Historical Ponds of Darrang District: Identification and Mapping, Their Ecological Relevance for Management Planning

Abstract

Every pond has its own ecosystem, but the historical ponds have their unique identity. The historical ponds of Darrang district are not only important for historical perspective but also for socio-cultural aspect. Therefore, with the help of modern technology, we have examined the importance of the historical ponds. The historical pond data has been collected through an unstructured interview with local people and validation has been done through Google Earth and a topographic map of survey of India. Further, to understand the ecological relevance we have used the presence/absence method for wetland birds, reptiles, and amphibians. We have recorded thirty-seven species of waterfowl birds, four species of reptiles, and one species of amphibians. Further, we have identified few ponds that need immediate attention for ecological restoration for wetlands birds, mammals, and reptiles.

Keywords: Historical GIS, Historical Ponds, Pond ecosystem, Management planning, GIS and RS