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Ram Lakhan Ray

Prairie View A&M University United States of America

Ram Ray is a Professor at Prairie View A&M University. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, an M.S. degree in Soil Science, and a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. He has more than 12 years of working experience as a faculty and research scientist at Prairie View A&M University and over ten years as an engineer in the federal government. Ray’s research interests include climate-smart agriculture, carbon sequestration, climate change, hydrology-land surface-atmosphere interactions, soil water dynamics, watershed hydrology, and modeling. He has authored three books, several book chapters, and articles in peer-reviewed journals. He has been invited to several training sessions and speeches around the globe. He is an editor and editorial board member of several journals, including Agronomy, Agricultural and Environmental Letters, Remote Sensing in Earth System Sciences, Remote Sensing, Sustainability, and Civil Engineering and Construction.

3books edited

6chapters authored

Latest work with IntechOpen by Ram Lakhan Ray

Life depends on water, but our freshwater systems are under unprecedented threat right now. Surface water bodies are the backbone of ecosystems, economies, and human well-being, from majestic rivers to wetlands full of biodiversity. However, pollution, changing land use, and the accelerating effects of climate change are putting increasing pressure on them. A strong and urgent call to preserve these priceless resources before it is too late to protect surface water in a changing world. The condition of our freshwater ecosystems is rapidly deteriorating due to factors like unregulated wastewater discharge, habitat fragmentation, hazardous heavy metals, and agricultural runoff. Nutrient imbalances and changes in biological communities are being brought on by climate change and human encroachment; rising Cyanobacteria populations indicate a significant shift in these delicate ecosystems. These alterations are a clear indication that human influence is present everywhere on Earth. Phytoremediation, in which aquatic plants help remove pollutants and restore balance to degraded water bodies, is one example of a natural, sustainable solution to protecting surface waters in a changing world. It also examines new technologies transforming wastewater treatment and management in an increasingly urbanized world, including green nanotechnology and microbial processes. The book offers a road map for preserving water in a warming world, with a focus on integrated water resources management, climate resilience, and wetland restoration. It calls on scientists, environmental professionals, and communities to unite in the protection of this valuable and shared resource by fusing science, policy, and practical action.

Limnology

Limnology - Surface and Groundwater Ecosystems

Edited by Ram Ray

Books edited

River Basin Management

River Basin Management - Under a Changing Climate

Edited by Ram Ray

Landslides

Landslides - Investigation and Monitoring

Edited by Ram Ray

Chapters authored

Modeling Antecedent Soil Moisture to Constrain Rainfall Thresholds for Shallow Landslides Occurrence

By Maurizio Lazzari, Marco Piccarreta, Ram L. Ray and Salvatore Manfreda

Rainfall-triggered shallow landslide events have caused losses of human lives and millions of euros in damage to property in all parts of the world. The need to prevent such hazards combined with the difficulty of describing the geomorphological processes over regional scales led to the adoption of empirical rainfall thresholds derived from records of rainfall events triggering landslides. These rainfall intensity thresholds are generally computed, assuming that all events are not influenced by antecedent soil moisture conditions. Nevertheless, it is expected that antecedent soil moisture conditions may provide critical support for the correct definition of the triggering conditions. Therefore, we explored the role of antecedent soil moisture on critical rainfall intensity-duration thresholds to evaluate the possibility of modifying or improving traditional approaches. The study was carried out using 326 landslide events that occurred in the last 18 years in the Basilicata region (southern Italy). Besides the ordinary data (i.e., rainstorm intensity and duration), we also derived the antecedent soil moisture conditions using a parsimonious hydrological model. These data have been used to derive the rainfall intensity thresholds conditional on the antecedent saturation of soil quantifying the impact of such parameters on rainfall thresholds.

Part of the book: Landslides

Remote Sensing Approaches and Related Techniques to Map and Study Landslides

By Ram L. Ray, Maurizio Lazzari and Tolulope Olutimehin

Landslide is one of the costliest and fatal geological hazards, threatening and influencing the socioeconomic conditions in many countries globally. Remote sensing approaches are widely used in landslide studies. Landslide threats can also be investigated through slope stability model, susceptibility mapping, hazard assessment, risk analysis, and other methods. Although it is possible to conduct landslide studies using in-situ observation, it is time-consuming, expensive, and sometimes challenging to collect data at inaccessible terrains. Remote sensing data can be used in landslide monitoring, mapping, hazard prediction and assessment, and other investigations. The primary goal of this chapter is to review the existing remote sensing approaches and techniques used to study landslides and explore the possibilities of potential remote sensing tools that can effectively be used in landslide studies in the future. This chapter also provides critical and comprehensive reviews of landslide studies focus¬ing on the role played by remote sensing data and approaches in landslide hazard assessment. Further, the reviews discuss the application of remotely sensed products for landslide detection, mapping, prediction, and evaluation around the world. This systematic review may contribute to better understanding the extensive use of remotely sensed data and spatial analysis techniques to conduct landslide studies at a range of scales.

Part of the book: Landslides

Introductory Chapter: Importance of Investigating Landslide Hazards

By Ram L. Ray and Maurizio Lazzari

Part of the book: Landslides

Introductory Chapter: Water Resources Planning, Monitoring, Conservation, and Management

By Ram L. Ray and Nimal Shantha Abeysingha

Part of the book: River Basin Management

Impact of Climate Change on Surface Water Resources

By Ram Lakhan Ray and Birhan Getachew Tikuye

Water is essential for life and is a key in regulating the global climate by transferring heat. However, climate change significantly threatens surface water resource availability, quality, and distribution due to rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events disrupting hydrological cycles. Climate models project that the Earth’s global average temperature would increase by an extra 4°C in the twenty-first century if greenhouse gas concentrations persist. The global average precipitation may rise by 7% for each degree of temperature increase, indicating a future characterized by increased rainfall and snowfall and a higher risk of flooding in certain areas. The planet has surpassed the 1.5°C threshold for global temperature increase, causing thermal stratification in water bodies, reducing oxygen levels, and harming aquatic life. Additionally, rising sea levels contribute to the salinization of coastal freshwater resources. For instance, by the 2050s, a 20–30% reduction in renewable water resources is projected in numerous semi-arid and arid regions due to climate change, with water scarcity intensifying, potentially costing certain areas up to 6% of their GDP. Conservation strategies such as integrated water resource management (IWRM) and wetland restoration are essential to mitigate these impacts and ensure the sustainability of water resources.

Part of the book: Limnology

Introductory Chapter: Surface and Groundwater Ecosystems

By Ram Lakhan Ray and Birhan Getachew Tikuye

Part of the book: Limnology

View all chapters

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