Geospatial technology, a satellite -based change detection agent: imperative for analysis and management of vegetation resources in developing economy

Abstract

The application of geospatial technology, apart from being used in diverse specialty of human endeavours, has made immense contribution towards monitoring and evaluating the vulnerability and changing pattern of diverse vegetation ecosystems. Thus, it is being rated among the most accurate means of detecting the trend of canopy cover conditions of a locality over a period of time. In the light of this, the present review focused on geospatial tool as a satellite-based change detection agent for the analysis of vegetation in sustainable resource management. Following the various conventional approaches to a critical review, the application of geospatial tool in the in-situ and ex-situ analytical phases has indicated its usefulness in evaluation of vegetation ecosystem. It has also proven useful in vegetation resource location and management, harvest planning, fire management, map development, strategic planning, modelling and statistical analysis. Its benefit for detecting changes gives more perspectives than the prehistoric ground measurement. It is faster, easier, energy and time-saving and accurately improving organisational integration. Though of great importance in change detection, geospatial tool is associated with four major issues which include institutional, social, economic and infrastructural challenges. However, researchers should be encouraged to explore this application in order to detect future trend (forecasting) and make researches more globally acceptable.