Humans at the coast-coast study Flashcards
The Sundarbans region
The Sundarbans region is in southwest Bangladesh and east India, on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal.
Mangrove is a type of forest found in tropical areas. The trees are adapted to living in salt water and grow on mud flats.
Large parts of the region are protected as a National Park or forest reserve. It is part of the largest mangrove forest in the world.
The land is very flat and low-lying. It is intersected by thousands of channels, many containing small sandy or silty islands.
The Sundarbans is home to many rare species of plants and animals, including orchids, white-bellied sea eagles, Royal Bengal tigers and Irawadi dolphins.
It is in a natural state
The coastal system is in dynamic equilibrium. Material is deposited by the rivers, allowing the growth of the mangrove forests. It is also eroded by the sea, so the size of the sediment store remains roughly the same.
Economic benefits
The Sundarbans region is home to more than 4 million people.
The flat, fertile land of the river deltas is ideal for growing crops, particularly rice. The rich ecosystem of the mangrove forest provides the local population with fish, crabs, honey and nipa palm leaves used for roofing and basket-making.
The mangrove forests provide timber for construction, firewood and furniture.
The Sundarbans also provides services for the people who live there:
The mangrove forest provides a natural defence against flooding-it acts as a barrier against rough seas and absorbs excess water in the rainy (monsoon) season. This makes it easier to live and grow crops.
The mangroves also protect the area against coastal erosion-their roots bind the soil together.
There are also opportunities for development, to increase the wealth of Bangladesh as a whole:
There are opportunities for tourism-visitors are attracted by the mangroves and wildlife.
Since 2011, cargo ships transporting goods such as oil and food inland have been allowed to use the waterways. Some channels have been dredged to make passage easier for the ships.
A power plant has been proposed just north of the national park, providing energy for people in the region.
Occupation brings risks
1)There is a lack of fresh water for drinking and irrigation in much of the area. This is because fresh water is diverted from the rivers for irrigation of agricultural land further upstream.
2) The growing population has led to a need for more fuel and more agricultural land, so the mangrove forests are being removed. This increases the risk of flooding (e.g. during tropical cyclones) and coastal erosion. 3) Flooding can lead to salinisation (increased saltiness) of soil, making it hard to grow crops.
4) The Sundarbans is home to dangerous animals that attack humans, including tigers, sharks and crocodiles.
5) There is a lack of employment and income opportunities.
6) The low-lying land is at risk from rising sea levels due to global warming.
7) It is a relatively poor region, and only one-fifth of households have access to mains electricity. This makes communication by e.g. television and radio difficult, meaning that residents often don’t receive flood warnings.
8) Access is difficult-there are few roads, and those that exist are of poor quality. This limits opportunities for development, and makes it harder for residents to receive goods, healthcare and education.
What is resilience
Resilience means being able to cope with the challenges the environment presents. There are attempts to increase the population’s resilience.
Resilience examples:
The Public Health Engineering Department is increasing access to clean water and sanitation. This will improve health and quality of life.
Better roads and bridges are being built in the region, improving access for residents and visitors. However, this can lead to deforestation and other environmental damage.
Mains electricity is being extended to more areas, and subsidised solar panels are being made available in remote villages to allow them to generate their own power. This will make it easier for flood warnings to reach communities, and could create employment opportunities.
There are efforts to decrease poverty and increase food security in the region, for example by providing farming subsidies to increase food production and provide jobs. However, there is a risk that some areas of land may be farmed too intensively, causing environmental damage.
Some NGOs are offering training in sustainable methods of fishing and farming, to help prevent environmental damage from over-exploitation or poor practices.
What is mitigation
Mitigation means reducing the severity of hazards or other problems
Mitigation examples:
3500 km of embankments were built to prevent flooding. However, the embankments are gradually being eroded, and around 800 km are vulnerable to being breached during storms and tsunamis.
Coastal management projects aim to protect existing mangrove forests and replant areas that have been removed, to protect against flooding and erosion. However, it is difficult to prevent illegal forest clearance throughout the whole region, and it is unclear whether the mangroves will withstand sea level rise.
There are attempts to mitigate the impacts of extreme events, e.g. cyclones. For example, the government and NGOs have provided funding for cyclone shelters and early warning systems, which should help people shelter or evacuate. However, many people may not have transport available to enable them to evacuate quickly.
What is adaptation
Adaptation means adjusting behaviour to fit the environment. As the environment of the Sundarbans changes (due to e.g. climate change and sea level rise), people will need to adapt to it to reduce risks and increase benefits.
Adaptation examples:
In some areas, salt-resistant varieties of rice are being grown-this could help residents 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.
Projects are underway to increase tourism to the area, providing jobs and income. For example, lodges have been built and tour operators run boat trips on the rivers. However, if not properly managed, tourism can cause environmental damage.
People can adapt to sea level rise or flooding, e.g. by building houses on stilts. However, infrastructure such as roads cannot be protected as easily.
Sustainable adaptations, e.g. using non-intensive farming practices and promoting ecotourism, will help ensure that the fragile environment remains relatively undamaged and usable for future generations.
