sundarbans

where is the sundarbans

Is a region in the southwest Bangladesh and east india of the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the bay of bengal

What type of site is sundarbans

National park or forest reserve- is part of hate largest mangrove forest in the world

Topography of land

Very flat and low lying which is intersected by thousands of channels many containing small sandy or silty islands

Biodiversity of the sundarbans

Home to many rare species of plants and animals including, orchids, white bellied sea eagles, royal bengal tigers and irawadi dolphins

Describe the pattern of dynamic equilibrium in the sundarbans

Material is deposited by the rivers, allowing the growth of the mangrove forests, is also eroded by the sea so the size the of the sediment store remains roughly the same

Population of the sundarbans

4 million

How deos the natural environment provide economic opportunity

flat fertile land of the river deltas is ideal for crop growth especially rice, the rich ecosystem of the mangrove provides local population with fish, crab, honey and Nipa palm leaves for use in roves and basket making, mangrove forest also provides timber for construction, firewood and furniture

How does the natural environemtn protect the area

Mangroves protect against flooding by acting as a barrier to rough seas and absorbing excess water in monsoon season making easier to live and grow crops as well as protecting against coastal erosion as roots bind the soil together

How does the natural environemtn provide opportunities for development

Opportunists for tourism as visitors ar e attracted by the mangroves and wildlife, power plant has been proposed north of the national park providing energy for nearby region

What Has happened since 2011

Cargo ships transporting goods such as oil and food inland have been allowed to use the water ways and some channels have been dredged to male [assage easier for the ships

What does the lack of fresh water mean

There is a lack of drinking and irrigation water in much of the area as much of the fresh water is diverted from the rivers for irrigation of agriculatual land further upstream

What is the problem with a growing population

Increase need for fuel and agricultural land so mangroves are being removed which is increasing the ris of flooding and coastal erosion

What can flooding lead to

Salinisation of soil, making it harder to grow crops

How do animals pose a threat

Sundarbans is home to dangerous animals including bengal tigers, sharks and crocodiles

How does the topography pose a risk

Is mainly low lying land so is at significant risk from global warming

How many household don’t have access to mains electricity

1/5

What does the lack of electricity mean

Communication is poor so residents often don’t receive flood warnings

How does access pose a challenge

There are ffew roads and those that exist are poor quality which ofter limits opportunities for development and makes it harder for residents to receive goods, healthcare and education

Resilience

The ability to cope with challenges the environment presents

What have the Public health engineering department done to improve resilience

Is increasing access to clean water and sanitation to improve heath and QoL

How does building better roads an bridges improve resilience

Improves access for residents and visitor however can lead to deforestation and other Environemtnal damage

How does expanding main electricity improve resilience

use of subsidised solar panels means that people in remote villages can generate their own power which will make it easier for flood warnings to reach communities and could create employment opportunities

How are more jobs being made

Farming subsidies are being provided which increase food production and provides jobs howere some areas are at risk of being farmed too intensively causing environmental damage

How are NGOs improving resilience

Are offering training in sustainable methods of fishing and farming to help prevent environmental damage from over exploitation or poor practices

Mitigation

Reducing the severity of hazards or other problems

What was the size of embankments built and what was the purpose

3500kn to prevent flooding

Have the embankments built worked

Sort of- are gradually being eroded and around 800km are vulnerable to being breached during storms and tsunamis

What coastal management strategies are their in place

Aim to protect existing mangrove forests and replant areas that have been removed to protect against flooding and erosion

What are some challenges faced by coastal management project

Is difficult to prevent illegal forest clearance throughout the whole region and is unclear whether the mangrove will withstand sea level rise

What are the attempts to mitigate the imacpts of extreme events eg cyclones

Government and NGOs have provided funding for cyclone shelters and early warming systems which should help people shelter or evacuate

What can prevent people from evacuating quickly

A lack of transport and access roads

Adaptation

Adjusting behaviour to fit the environment

How is growing salt resistant crops an adaptation

Helps cope with flooding and sea level rise however relying on a smaller range of crops can reduce biodiversity and may increase vulnerability to pests and diseases

How is tourism an example of adaptation

Provides jobs and income however if not properly managed can cause environmental damage

How are they adapting to sea level rise and flooding

By building houses on stilts however infrastrucutre such as roads can’t be protected as easily

What are some sustainable adaptations

Using non intensive farming practices and promoting ecotourism will help ensure that the fragile environment remains relatively undamaged and useable for future generations

How old and large is the mangrove forest

114 million years old, large than 1000km

How do the mangroves act as a carbon sink

Trap 5x more CO2 than other forests

How have mangroves adapted

Have adapted to low o2 soil→ have pneumatophores called lenticils which trap o2 in the tree during high tide, mangrove germinate directly onto the tree→ the root system develops in day, the trees are seen in 10days and the roots reduce damage from cyclones in the Bay of Bengal

How is deforestation having an impact on the human population

Tiger attacks are increasing, deer poaching is increasing as are tigers main prey

How has fishing changed

The numbers of fish are decreasing so farmers can’t support families due to farmers futher up the coast engagin in large intensive fishing

How is shrimp farming failing

Is being labelled an ecological disaster as there are too many producers so overfishing is occuring and they are catching the egg of fish

How is the water quality changing and what does this mean

It is changing to freshwater fish are killed for shrimp, water in villages are contaminated

How do bengal tigers play a role in the forest

Important in equilibrium of forest, protect sundarbans from humans, have grown accustomed to the climate after arriving 12000 years ago

How bengal tigers are left in the sundarbans

Approx 100 → are at risk of extinction

How does overfishing pose a risk tot he sundarbans

Is changing the water quality so other fish are dying, is causing salinisation of soil so trees aer dying and more fresh water is needed for contaminated rice paddy’s

How are crocodiles being affected in the sundarbans

Used to be 3 varieties but now only 2, the saltwater is very sensitive to water quality, fishermen catch baby crocodiles in nets and injure or kill them, the salinity of water is increasing which is less good for them

How are the sundarbans protected

Need a permit to enter, has armed guards, 23% of the forest has no fishing allying, the forest receives UNESCO funding and there are government inspections however are not sustainable

What were the impacts of storm Aila in 2009

4 million were affected, 190 dead, mangroves were unable to defend the villages, people were swept away and the mudslides destroyed land

What happened after storm aila

People educated themselves on the risks of forest degradation

How did planting mangrove forests help

Prevents river banks form collapsing, sell the fruits from the trees, burn the wood → get money to send their children to school,

What else did they do after storm aila

Constructed embankments, reintroduced crocodiles, improved education

How do embankments protect

Protect against rising water levels

How are crocodiles being reintroduced

Are helped in nursery then once they reach 7/8yrs or 2m long they are released into the sundarbans, if they are successful, aquatic life in all mangroves should improve

How do they educate children

Teach them in schools how to an the importance of protecting the forest, pledge with their handprints to react the mangrove, not eat deer meat, not expoit the mangroves etc

When was cyclone sidr

2007

What % was destoryed by cyclon sidr

40%

Population

4 million

Average number killed by tigers each year between 1947-1983

22.7

By the ned of the century what does a unesco report suggest will have happened

75% of forest desotyred by climate change nad sea level rise

What does the “‘science” journal say about mangroves

30 trees per 100m2 could reduce flow of tsunami by 90%

Since 2011 how many trees have the livelihoods fund planted

Over 16million

How much carbon is it hoped the 16million new trees will capture over 20 years

671,000 tonnes