MD' SAIDUR RAHMAN

1
WELCOME
to
THE PRESENTATION 0n
SUNDARBAN
A Large Biodiversity-rich Unique Mangrove
Ecosystem
Presented by MD. SAIDUR RAHMAN IDEC, Hiroshima
University
January 30, 2007
2
MANGROVE
If there is no mangrove forests, then the sea
will have no meaning. It is like having a tree
without roots, ..mangroves are the roots of the
sea. - A Fisherman on the coast of the Andaman
Sea.

• Mangroves are salt-tolerant woody plants that
  exist in conditions of high salinity, extreme
  tides, strong winds, high temperatures and muddy
  soils at the interface between inter-tidal
  tropical and sub-tropical coastlines.
• "Mangroves are unique because they are a gift of
  the tides along low-lying tropical and
  occasionally subtropical coastal areas, along the
  margins of estuaries, deltas, coastal lagoons,
  and brackish tidal waters in general. There are
  no mangroves where there are no tides" M.
  Vannuci.
• Evolutionary adaptation to anaerobic saline soils
  of coastal environment meant the development of
  specialized and unique morphological and
  physiological adaptations like prop roots, knee
  roots, breathing roots, salt excreting leaves
  with sunken stomata, viviparous germination,
  dispersal of seeds and propagules by water
  currents and mechanisms to anchor the plant into
  a semi-fluid substratum.
• Healthy mangrove forests are key to a healthy
  marine ecology.
• The total global area of the mangroves is
  estimated at only 18.1 million ha, against over
  570 million ha of freshwater wetlands including
  peatlands globally (but excluding paddy fields
  Spiers, 1999).
• More than 41 of the worlds mangroves occur in
  South and Southeast Asia of which Indonesia alone
  accounts for 23 .
• While practically all mangroves occur in small
  patches that develop in deltaic habitats, the
  Sundarban is the only contiguous and largest
  coastal wetland system in the world.

"One perceives a forest of jagged, gnarled trees
protruding from the surface of the sea, roots
anchored in deep, black, foul-smelling mud,
verdant crowns arching toward a blazing
sun...Here is where the land and sea intertwine,
where the line dividing the ocean and continent
blurs, in this setting the marine biologist and
the forest ecologist both must work at the
extreme reaches of their disciplines." - The
Scientific American, a US specialized journal
(March 1996 issue).
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SUNDARBAN

• The single largest block of tidal halophytic
  mangrove forest in the world shared between
  Bangladesh and India.
• Sundarban named after the Sundri (beautiful)
  tree (Heritiera fomes), a mangrove tree that
  requires freshwater.
• Bangladesh and Indian portion of the forest are
  listed in the UNESCO world heritage list
  separately as the Sundarban i.e.the beautiful
  forest and Sundarban National Park respectively,
  though they are simply parts of the same forest.
• Covering about one million ha consists of about
  200 islands, separated by about 400
  interconnected tidal rivers, creeks and canals.
• Supports a large, biodiversity-rich unique
  ecosystem.
• With its array of trees and wildlife the forest
  is a showpiece of natural history. It is also a
  center of economic activities, such as extraction
  of timber, fishing and collection of honey as
  well as eco-tourism.

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HISTORY Facts Figures

• Exploration of the Sundarban dates back to the
  16th century and the present area is
  approximately half the size of the area of
  mangrove that existed 200 years ago.
• Declared as a Reserve Forest in 1875
• In 1911, it was described as a tract of waste
  country and total area (including water) was
  estimated at 6526 square miles.
• It was a water-logged jungle, in which tigers and
  other wild beasts abounded. Attempts at
  reclamation had not been very successful.
• In 1947, the Sundarban mangroves divided between
  India and Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan
  geo-political change.
• Bangladesh part- Sundarban, covers about 62
  (6,017 km2) and Indian part- Sundarban National
  Park, covers about 38 of 1 million ha forest
  area.
• Three wildlife sanctuaries of Bangladesh
  Sundarban came under the UNESCO World Heritage
  Site in 1999 which were established in 1977 under
  the Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation)
  (Amendment) Act, 1974.
• Presently the forest lies under two forest
  divisions, and four administrative ranges and has
  16 forest stations. It is further divided into 55
  compartments and 9 blocks.

5
GEO-GRAPHIC LOCATION

• Located between the latitudes 21º30N and
  22º30N, and longitudes 89º00E and 89º55E.
• In the delta of the rivers Ganga, Brahmaputra and
  Meghna at the point where it merges with the Bay
  of Bengal
• Shared between two neighboring countries,
  Bangladesh and India, the larger part (62) is
  situated in the southwest corner of Bangladesh.
• To the south the forest meets the Bay of Bengal
  to the east it is bordered by the Baleswar River
  and to the north there is a sharp interface with
  intensively cultivated land.

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SUNDARBAN GEO-ECOLOGICAL PROFILE

• The mangrove-dominated Ganges delta the
  Sundarban - is a complex ecosystem comprising one
  of the three largest single tract of mangrove
  forests of the world.
• Formed by the late Pleistocene alluvial deposits
  in this delta.
• The geological setting of the Sundarban ecosystem
  is a delta of interconnecting large rivers and
  the sediment is of recent origin, consisting of
  alluvium washed down from the Himalayas deposited
  over the older sediments carried by the three
  rivers.
• The forest floor is 0.91m to 2.11m above mean sea
  level.
• The soil is a silty clay loam with alternate
  layers of clay, silt and sand. The surface is
  clay except on the seaward side of islands in the
  coastal limits, where sandy beaches occur.
• Na Ca contents vary from 5.7 to 29.8 meq/100g
  dry soil. K content is low, 0.3-1.3 meq/100g dry
  soil. Organic matter content varies between 4
  and 10. Soil salinity increases from east
  (slight to moderate) to west (highly saline), but
  the salinity is not uniform from north to south
  throughout the forest. pH ranges widely from 5.3
  to 8.0
• The land is molded by tidal action, resulting in
  a distinctive physiography.
• Rivers in the Sundarbans are meeting places of
  salt water and freshwater.
• It is intersected by a complex network of tidal
  waterways, mudflats and small islands of
  salt-tolerant mangrove forests, and presents an
  excellent example of ongoing ecological
  processes.
• Eastward tilting of the delta, rapid sediment
  accumulation (to 0.7 cm/yr), marked land
  subsidence (to 0.5 cm/yr), large-scale land
  reclamation and decreased river flow influx.

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BIODIVERSITY OF SUNDARBAN

• Largest diversity of mangrove plants on the Globe
  characterized by a very dynamic environment due
  to the effect of tide, flooding, salinity, and
  cyclones.
• Only this mangrove area on earth inhabited by
  man-eating tigers
• The forest has a unique biota comprising
• 334 species of plants
• 49 species of mammals
• 400 species of fish
• 320 species of birds
• 53 species of reptiles
• 11 amphibian species
• Numerous invertebrates, phytoplankton, fungi,
  bacteria, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates,
  molluscs etc.
• Species composition and community structure
  varies east to west, and along the hydrological
  and salinity gradients

At least 37 species of 'obligate' mangrove
plants, 127 species of euryhaline fish, a total
of 1287 animal species comprising 873
invertebrates, 1 species of Hemichordata, and 413
species of vertebrates
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FLORA

• Vegetation is largely of mangrove type and
  encompasses a variety of plants including trees,
  shrubs, grasses, epiphytes, and lianas.
• Recorded 334 plant species under 245 genera.
• 17 pteridophytes
• 87 monocotyledons
• rest dicotyledons.
• Plant species include
• 35 legumes
• 29 grasses
• 19 sedges, and
• 18 euphorbias
• 37 obligate mangrove
• 35 out of 50 true mangrove plant species
• Almost all mangrove plant species are evergreen,
  dwarf, shrubby or tall trees, and grow
  gregariously without leaving any space on the
  floor.

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FLORA

• The vegetation is largely of mangrove type and
  encompasses a variety of plants including trees,
  shrubs, grasses, epiphytes, and lianas. Being
  mostly evergreen, they possess more or less
  similar physiological and structural adaptations.
  Most trees have pneumatophores for aerial
  respiration.
• In the Sundarban, the saltwater forest is
  situated in the south-western part where Gewa (E.
  agallocha), Goran (Ceriops decandra), Keora
  (Sonneratia apetala), Ora (S. caseolaris), Passur
  (Xylocarpus mekongensis), Dhundul (X. granatum),
  Bain (Avicennia alba, A. marina, A. officinales),
  and other rhizophores, and Hantal (Phoenix
  pelludosa) dominate.
• The typical mangrove species dominate the central
  part of the forest.
• The moderate saltwater forest covers most of the
  southern parts of Khulna and Bagerhat districts
  where Sundari is the dominant species.
• The Sundarban shows some distinct
  phyto-succession, where the newly formed lands
  are occupied by some pioneer species viz Leersia
  hexandra, wild rice (Potresia species), followed
  by Avicennia, Sonneratia and Aegiceras.
• The secondary succession occurs due to Ceriops,
  Excoecaria, Bruguiera, Heritiera, Xylocarpus and
  Rhizophora. Tiger fern (Achrostichum aureum)
  mostly covers the ground floor, which is common
  in saltwater and moderately saltwater zones.
  Tigers use these bushes to camouflage themselves.

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SUNDARI Prominent Plant Species

• Heritiera fomes, locally called
  Sundari (beautiful), of the family Sterculiaceae
  is the dominant plant species
• The species is distributed up to about 70 of the
  forest.
• The name Sundarban is supposed to be derived from
  the name of the plant, Sundari.
• It is adapted to flourishing high tide once
  dominated in the forest, and to the low saline
  and freshwater zone.
• The other species of Sundari, H. littoralis, is
  mostly found in the western part of the Sundarban
  
• Grow up to 25 m trunk straight leaves elliptic
  roots with pneumatophores blind root sucker
  bell-shaped flowers are small, about 5 mm,
  unisexual, orange to pinkish fruits are formed
  in clusters.
• Chief source of timber the annual production is
  about 250,000 cft wood is hard, red in color,
  used mostly in boat building, in making
  hard-board, furniture, good quality charcoal etc.
  
• Sundari plants are declining because of
  overexploitation, and also due to top dying
  diseases about 50 per cent of the trees suffer
  from top dying diseases.
• increased salinity is considered responsible for
  the top dying diseases

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NIPA PALM Prominent Plant Species

• There is a thick mat of the nipa palm (Nipa
  fruticans) by the side of almost all the canals
  in the moderately freshwater zones.
• Locally known as Golpata, is a member of the
  family Arecaceae ( Palmae).
• It is a trunkless palm with tall erect leaves
  (3-9m long). The underground stem is a short
  horizontal rhizome with massive dense root
  system.
• Nipa generally occurs in the mangroves along the
  banks of the rivers and streams in slightly and
  moderately saline zones, and needs regular
  inundation freshwater.
• Nipas leaves are quite durable and used for
  thatching houses, making hats, baskets,
  umbrellas, mats etc.
• Tapping of growing inflorescence exudes sap that
  produces vinegar and alcohol. Sap on boiling
  produces brown sugar. Endosperms of young seeds
  are edible.
• About 2,100 metric tones of nipa leaves are
  harvested annually from the Sundarban. Nipa leaf
  collection provides employment of about 19,000
  people.
• Nipa regenerates naturally in the mangrove. It
  can also be propagated artificially by planting
  seedlings along the muddy banks of mangrove
  forests and also in exposed shorelines.

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SOME MANGROVE PLANT SPECIES
Keora ( Sonneratia apetala) Mangrove Apple
Phoenix paludosa
Excoecaria agallocha
Aegiceras corniculatum
Bruguiera gymnorrhiza
Rhizophora apiculata
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FAUNA

• Sundarban hosts a large variety of Fauna.
• Faunal Changes over the last two centuries
• Javan rhino, wild buffalo, hog deer barking
  deer are already extinct from the area.
• Sundarban is the last stronghold of the Royal
  Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris).
• Besides, spotted deer (cervus axis), barking deer
  (muntiacus muntjak), dolphins, rhesus macaque,
  jungle cat, leopard cat, fishing cats, wild boar,
  mongoose, fox, flying fox, pangolin, chital etc.
  inhibit.
• Ecological diversity of the Sundarban supports a
  large variety of crocodiles, birds, fishes,
  insects (ants, bees etc.), snakes, frogs etc.
• Faunal Diversity at a glance
• Vertebrate 481
• Hemichordate 1
• Invertebrate 1104
• Protozoan 106
• Mammals 58
• Reptiles 55
• Amphibians 11
• Birds 320
• Fish 400
• Spider (Araneae) 300
• Shrimp 20
• Lobster 8

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HOME OF ROYAL BENGAL TIGERS
Sundarban mangrove forest is the single largest
home of the Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris)
and is also the only mangrove forest in the world
having the tiger as its indigenous population.
The Sundarban tiger population is supposed to be
the largest surviving tiger population in the
world. Estimates of the number tigers in
Bangladesh Sundarban vary between 300 and 400,
but there is a serious risk for their survival
due to diseases, decrease of sudden prey, and
pollution.
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SUNDARBAN DEERS
Spotted Deer (chitra harin) is a medium-sized
deer species, Cervus axis standing about 70-95 cm
high at the shoulder. Locally known as Chitra or
Chital because of its rufous brown coat adorned
with white spots that persist throughout life. A
dark stripe runs down the back from the nape to
the tip of the tail. The abdomen, rump, throat
and the insides of the legs, tail and ears are
white. A black band circles the muzzle. The adult
weighs about 85 kg.
Barking Deer (maya harin) is only about 40-62 cm
at the shoulder. From a distance, their call
sounds much like the bark of a dog. When alarmed
they give out a series of short cackling barks.
Because of this habit, the species is popularly
known as barking deer.
Deer is the most important herbivore in terms of
number and biomass, and deer grazing and browsing
is a main factor in the structure of the
vegetation cover. Moreover, deer is the main prey
of the Sundarban tiger.
Due to indiscriminate hunting for meat and fur,
deer population have declined alarmingly since
1950
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CROCODILE PYTHON

• Of about 50 species of reptiles the largest
  member in the Sundarbans is the Estuarine
  crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)
• Some of which may attain a length of about seven
  meters.
• Although once they were abundant in this mangrove
  habitat, their total number is now estimated to
  be around 250.
• Species of lizards, including the Monitor Lizards
  Varanus, turtles, and snakes are
  well-represented.
• Among the snakes, the King Cobra (Ophiophagus
  hannah), Russell's Viper (Vipera russellii), Rock
  python (Python molurus), Banded Krait (Bungarus
  fasciatus) and several species of sea snakes are
  notable.

Estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus),
Rock python (Python molurus),
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BIRDS of SUNDARBAN

• Ecological diversity of Sundarban supports a
  large variety of birds- about 320 species most
  are resident.
• Over 50 species are migratory and mostly
  represented by the waterfowls.
• Egrets, storks, herons, bitterns, sandpipers,
  curlew, and numerous other waders seen along the
  muddy banks.
• Many species of gulls and terns, especially along
  the seacoast and the larger waterways.
• Accipitridae (kites, eagles, vulture, harrier
  etc) accounts more than 22 species.
• Kingfishers are more than 9 species
• The rich avifaunas of the forest include species
  of woodpeckers, barbets, owls, bee-eaters,
  bulbul, shrikes, drongos, starlings, mynas,
  babblers, thrush, oriole, flycatchers, and many
  others.

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SUNDARBAN FISHERIES
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SUNDARBAN THE ECO-TOURISM
Sundarban is a nature's school for the
Eco-tourists. Here land and water meet in many
novel fashions, wildlife presents many a
spectacle. No wonder, you may come across a Royal
Bengal Tiger swimming across the streams or the
crocodiles basking on the river banks, or
boisterous monkeys showering Keora leaves for
sumptuous meal of curious deer.
The nature's magic of high tide-low tide,
coolness calmness of nature, the Mangrove
species like Rhizophores having stilt roots, or
Pneumatophores having breathing roots, or Phoenix
(Golpata) providing perfect camouflage for the
tigers, teach the tourists about Nature's
determination to survive and sustain. For the
botanist, ecologist, the lover of nature, the
poet and the painter this land provides a variety
of wonder for which they all crave.
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Great Forest in Great Danger Threats to
Biodiversity

• Anthropogenic impacts like reclamation, human
  encroachment and influence
• Geomorphic stress caused by the neo-tectonic
  tilting of the Bengal basin
• Recurrent coastal flooding due to climate change
  (global warming), changes in sea level (raise in
  sea level)
• Huge silt deposition, biodiversity loss and
  regeneration problems of obligate mangrove plants
  
• High salinity, low water table and acidity
  problem, loss of soil fertility, coastal erosion
  and a steep fall in fishery resources
• Reduction in the periodicity and quantity of
  freshwater reaching the mangrove environment due
  to diversion of freshwater in the upstream areas
  (especially due Farakka Barrage constructed by
  India) and change in course of main rivers
• Conversion of mangrove tracts for aquaculture and
  agriculture
• Extension of other non-forestry land use into
  mangrove forest
• Increasing demand for timber and fuel wood for
  consumption
• Poaching of tiger, spotted deer, wild boar,
  marine turtles, horse shoe crab etc
• Uncontrolled collection of prawn seedlings
• Uncontrolled fishing in the water of Reserve
  Forests
• Continuous trampling of river/creek banks by
  fishermen and prawn seed collectors
• Pollution from both the landward and seaward
  sides through marine paints hydrocarbons ,
  usage of excessive pesticides chemicals for
  agricultures industries, exploitation of
  mineral gas and oil etc
• Organizational and infrastructure deficiencies
• Lack of public awareness

21
Great Forest in Great Danger Threats to
Biodiversity
Forest degradation has been occurring in many
parts of Sundarban
Shrimp farming is one of the major threats to
mangrove forests
22
ENDANGER SPECIES
Some people hunt wild animals just for fun .
Others kill them to sell their body parts. In
this way their number becomes less, lesser, and
least. That is why they are called Endanger
Species Some endanger species
are------ Tiger Spotted Deer Python
Elephant Yak

23
MANAGEMENT THE EFFORTS ATTEMPTS

• The Sundarban mangrove forest has a long forest
  management history.
• The area was mapped as early as 1764, soon after
  proprietary rights were obtained by the East
  India Company in 1757.
• The first Forest Management Division with
  jurisdiction over the Sundarban was established
  in 1869 and the first management plan was
  introduced in 1892.
• Conservation of the Sundarban mangrove is
  supposed to have started with its declaration as
  a reserve forest, under the Forest Act in 1878.
• In 1977, Bangladesh created three wildlife
  sanctuaries the Sundarban West (71,502 ha),
  Sundarban East (31,226 ha) and Sundarban South
  (36,970 ha), protecting about 23.5 of the
  remaining Sundarban under the Bangladesh Wildlife
  (Preservation) (Amendment) Act, 1974.
• In 1987, the Sundarban National Park in India,
  and in 1997, the Sundarban in Bangladesh, were
  inscribed on the World Heritage list (IUCN, 1997)
  and thereafter it receives more attention.

RECENT

• Artificial regeneration in the reclaimed bank
  areas.
• The declaration of the entire inter-tidal zone as
  a Biosphere Reserve.
• Natural regeneration aided by community
  participation in the form of a joint forestry
  management program. Part of the degraded mangrove
  within the forest area have been converted to
  dense mangrove.
• In the late 1990s the Sundarban Biodiversity
  Conservation Project (SBCP) funded ADB, Global
  Environment Facility and the Government of the
  Netherlands for preservation and effective
  management.

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WILD LIFE SANCTUARIES

• In 1977, Bangladesh created three wildlife
  sanctuaries (about 23.5 )
• Sundarban West (9,069 ha)
• Sundarban South (17,878 ha)
• Sundarban East (5,439 ha)
• Remaining Sundarban under the Bangladesh Wildlife
  (Preservation) (Amendment) Act, 1974.

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IMPORTANCE OF SUNDARBAN

• Mangrove areas are globally important and support
  some of the most productive ecosystems with
  productivity about 20 times more than the average
  oceanic production. The ecosystem is
  detritus-based and not plankton-based. Such
  ecosystems exhibit high internal entropy with
  intensive recycling leading to the creation of
  nutrients which lead to the growth of the
  plankton community in the adjoining water bodies.
• Mangroves offer shelter and are convenient
  nursery grounds for many species particularly of
  fish and crustaceans they contribute to the
  siltation process that eventually creates new
  islands they provide feeding and nesting
  opportunities for aerial fauna and have many
  other interactions with other systems.
• Mangroves enrich and protect coastal waters by
  preventing erosion, act as barrier against
  typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes, protect coral
  reefs from siltation, yield commercial forest
  products, have medicinal value, support coastal
  fisheries and contribute significantly to the
  global carbon cycle. Mangrove systems support a
  wealth of microorganisms and other life forms,
  some of which are unique to the area. The
  mangroves have a large capacity to metabolize
  organic wastes and have been termed as natural
  sewage-treatment works.

"..conservation of mangrove ecosystems transcends
the biodiversity issue, since it can also
significantly contribute to maintenance of the
environmental health of tropical coastal areas"
D. L. Lacerda
26
THE FUTUTE

• Mangrove forests once covered three-fourths of
  the coastlines of tropical and sub-tropical
  countries. Today, less than 50 of that is
  surviving. And then again, of this remaining
  mangrove forests, over 50 has been degraded and
  not in good form.
• Far-reaching changes are also taking place slowly
  but steadily in the Sundarban region for years
  together due to direct and indirect impact of
  human interventions which are affecting its
  delicate ecosystem
• Salinity of the Sundarban is increasing --
  particularly in the western region due to lack of
  freshwater as main waterways are shifting
  eastwards for withdrawing water from the main
  stream especially by Farakka Barrage.
• Further, the decision taken by India for the
  construction of a mega river-linking project to
  withdraw the water form the main stream will
  cause serious problem in supplying the freshwater
  to Sundarban which will destroy the mangrove
  ecosystem.
• Urgent steps are necessary to stop and reverse
  the current trend of deforestation and loss of
  biodiversity in the Sundarban.
• Sundarban has to be managed by an institution
  capable of managing a multidimensional resource.
  In addition to increased financial resources, a
  significant improvement in the institutional
  capacity of the Forest Department and an improved
  management approach based on appropriate
  research, community participation, and scientific
  planning is necessary.
• Finally, greater and comprehensive protection
  measures should be taken in national and
  international level for maintaining the high
  quality mangrove forests with a large
  biodiversity-rich ecosystem like the beautiful
  forest Sundarban, a Worlds Heritage Site.

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Thank you very much for patient hearing