Dipika Kar

The coastal zone is an extremely volatile environment and is constantly changing. We assessed short- and long-term shoreline changes in the Ganjam district of Odisha on the eastern coast of India from 1990 − 2019 using Landsat satellite imagery and the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) tool in the Geographic Information System. In addition, we have also projected the likely future coastline position for the 2030 − 2040 period and the possible impact on the socioecology of the shoreline. In this study, we used the endpoint rate (EPR) analysis, weighted linear regression (WLR) analysis, and trigonometric functions to analyze the shoreline from 1990 − 2019 and 2030 − 2040. The shoreline of the Ganjam coastal zone is one of the most biologically productive ecosystems in the world, and it is well-known due to the breeding and mass nesting grounds of olive ridley turtles and the economically connected ports, famous beaches, and cyclone-prone areas. During the study period (1990-2019), the average erosion and accretion rates in the Ganjam shoreline were −2.58 m a⁻¹ and 11.63 m a⁻¹, respectively. The rate of shoreline erosion increased during years of cyclone landfall, which was revealed during the short-term shoreline analysis of the periods from 1995 − 2000 (1999 super cyclone) and 2015 − 2019 (2019 category – IV cyclone Fani). The short- to long-term analysis of the shoreline assisted in identifying erosion (Ramyapatna, Podampetta) and accretion (Gopalpur port, spits along the Bahuda and Rushikulya Rivers) hotspots within the Ganjam coastal zone. The identified erosion hotspots could cause a significant number of coastal villages that serve as breeding and mass nesting grounds for olive ridley turtles to become submerged. The dominant erosion patterns along the Ganjam coastline are likely to enhance socioecological risk and further threaten coastal communities in the future. The output of the undertaken research will benefit coastal planners, policymakers, and conservationists by helping them to formulate the most suitable action plan for coastal zone management with consideration of all stakeholders.

Indigenous people constitute an important section of society in many countries. Despite being a numerically smaller section, they are culturally diverse and distributed mostly in valuable natural resources-rich regions worldwide. In the era of globalization, industrialization, and trade liberalization, indigenous communities have become more vulnerable to displacement, land alienation, cultural erosion, and social exclusion. During the last few decades, researchers have tried to evaluate and document their problems and prospects. The present study analyzes the trends and characteristics of research and development conducted about indigenous communities. The research hotspots based on keywords, productive researchers, and journals during 1979–2020 were mapped using the Scopus database. The analysis was carried out using the bibliometrix R-package and VOSviewer software tool. Consistent growth in the number of studies and citations on indigenous communities concerning environmental conservation, natural resources, and economic development was observed during the last four decades. The present findings reveal that research on the indigenous community has attracted the attention of the scientific community in recent years. Qualitative studies with methodological rigor, having potential for social and policy implications, are warranted to understand and respect ingrained cultural and socio-economic diversity among these communities. Graphical abstract