Gowhar Meraj

The University of Tokyo | Todai · Department of Ecosystem Studies

The Mekong Delta, South East Asia's 'rice bowl', sustains more than 18 million people through its agricultural output. This yield is secured by efficient water management systems but is susceptible to climatic changes. As Vietnam's policies aim to optimize the delta's semi-mountainous regions reliant on rain-fed agriculture, this study investigates...

Amidst global concerns about land use change and its far-reaching impact on biodiversity and human well-being, there is a growing need to understand how land use stock and flow changes over time through land use accounting. While existing studies on land accounting have focused on historical land changes, little attention has been paid to future tr...

Deltas have a remarkable capacity to sustain human populations, owing to their productivity and biodiversity. The increasing demand for fertile land and valuable resources in deltas has driven dramatic anthropogenic changes in deltas around the world, resulting in their ecological degradation. To make informed decisions regarding management of land...

The land surface processes that affect climate models across South Asia have been significantly influenced by the runoff parameterization. In this study, we investigated the sensitivity of summer monsoons to runoff parameterizations in a non- hydrostatic Regional Climate Model (RegCM) during 1982–2018 across South Asia, specifically over the Indian...

This review article provides a thorough examination of the factors affecting energy consumption in India and around the world, focussing on suburban areas and their role in the broader context of building construction and energy efficiency. The study examines the switch from conventional energy sources to more diversified energy portfolios, includi...

In an era where global biodiversity hotspots are under unprecedented threat, understanding the intricate balance between land use land cover (LULC) changes and their implications on ecosystem services value (ESV) becomes paramount. The region of Jammu and Kashmir, with its distinctive ecological importance, is well known for these challenges and op...

Drought, which implies a prolonged dry period, can occur anywhere in the world and has devastating impacts on agriculture, the economy, and the environment. Monitoring drought helps reduce disaster risk and improve the livelihood of drought-prone communities. The previous studies on agricultural drought in Bangladesh were on limited areas and earli...

Vermicelli production generates wastewater that is rich in organic and nutrient pollutants, which poses significant environmental challenges. Conventional biological treatments, either alone or in combination with other methods, often fail to achieve high efficiency and operational stability. This study explored the potential of the Fenton process,...

Microplastics (MPs) are impacting coastal and ocean ecosystem and also have been linked with ‘blue economy’, which accounts major portion to the total economy of a nation. The ocean serves as a sink for MPs, receiving them from rivers, runoff, industrial effluents, and direct waste discharge. Consequently, marine organisms are impacted, leading to...

The Mekong Delta region is increasingly challenged by a declining and irregular water budget over recent decades. This trend is evidenced by altered precipitation patterns, characterized by drier wet seasons and wetter dry seasons, along with diminished upstream flow and a shifting wet season flood pulse. This study presents a comprehensive analysi...

This research study aims to comprehensively assess the air quality of Haryana, India, using Sentinel-5P satellite data. The research will focus on monitoring, quantifying, and analysing air pollution levels in different regions of Haryana. Additionally, the study will investigate the health and environmental impacts of air pollution, identify pollu...

The Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) is highly vulnerable to drought, particularly in the context of climate change. Prolonged drought during the dry season has emerged as a significant natural disaster, severely affecting agriculture and socioeconomic development in the region. To enhance water resource management and agricultural productivity, this...

This study examines the spatial and temporal variations of key air pollutants in Rajsamand District, Rajasthan, from January 2015 to December 2019, using Sentinel-5P TROPOMI data. The pollutants analysed include carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), formaldehyde (HCHO), sulphur dioxide (SO2), methane (CH4), and aerosols. The findings reveal...

The fragile environment of the Himalayan region is prone to natural hazards, which are intensified by climate change, leading to food and livelihood insecurity for inhabitants. Therefore, building resilience in the most dominant livelihood sector, i.e., the agricultural sector, has become a priority in development and planning. To assess the perils...

Drinking water sources with groundwater arsenic (As) contamination face multifaceted challenges in the removal and supply of fresh drinking water resources. To eradicate this problem, bioremediation has evolved to become more effective than other chemical and physical removal processes in its cost-effectiveness, high removal efficiency, and lesser...

This book presents a comprehensive examination of natural hazards in mountainous landscapes. It integrates a diverse range of research disciplines to explore the complexities of risk mitigation, adaptive responses, and sustainable livelihoods in the face of environmental challenges. First, this book delves into the geological and hydrological fact...

Mountainous regions around the world are at the forefront of climate change and natural disasters. The unique geomorphological features, diverse ecosystems, and climatic extremes of these areas create breathtaking landscapes; however, these same characteristics also make them hotspots for environmental hazards. The frequency and severity of landsli...

In this chapter, we try to explore the intricate difficulties and potential solutions concerning land use and social infrastructure management in Japan, by considering factors governing these issues such as the aging population, obsolete infrastructure, and intensified frequency and severity of natural disasters exacerbated by climate change. We al...

The frequent climatic extreme events in Bangladesh’s coastal region signifcantly afected the local agricultural system. To meet the growing food demand, coastal regions must adopt climate-smart agricultural practices to sustain food production. This study examines the farmers’ behavioral determinants for adopting climate-smart agricultural practi...

This study evaluated the quality of groundwater in Chandrapur Taluka, Maharashtra, using geospatial techniques and data from 2014 and 2018. The study assessed various water quality parameters such as chloride, fluoride, pH, residual sodium carbonate (RSC), and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). The findings showed that chloride concentrations were most...

Air pollution is a pressing issue in Delhi, with smog occurrences causing reduced visibility and various respiratory problems. A series of severe SMOG (smoke + fog) episodes between 2013 and 2017 with reduced visibility and exceptionally high PM2.5 concentrations have been reported in Delhi especially around Diwali festival (October–November). The...

Rajasthan faces significant environmental challenges, including the pressing need for effective climate change mitigation strategies. Recognizing afforestation as a vital tool in this endeavor, this study leverages the latest in remote sensing and geospatial analysis to map out the state's afforestation potential. The goal is to assess land suitabi...

Dengue fever (DF) is a pervasive public health concern in tropical climates, with densely populated regions, such as India, disproportionately affected. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted understanding of the environmental and sociocultural factors that contribute to the risk of dengue infection. This study aimed to identify high‐risk zo...

Soil moisture plays a critical role in agricultural productivity and water resource management, especially in a diverse and populous country like India. Understanding variations in soil moisture across different regions and seasons is essential for adapting agricultural practices and water management strategies to local conditions. This study exami...

This study employs advanced geospatial analytical techniques to evaluate the vulnerability of Nigeria's coastal states and their constituent local government areas to flood hazards, which represent a critical and escalating risk within the coastal hazard paradigm intensified by climate change phenomena. The study's objective is to utilize geospatia...

Climate and rainfall are extremely non-linear and complicated phenomena, which require numerical modelling to simulate for accurate prediction. We obtained local historical rainfall data for 12 meteorological stations in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) for the 45-year period 1978–2022, to predict annual rainfall trends. A statistical time series...

This research focuses on the urban expansion occurring in the Kamrup Metropolitan District-an area experiencing significant urbanization-with the aim of understanding its patterns and projecting future growth. The research covers the period from 2000 to 2022 and projects growth up to 2052, providing insights for sustainable urban planning. The stud...

Overuse of natural resources results in environmental deterioration, lowering the effectiveness of important ecosystem services, such as the mitigation of floods and landslides. This leads to a greater risk of disaster and, in turn, natural hazards that can further deteriorate the environment. The deterioration of the capacity of the environment to...

This research investigates the potential of utilizing recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) and recycled sand (RS), derived from crushed concrete cubes, as sustainable alternatives in construction materials. The study comprehensively evaluates the properties of RCA and RS, focusing on workability, impact resistance, abrasion resistance, and compressive...

Forests play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance and provide numerous benefits. The monitoring and managing of large-scale forest plantations can be challenging and expensive. In recent years, advancements in remote sensing technologies, such as lightweight drones and object-oriented image analysis, have opened up new possibilities for e...

COVID-19 has a deep impact on the economic, environmental, and social life of the global population. Particularly, it disturbed the entire agriculture supply chain due to a shortage of labor, travel restrictions, and changes in demand during lockdowns. Consequently, the world population faced food insecurity due to a reduction in food production an...

This study employed an advanced geospatial methodology using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform to assess soil erosion in the Satluj Watershed thoroughly. To achieve this, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model was integrated into the study, which was revealed through several analytical tiers, each with a unique function. The st...

This study addresses the concerning mortality of Pinus wallichiana (blue pine), a crucial timber species in the northwestern Himalayas, specifically within the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (NDBR)––a UNESCO world heritage site in India. Hazard prediction mapping was carried out during the study period (2018–2021) using the MaxEnt program and supervi...

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of plastic waste accumulation in both terrestrial and aquatic environments in Can Tho city, Vietnam, a nation with high per capita plastic consumption and significant plastic waste discharge. Focusing on urban residential areas, riverside communities, suburbs, and rural regions, the research investigates...

The construction of large-scale infrastructure projects like dams can substantially alter local hydrological systems, prompting concerns about their impacts on river water levels and discharge. This study was undertaken in response to the compelling need to investigate and analyze the potential implications of water scarcity, particularly within th...

Water governance (WG) plays a crucial role in steering integrated water resources management (IWRM) toward the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in developing regions. Despite this, substantial challenges hinder effective WG implementation across Asia. This study systematically reviews WG literature in Asia from...

This study utilises a comprehensive, multi-layered approach to assess flooding susceptibility in a specific area, integrating diverse environmental datasets such as JRC Global Surface Water, Landsat 8 images, and SRTM elevation data. Employing the GEE FMA, a powerful tool leveraging Google Earth Engine capabilities, the analysis covers water occurr...

Groundwater is crucial for agriculture, domestic use, and industry. This study represents groundwater potential zones in the Amravati district, Maharashtra, India, using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and multi-influencing factor (MIF) techniques. These techniques are employed for a detailed spatial analysis, which is essential for sustaina...

This study examines the changing rainfall patterns in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) utilizing observational data spanning from 1978 to 2022. We employ the Mann-Kendall test, the sequential Mann-Kendall test, and innovative trend analysis to investigate trends in annual, wet, and dry season rainfall, as well as daily rainfall events. Our results...

This study assessed the hydropower potential of a mountain watershed within the Sunkoshi River basin in Sindhupalchok, Nepal, utilizing geographic information systems (GIS) and the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) hydrological model. Topographical, soil, land use, meteorological, and discharge data were employed to assess the study area for th...

Evaluating inherent vulnerability, an intrinsic characteristic becomes imperative for the formulation of adaptation strategies, particularly in highly complex and vulnerable regions of Him-alayas. Jammu City, situated in the northwestern Himalayas within a transitional zone between the Himalayan range and the plains, is not only susceptible to inte...

Central Asia's semi-arid regions, vital for sustaining vast populations and diverse ecosystems, are under heightened environmental stress. Among these regions, the Tuul River Basin, home to over half of Mongolia's population, characterizes the challenges posed by contemporary environmental shifts. This basin, a hub in Mongolia's socioeconomic lands...

This review paper exhibits the underexplored realm of heavy metal contamination and associated risks in sea cucumbers (SCs), which hold significant importance in traditional Asian marine diets and are globally harvested for the Asian market. The assessment focuses on heavy metals (HMs) presence in various SC species, revealing a global trend in HMs...

Frequent floods are a severe threat to the well-being of people the world over. This is particularly severe in developing countries like India where tropical monsoon climate prevails. Recently, flood hazard susceptibility mapping has become a popular tool to mitigate the effects of this threat. Therefore, the present study utilized four distinctive...

Climate change and anthropogenic factors have exacerbated flood risks in many regions across the globe, including the Himalayan foothill region in India. The Jia Bharali River basin, situated in this vulnerable area, frequently experiences high-magnitude floods, causing significant damage to the environment and local communities. Developing accurat...

Climate change and anthropogenic factors have exacerbated flood risks in many regions across the globe, including the Himalayan foothill region in India. The Jia Bharali River basin, situated in this vulnerable area, frequently experiences high-magnitude floods, causing significant damage to the environment and local communities. Developing accurat...

Floods represent a significant threat to human life, property, and agriculture, especially in low-lying floodplains. This study assesses flood susceptibility in the Brahmaputra River basin, which spans China, India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh—an area notorious for frequent flooding due to the saturation of river water intake capacity. We developed and...

Groundwater pollution in Rajasthan, India, poses significant challenges due to the region’s heavy reliance on this resource for drinking and irrigation. Given the increasing water scarcity and overexploitation, this study assesses the susceptibility of groundwater pollution in this semi-arid area. We applied and compared vulnerability mapping metho...

Climate change and shifts in land use/ land cover (LULC) are critical factors affecting the environmental, societal, and health landscapes, notably influencing the spread of infectious diseases. This study delves into the intricate relationships between climate change, LULC alterations, and the prevalence of vector-borne and waterborne diseases in...

The main aim of this study is to comprehensively analyze the dynamics of land use and land cover (LULC) changes in the Bathinda region of Punjab, India, encompassing historical, current, and future trends. To forecast future LULC, the Cellular Automaton–Markov Chain (CA) based on artificial neural network (ANN) concepts was used using cartographic...

This study delves into the patterns of urban expansion in Kabul, using Landsat and Sentinel satellite imagery as primary tools for analysis. We classified land use and land cover (LULC) into five distinct categories: water bodies, vegetation, barren land, barren rocky terrain, and buildings. The necessary data processing and analysis was conducted...

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to global health and economic stability. Intriguingly, the necessary lockdown measures, while disruptive to human society, inadvertently led to environmental rejuvenation, particularly noticeable in decreased air pollution and i...

The NH 58 area in India has been experiencing an increase in landslide occurrences, posing significant threats to local communities, infrastructure, and the environment. The growing need to identify areas prone to landslides for effective disaster risk management, land use planning, and infrastructure development has led to the increased adoption o...

Climate change is adversely affecting world’s natural resources, including agriculture, water, and forests. In the recent decade, it has seen drastic impact of climate change on Indian Himalayan forests, water agriculture, and horticulture sectors by influencing socioeconomic and ecosystem services. This study documents the perception of the indige...

Amid global concerns regarding climate change and urbanization, understanding the interplay between land use/land cover (LULC) changes, the urban heat island (UHI) effect, and land surface temperatures (LST) is paramount. This study provides an in-depth exploration of these relationships in the context of the Kamrup Metropolitan District, Northeast...

Heavy metal pollution in marine ecosystems is an escalating environmental concern, largely driven by anthropogenic activities, and poses potential threats to ecological health and human well-being. This study embarked on a comprehensive investigation into the concentrations of heavy metals in sediment samples and evaluated their potential ecologica...

Water is the most valuable natural resource on the planet and is essential for life. No living thing can exist without water. Because the overall amount of water in the cycle is constant, even if the distribution changes across time and space, the hydrologic system is termed closed. This fluctuation in distribution causes two hydrological extremes:...