Introduction

Abstract

No AccessFeb 2021IntroductionAuthors/Editors: Susmita Dasgupta, David Wheeler, Md. Istiak Sobhan, Sunando Bandyopadhyay, Ainun Nishat, Tapas PaulSusmita DasguptaSearch for more papers by this author, David WheelerSearch for more papers by this author, Md. Istiak SobhanSearch for more papers by this author, Sunando BandyopadhyaySearch for more papers by this author, Ainun NishatSearch for more papers by this author, Tapas PaulSearch for more papers by this authorhttps://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-1587-4_ch1AboutView ChaptersFull TextPDF (1 MB) ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareFacebookTwitterLinked In Abstract: Describes the internationally important wetland of the Sundarbans, the world’s largest remaining contiguous mangrove forest, which straddles large portions of coastal Bangladesh and India. The Sundarbans ecosystem offers a wide range of vital ecological services, including (1) trapping sediment and land formation; (2) cyclone protection for millions of people and assets in coastal Bangladesh and West Bengal; (3) providing a breeding ground and nursery for indigenous and marine fish, as well as other aquatic life; (4) wood production; (5) providing food and building materials; (6) oxygen production; (7) waste recycling; and (8) carbon sequestration. The Sundarbans is home to some of South Asia’s poorest and most vulnerable communities and is currently threatened by a combination of natural factors and human actions. Climate change–related threats addressed by multidisciplinary studies include sea-level rise, rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide, increased air and water temperature, changes in the frequency and intensity of precipitation and storms, and salinization of water and soil. ReferencesAgrawala, S, T Ota, A U Ahmed, J Smith, and M van Aalst. 2003. Development and Climate Change in Bangladesh: Focus on Coastal Flooding and the Sundarbans. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Google ScholarAlongi, D M 2008. “Mangrove Forests: Resilience, Protection from Tsunamis, and Responses to Global Climate Change.” Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 76 (1): 1–13. Google ScholarDanda, AA, AK Joshi, A Ghosh, and R Saha, eds. 2017. “State of Art Report on Biodiversity in Indian Sundarbans.” World Wide Fund for Nature-India, New Delhi. Google ScholarDasgupta, S, M Hossain, M Huq, and D Wheeler. 2016. “Facing the Hungry Tide: Climate Change, Livelihood Threats and Household Responses in Coastal Bangladesh.” Climate Change Economics 7 (3): 1–25. Google ScholarDasgupta, S, M Huq, I Sobhan, and D Wheeler. 2018. “Sea-Level Rise and Species Conservation in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans Region.” Journal of Management and Sustainability 8 (1): 1–12. Google ScholarDuke, NC 1992. “Mangrove Floristics and Biogeography.” In Tropical Mangrove Ecosystems, edited by Robertson, A I and D M Alongi, 63–100. Washington, DC: American Geophysical Union. Google ScholarIslam, S N and A Gnauck. 2007. “Effects of Salinity Intrusion in the Mangroves Wetlands Ecosystems in Sunderbans: An Alternative Approach for Sustainable Management.” In Wetlands: Monitoring, Modelling and Management, edited by Okruszko, Tomasz, Edward Maltby, Jan Szatylowicz, Dorota Miroslaw-Swiatek, and Wiktor Kotowski. London: Taylor and Francis Group. Google ScholarIUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). 2015. Red List of Bangladesh: A Brief on Assessment Result 2015, 24. Dhaka: IUCN. Google ScholarO’Donnell, A and Q Wodon, eds. 2015. Climate Change Adaptation and Social Resilience in the Sundarbans. London: Routledge. Google ScholarRaha, A K, S Zaman, K Sengupta, S B Bhattacharyya, S Raha, K Banerjee, and A Mitra. 2013. “Climate Change and Sustainable Livelihood Programme: A Case Study from Indian Sundarbans.” Journal of Ecology 107 (64): 335–48. Google ScholarRahman, M S, M H Gazi, S A Khan, and N U Sarder. 2015. “An Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Sundarban Mangrove Forest of Bangladesh.” Bangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy 22 (1): 17–41. Google ScholarWorld Bank. 2014. Building Resilience for Sustainable Development of the Sundarbans: Strategy Report. No. 88061-IN. South Asia Region, Sustainable Development Department, Environment and Water Resources Management Unit. Washington, DC: World Bank. Google Scholar Previous chapterNext chapter FiguresreferencesRecommendeddetails View Published: February 2021ISBN: 978-1-4648-1587-4 Copyright & Permissions Related CountriesBangladeshIndiaRelated TopicsAgricultureEnvironmentHealth Nutrition and PopulationWater Resources KeywordsWETLANDSMANGROVESMARINE ECOSYSTEMSCLIMATE CHANGESEDIMENTATIONWATER SUPPLYSEA LEVELSSALINIZATIONWATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENTADAPTATIONWATER POLLUTIONFOOD SECURITYCARBON SEQUESTRATIONCARBON DIOXIDE CONCENTRATIONRECYCLINGCOASTAL AREASCOASTAL COUNTRIES PDF DownloadLoading ...