Plant Species Diversity Index Mapping using Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery in Western Part of Pathanamthitta District

Plant species and its diversity significantly influence the spectral reflectance of vegetation. Shannon diversity values of 84 sacred groves are located in the Pathanamthitta district is derived with Sentinel-2 satellite image using a validated biodivMapR algorithm. Sacred groves are classified as low, medium, and high plant species diversity based on the estimated results. It gives that most of the sacred groves of Pathanamthitta district belongs to high diversity classification. A patchwork of different crops on diverse surfaces has significantly more spectral diversity than a single surface type