Quantification of Habitat (Forest) Shape Complexity through Geo-Spatial Analysis: An Ecological Approach in Panchet Forest Division in Bankura, West Bengal

Landscape consists of different landuse and land cover whatever it natural or queasy-natural. Each and every unit of landscape plays a considerable role in ecosystem ecology. When forest cover habitat considered as an unite of landscape, the entire ecological system being reciprocal with it. Spatial attributes of the landscape, landuse and land cover’s structure and composition directly related with quality of the habitat. Habitat shape is one of the unique characters of the landscape which is regulating many ecological processes. Habitat fragmentation and loss of habitat, these two important ecological processes of the landscape equivalently connected with habitat shape complexity. In Panchet forest division forest patches are structurally fragmented due to complex shape. For the purpose of the study 27 forest patches are digitized from the map of Panchet forest division by using ArcGIS 10.3 version software. Study tries to investigate the habitat quality through habitat shape analysis. To know the nature of shape complexity and habitat loss of these forest patches three indices (SI, ERI and PPACI) have been taken. These indices results represent that Joypur, Kalabagan, Gobinadapur being larger forest patches in spite of their shape complexity is become high. To manage this situation that is habitat quality enhancement study also recommends some approaches relate with habitat loss and habitat fragmentation.