Habitat selection of freshwater-dependent cetaceans and the potential effects of declining freshwater flows and sea-level rise in waterways of the Sundarbans mangrove forest, Bangladesh

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.D. Smith ◽  
G. Braulik ◽  
S. Strindberg ◽  
R. Mansur ◽  
M.A.A. Diyan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Mangrove Forest ◽  
Sundarbans Mangrove ◽  
The Sundarbans ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
And Sea Level

scholarly journals Process Controls of the Live Root Zone and Carbon Sequestration Capacity of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, Bangladesh

Sci ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Edwin J. Bomer ◽  
Carol A. Wilson ◽  
Tracy Elsey-Quirk
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Surface Elevation ◽  
Mangrove Forests ◽  
Elevation Change ◽  
Surface Elevation Change ◽  
Process Controls ◽  
Sundarbans Mangrove ◽  
The Sundarbans

The conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems, like mangrove forests and salt marshes, represents a critical strategy for mitigating atmospheric emissions and climate change in the 21st century. Yet the existence of these environments is threatened by human-induced disturbances, namely deforestation and accelerated sea-level rise. Coastal systems maintain surface elevation in response to sea-level rise through a combination of physical and biological processes both above and below the ground surface. The quantification and relative contribution of belowground process controls (e.g., seasonal water content, organic matter decomposition) on surface elevation change is largely unexplored but crucial for informing coastal ecosystem sustainability. To address this knowledge deficit, we integrated measurements of surface elevation change of the live root zone (0.5 to 1 m depth) with geotechnical data from co-located sediment cores in the Sundarbans mangrove forest (SMF) of southwest Bangladesh. Core data reveal that the primary belowground controls on surface elevation change include seasonal fluctuations in pore-water content and the relative abundance of fine-grained sediments capable of volumetric expansion and contraction, supporting an elevation gain of ~2.42 ± 0.26 cm yr−1. In contrast to many mangrove environments, the soils of the SMF contain little organic matter and are dominantly composed (>90%) of inorganic clastic sediments. The mineral-rich soil texture likely leads to less compaction-induced subsidence as compared to organic-rich substrates and facilitates surface equilibrium in response to sea level rise. Despite a relatively high soil bulk density, soil carbon (C) density of the SMF is very low owing to the dearth of preserved organic content. However, rates of C accumulation are balanced out by locally high accretion rates, rendering the SMF a greater sink of terrestrial C than the worldwide mangrove average. The findings of this study demonstrate that C accumulation in the SMF, and possibly other alluvial mangrove forests, is highly dependent on the continued delivery of sediment to the mangrove platform and associated settings.

The future of the Sundarbans mangroves in India

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sugata Hazra ◽  
Sourav Samanta ◽  
Ananya Halder ◽  
Robert Nicholls ◽  
Jon French
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Mangrove Forest ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
Open Coast ◽  
The North ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
The Sundarbans

<p>The Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve is situated near Kolkata in the western part of the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta. The Sundarbans mangroves together with the areas in Bangladesh are the world’s largest mangrove forest and home to the iconic Royal  Bengal Tiger. It is a Ramsar and World Heritage site. Over the last 20 years the mangroves have retreated from 10 to 50 m/yr along the open coast with the loss of 145 km<sup>2</sup> area of the biosphere reserve , 40% of which constitute the  mangrove forest. This erosion reflects a response to waves in the Bay of Bengaland relative sea-level rise of about  5 mm/yr since 1948 which increased further during the last decade. In percentage terms this observed forest land loss is manageable. However, it will continue and almost certainly accelerate with sea-level rise. As well as open coast erosion, inundation will also occur within the mangroves. Hence over many decades,Sundarbans mangroves will be progressively degraded endangering  their iconic species. We are using these observed data and the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM)to explore possible trajectories of the Sundarbans evolution under different sea-level rise scenarios and management interventions. The areas to the north are densely populated and increasingly influenced by the expansion of Kolkata. Discussions with stakeholders suggest a managed retreat does not seem feasible or practical due to the large displaced populations.The paper will discuss theinter linkages of the slow onset hazard in a sinking and shrinking delta to explore pathways to achieve sustainable outcomes in south Asian deltas.  </p>

scholarly journals Process Controls of the Live Root Zone and Carbon Sequestration Capacity of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, Bangladesh

Sci ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
Edwin J. Bomer ◽  
Carol A. Wilson ◽  
Tracy Elsey-Quirk
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Surface Elevation ◽  
Mangrove Forests ◽  
Elevation Change ◽  
Surface Elevation Change ◽  
Process Controls ◽  
Sundarbans Mangrove ◽  
The Sundarbans

The conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems, like mangrove forests and salt marshes, represents a critical strategy for mitigating atmospheric emissions and climate change in the 21st century. Yet the existence of these environments is threatened by human-induced disturbances, namely deforestation and accelerated sea-level rise. Coastal systems maintain surface elevation in response to sea-level rise through a combination of physical and biological processes both above and below the ground surface. The quantification and relative contribution of belowground process controls (e.g., seasonal water content, organic matter decomposition) on surface elevation change is largely unexplored but crucial for informing coastal ecosystem sustainability. To address this knowledge deficit, we integrated measurements of surface elevation change of the live root zone (0.5 to 1 m depth) with geotechnical data from co-located sediment cores in the Sundarbans mangrove forest (SMF) of southwest Bangladesh. Core data reveal that the primary belowground controls on surface elevation change include seasonal fluctuations in pore-water content and the relative abundance of fine-grained sediments capable of volumetric expansion and contraction, supporting an elevation gain of ~2.42 ± 0.26 cm year−1. In contrast to many mangrove environments, the soils of the SMF contain little organic matter and are dominantly composed (>90%) of inorganic clastic sediments. The mineral-rich soil texture likely leads to less compaction-induced subsidence as compared to organic-rich substrates and facilitates surface equilibrium in response to sea level rise. Despite a relatively high soil bulk density, soil carbon (C) density of the SMF is very low owing to the dearth of preserved organic content. However, rates of C accumulation are balanced out by locally high accretion rates, rendering the SMF a greater sink of terrestrial C than the worldwide mangrove average. The findings of this study demonstrate that C accumulation in the SMF, and possibly other alluvial mangrove forests, is highly dependent on the continued delivery of sediment to the mangrove platform and associated settings.

scholarly journals Process Controls of the Live Root Zone and Carbon Sequestration Capacity of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, Bangladesh

Sci ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Edwin J. Bomer ◽  
Carol A. Wilson ◽  
Tracy Elsey-Quirk
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Surface Elevation ◽  
Mangrove Forests ◽  
Elevation Change ◽  
Surface Elevation Change ◽  
Process Controls ◽  
Sundarbans Mangrove ◽  
The Sundarbans

The conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems, like mangrove forests and salt marshes, represents a critical strategy for mitigating atmospheric emissions and climate change in the 21st century. Yet the existence of these environments is threatened by human-induced disturbances, namely deforestation and accelerated sea-level rise. Coastal systems maintain surface elevation in response to sea-level rise through a combination of physical and biological processes both above and below the ground surface. The quantification and relative contribution of belowground process controls (e.g., seasonal water content, organic matter decomposition) on surface elevation change is largely unexplored but crucial for informing coastal ecosystem sustainability. To address this knowledge deficit, we integrated measurements of surface elevation change of the live root zone (0.5 to 1 m depth) with geotechnical data from co-located sediment cores in the Sundarbans mangrove forest (SMF) of southwest Bangladesh. Core data reveal that the primary belowground controls on surface elevation change include seasonal fluctuations in pore-water content and the relative abundance of fine-grained sediments capable of volumetric expansion and contraction. In contrast to many mangrove environments, the soils of the SMF contain little organic matter and are dominantly composed (>90%) of inorganic clastic sediments. The mineral-rich soil texture likely leads to less compaction-induced subsidence as compared to organic-rich substrates and facilitates surface equilibrium in response to sea level rise. Despite a relatively high soil bulk density, soil carbon (C) density of the SMF is very low owing to the dearth of preserved organic content. However, rates of C accumulation are balanced out by locally high accretion rates, rendering the SMF a greater sink of terrestrial C than the worldwide mangrove average. The findings of this study demonstrate that C accumulation in the SMF, and possibly other alluvial mangrove forests, is highly dependent on the continued delivery of sediment to the mangrove platform and associated settings.

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