Coasts - Sundarbans Case study Flashcards
(32 cards)
Where is the Sundarbans region?
Southwest Bangladesh and East India on the delta of the Ganges on the Bay of Bengal
What is the Sundarbans region?
The largest mangrove forest in the world
What is the topography of the Sundarbans region?
Very flat and low-lying
What is the Sundarbans region intersected by
Thousands of channels containing sandy or silty islands
What are large regions of the Sundarbans protected by?
A National Park or forest reserve
What rare species is the Sundarbans home to?
Orchids, white-bellied sea eagles, Royal Bengal tigers, Irawadi dolphins
In it’s natural state the coastal system is in …
Dynamic Equilibrium
Why does the size of the sediment store remain roughly the same?
Material is deposited by the rivers and eroded by the sea
How many people is the Sundarbans home to?
4 Million
What are the types of opportunities provided by the Sundarbans?
- Economic benefits through natural products
- services
- Development to increase the wealth of Bangladesh
What are the opportunities through natural products that are available?
- Flat fertile land ideal for crops (rice)
- Rich ecosystem provides fish, crabs and honey
- Forests provide nipa palm leaves and timber for construction, firewood and furniture
What are the services provided?
- Natural flood barrier
- Protection from coastal erosion (roots bind soil together)
What are the opportunities provided for development?
- Tourism
- Dredging of channels to allow passage of ships
- Power plant just north of the region
What are the first 4 risks created by the Sundarbans for occupation and development?
1) Lack of fresh water
2) Mangroves removed for population (increased flooding)
3) Flooding leads to salinisation (more saltiness) so harder to grow crops
4) Dangerous animals that attack humans
What are the second 4 risks that are created by the sundarbans for occupation and development?
5) Lack of employment and income
6) At risk from rising sea levels
7) Lack of communication so no flood warnings
8) Few roads so limitations in development, goods, healthcare and education
What are the main ways that people have tried to overcome these risks?
1) resilience
2) mitigation
3) adaptation
What is resilience?
Being able to cope with the challenges the environment presents
What is mitigation?
Reducing the severity of hazards or other problems
What is adaptation?
Adjusting behaviour to fit the environment
What has been done to improve the population’s resilience?
- Access to clean water and sanitation
- Better roads and bridges built
- Electricity and solar panels are being extended to more areas
- Effort to decrease poverty
- Training in sustainable methods of fishing and farming
Who increased access to clean water and sanitation
The Public Health Engineering Department
What is a disadvantage of building better roads and bridges?
Deforestation and pollution
What are two advantages of increased electricity?
Flood warnings and Employment
Who provides training in sustainable methods of fishing and farming?
Some NGO’s
