Coastal Systems and Landscapes - (The Sundarbans region - Humans at the coast) Flashcards
Where is the Sundarbans region?
Southwest of Bangladesh and India.
On the Delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the bay of Bengal.
What are large parts of the region protected by?
National park or forest reserve. Part of the largest mangrove forest in the world.
What is the topography of the land in the Sundarbans?
Flat and low lying.
Intersected by thousands of channels, many containing small sandy or silty islands.
What rare species of plant and animal is the Sundarbans home to?
Orchids, white bellied sea eagles, royal Bengal tigers and Irawadi dolphins.
True or false in its natural state the coastal system is in natural equilibrium.
True.
Why does the size of the sediment store stay roughly the same?
Material is deposited by the rivers, allowing growth of the mangroves forest. It is also eroded by the sea, so the size of the sediment store stays roughly the same.
How many people is the Sundarbans region home to?
4 million.
What natural products does the area provide that can be used by the people of the area for economic benefits?
The flat fertile land good for growing crops particularly rice.
Rich ecosystem provides population with fish, crabs, honey and nipa palm leaves used for making baskets.
The mangroves roots provide timber for construction, firewood and furniture.
What service does the Sundarbans provide for the people living there?
Natural defence against flooding. It acts as a barrier against rough seas and absorbs excess water in the rainy (monsoon) season. Makes it easier to live and grow crops.
Also protects the area against costal erosion as the roots bind the soil together.
What opportunities for development do the Sundarbans bring to improve Bangladesh as a whole?
Tourism opportunities as visitors are attracted by the mangroves and the 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 for ships.
A power plant has been proposed just north of the national park, providing energy for the people of the region.
True or false - Occupation of the Sundarbans poses little to no risk.
False - Poses a big risk.
Why is there a lack of fresh water for drinking and irrigation in much of the area?
Because fresh water is diverted from the rivers for irrigation of agricultural land further upstream.
What has a growing population led to?
A need for more fuel and agricultural land meaning the mangroves are being removed. This increases the risk for flooding e.g. from tropical cyclones and coastal erosion.
Removal of the Sundarbans can lead to flooding. Why is this bad?
Flooding can lead to salinisation of the soil making it hard to grow crops.
What dangerous animals is the Sundarbans home to that could attack humans?
Tigers, sharks and crocodiles.
What opportunities is there a lack of in the Sundarbans?
Employment and income opportunities.
Why is the low-lying land a risk?
Rising sea levels through global warming.
Why would residents potentially not receive flood warnings?
A poor region with only 1/5 of households having electricity. This makes communication either by TV or radio difficult.
How is access to the Sundarbans difficult and how does this affect development?
Very few roads and those that do exist are poor quality.
Makes it harder for residents to receive goods, healthcare and education.
What are the 3 ways of dealing with risks?
Resilience, mitigation and adaption.
What is resilience?
Being able to cope with challenges the environment presents.
What are examples of resilience in the Sundarbans?
Public health engineering development 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 allowing 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 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?
Reducing the severity of hazards or other problems.
What are example of mitigation methods in the Sundarbans?
3500km of embankments were built to prevent flooding. However the embankments are gradually being eroded and around 800km are vulnerable to being breaching during storms and tsunamis.
Coastal management projects aim to protect existing mangrove forest and replant areas that have been removed to protect against flooding and erosion. Difficult to prevent illegal forest clearing throughout the whole region, and is unclear whether the mangroves will withstand sea level rise.
Attempts to mitigate extreme events e.g. 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 adaption?
Adjusting behaviour to fit the environment.
What are examples of adaption in the Sundarbans?
Salt resistant varieties of rice are being grown. Helps residents cope with rising sea level rise and flooding. However, relying on smaller range of crops can reduce biodiversity and may increase vulnerability to pests and disease.
Projects to increase tourism in 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.
Adapt to sea level rising e.g. by building their houses on stilts. However, infrastructure such as roads cannot be protected easily.
Non-intensive farming practices and promoting eco-tourism will help ensure that the fragile environment remains relatively undamaged and usable for future generations.
