Soil Degradation, Desertification and Restoration : Application of Geospatial Technology and Modeling

This book presents a comprehensive geospatial technology approach to data mining, data analysis, modeling, risk assessment, visualization, and management strategies, with a specific focus on various aspects of soil degradation-induced land degradation and desertification. It explores advanced methodologies leveraging open-source software, R statistical programming, Google Earth Engine, and modern artificial intelligence techniques. Particular emphasis is placed on recent advancements in data mining and robust modeling approaches related to extreme events associated with land degradation crises.

The volume brings together recent developments and rigorous applications of geospatial and geostatistical techniques in the context of soil degradation and desertification. It covers a wide range of analytical methods, including the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), Logistic Regression (LR), Evidential Belief Function (EBF), as well as supervised and unsupervised classification algorithms. Additionally, it highlights the use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Machine Learning Algorithms (MLA), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Fuzzy Logic (FZ), Radial Basis Function (RBF) networks, General Regression Neural Networks (GRNN), Probabilistic Neural Networks (PNN), Mixture Density Networks (MDN), Self-Organizing Maps (SOM), and various hybrid computational techniques.

Dr. Subodh Chandra Pal, Assistant Professor has been working in the Postgraduate Department of Geography, The University of Burdwan, Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal, India. He received his Ph.D. in Geography from Visva-Bharati (Central University in India) in 2015. His main fields of expertise are fluvial geomorphology, pedo-geomorphology, land degradation, soil erosion, gully erosion, landslide vulnerability, climate change, water resources monitoring and management and published more than hundreds international and national research articles in various renowned journals.  His research work has been funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC), Govt. of India and Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India. Dr. Pal has served as a reviewer for many International reputed journals.

Dr. Uday Chatterjee is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Geography, Bhatter College, Dantan, affiliated with Vidyasagar University, West Bengal, India. He earned his Doctoral Degree in Applied Geography from Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, Odisha. His research interests encompass Urban Planning, Social and Human Geography, Applied Geomorphology, Indigenous knowledge and Hazards and Disasters, Risk Assessment and Resilience, Community Response and Environmental Issues. Dr. Chatterjee has been actively involved in editing scholarly works, including the Special Issue on Urbanism, Smart Cities, and Modelling for GeoJournal, Springer, Special issue in Global Social Welfare, Springer and Frontiers Environmental Science journal, Geological journal Wiley, Editorial Board Member of Scientific Report (Nature Portfolio) journal and serving as a Book Series Editor for Developments in Environmental Science, Elsevier and Sustainability Solutions-An Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Nexus, Springer Nature. His extensive research and editorial contributions highlight his commitment to advancing geographical knowledge and its applications. His research work has been funded by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) Govt. of West Bengal, India Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Govt. of India. He has published research papers in reputed journals, edited books with reputed publisher like Springer, Elsevier, CRC Press, and author books, book chapters, and conference proceedings. Currently, Dr. Chatterjee doing an international project, in collaboration with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Japan funded by APN (Asia Pacific- Global Change Research, Grant, and visited Saudi Arabia for International collaboration and conference session chair and Keio University, Tokyo, Japan as a Visiting Professor. 

Dipankar Ruidas is currently engaging as a M.Phil. Research Scholar in the Department of Geography, The University of Burdwan, Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal, India. His prior fields of expertise are Water Resources Management and Water Quality. He has published more than ten international and national research articles in various renowned journals like Springer and Elsevier group. His research work has been funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC), India.