abatement, water storage and groundwater recharge, support of fisheries, and opportunities for education and recreation. Wetlands are dynamic ecosystems with complex interrelationships of hydrology, soils and vegetation. In Pakistan, wetlands cover approximately 9.7% (78,000 sq.km.) of its total area. However like other green areas these wetlands are also under tremendous environmental degradation. As a result, this important environmental source is depleting at an alarming rate. Therefore, an up to date scientific technology is required to monitor wetlands effectively. In this study the main task is to develop a GIS based wetlands inventory for the lower Sindh region in Pakistan. For this purpose, wetlands - on medium and high resolution satellite data have been identified and we also monitor the spatial and temporal changes in the wetlands within last ten years. Through this exercise it has established that the satellite remote sensing (SRS) and geographical information systems (GIS) are the state-of-the-art technologies for mapping, monitoring, and management of huge wetlands