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Coasts > Sundarbans case study > Flashcards

Sundarbans case study Flashcards

1
Q

Where are the Sundarbans?

A

Located on the south-west coast of Bangladesh just south of the Tropic of Cancer at 22° north.

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2
Q

What are the mean maximum and minimum temperatures of the Sundarbans and when do they occur?

A

Maximum: 34°c during June.

Minimum: 11°c during January.

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3
Q

When is the monsoon period in the Sundarbans?

A

June-October.

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4
Q

What % of annual precipitation is accounted for in the monsoon period?

A

80%

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5
Q

What is the relative humidity of the Sundarbans?

A

70-88%

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6
Q

How many people are the Sundarbans home to?

A

4.5 million people.

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7
Q

How big are the Sundarbans?

A

Approximately 40,000sq feet of delta.

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8
Q

How big are the Sundarbans?

A

Approximately 10,000km².

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9
Q

Name some rare, globally threatened species that can be found in the Sundarbans.

A

Fishing cats - mistaken for tiger cubs and killed, or killed for their meat for traditional practices.

Gangetic dolphins - accidental entanglement and drowning in fishing nets, and pollution of their waterways.

Royal bengal tiger - Large amounts of habitat loss and poaching.

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10
Q

What is the average tidal range of the Sundarbans?

A

3.5 - 5 metres. Highest in July-August and lowest in December-January.

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11
Q

What are the three main rivers that flow into the Sundarbans?

A

Ganges.
Brahmaputra.
Meghna.

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12
Q

Why are the Ganges and the Brahmaputra the main flowing rivers to the Sundarbans?

A

Because the sources of the rivers are high in the Himalayas, water has a long way to flow and gather tributaries.

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13
Q

When was the ICZM introduced to the Sundarbans?

A

2005.

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14
Q

What does the ICZM aim to do for the Sundarbans?

A

Improve rural livelihoods.
Protect against natural hazards with regeneration.
Management of freshwater provisions.
Improve infrastructure; health nutrition, sanitation, and education.
Develop tourism and fishing sectors of the economy.

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15
Q

What years were government agreements between India and Bangladesh made?

A

1972.
1997.
2011.

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16
Q

What were the government agreements of 1972?

A

Bangladesh and India set up the ‘joint rivers commission’ to manage the 54 rivers that flow through India to Bangladesh.

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17
Q

What was the government agreement of 1997?

A

Bangladesh and India signed to share the waters of the Ganges.

If flow at Farraka Barrage falls below 50,000 cusecs Bangladeshi and Indian governments will meet under the terms of ‘principles of equity, fair play and no harm to either party.’

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18
Q

What was the government agreement of 2011?

A

A memorandum of understanding between Bangladesh and India for conservation of the Sundarbans.

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19
Q

How do the mangrove forests protect the Sundarbans?

A

Their shallow root system and density of tree coverage provides an obstacle for oncoming wind and waves, significantly decreasing the intensity of storms.

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20
Q

How do the roots systems from mangrove forests help the sea life?

A

Dense roots forms homes for fish, crabs, shrimps and molluscs, also acting as nurseries for young fish to shelter from predators.

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21
Q

How does the density of the forest benefit the environment?

A

A mangrove section of 30 trees per 0.01 hectare and a width of 100m can reduce destructive force of a tsunami by 90%.

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22
Q

How does the mangrove forest survive in the high salinity of the waters?

A

By excreting salt through leaves or storing it within tissues.

23
Q

How does the mangrove forest survive when often flooded and low in oxygen?

A

Root systems are shallow and partly exposed to air which allows them to not be over-watered.

24
Q

What benefit do the mangrove forests provide for biodiversity?

A

They are nesting and migratory sites for hundreds of birds and home to a wide variety of amphibians, reptiles and mammals.

25
Q

Give an example of an amphibian that lives in the mangrove forests.

A

A skipper frog.
Cricket frog.

26
Q

Give an example of a reptile that lives in the mangrove forests.

A

Estuarine crocodiles.
Green sea turtles.

27
Q

Give an example of a mammal that lives in the mangrove forests.

A

Bengal tigers.
Fishing cats.
Otters.

28
Q

What is a mangrove forest?

A

Shrubs or small trees that grow in coastal saline or brackish water.

29
Q

Where are mangrove forests commonly found?

A

In the tropics and subtropics.

30
Q

What challenges do the people of the Sundarbans face?

A

Cyclones.
Flooding.
Accessibility.
Over-exploitation.
Instability.

31
Q

How have people responded to the challenges they’ve faced in the Sundarbans?

A

Wealth from selling goods/services provides a living for locals.
Fertile soil allows for arable cropping.
Education enables workers to make money whilst sustaining the environment.
Investment into infrastructure mitigates risks.

32
Q

What has been NGOs involvement in the Sundarbans?

A

They’ve provided education and training for natural disasters; planning and preparation can highly mitigate the impacts of natural disasters.

33
Q

How many people have received training from USAID on improving agricultural techniques?

A

30,000.

34
Q

How have NGOs managed to educate communities about water sanitation and water-borne diseases?

A

They have built latrines on high ground.

35
Q

What policy was relaunched after being abandoned in the 1970s?

A

Building multi-purpose cyclone shelters equipped with communication equipment and megaphones which also serve as school facilities.

36
Q

What agricultural adaptations have been made in the Sundarbans?

A

New salt-tolerant rice variants have been made which can survive being submerged in sea water for over 2 weeks.

37
Q

How are the natural resources used by locals?

A

Timber from trees is used for construction of shelters, rafts, boats.
Nypa Palm trees are used for thatching, cheap fencing, and mat making.

38
Q

How do the forests provide opportunities for construction?

A

Mangroves can provide for construction and fuel.

39
Q

What are the issues/threats with construction in the forests?

A

Overpopulation threatens the ecosystem. Small traditional communities worked sustainably with the forest but larger communities struggle to do so.
Destruction of forest leads to increased risk of flooding or destruction or pollution.
Can destroy biodiversity.

40
Q

What opportunities do the forests provide for education?

A

Major mangrove plantation drive with the help of local communities, volunteers and NGOs.
Improved fish stock can provide local fishermen with more income.
Regular seminars and workshops have educated people on why the mangroves are important.

41
Q

What are the issues/threats with education in the forests?

A

Communities must work with governments to ensure success.
Alternative employment for women in the Sundarbans must be met - managing nurseries and maternal care.

42
Q

How many saplings were planted in 2015 in the Sundarbans?

A

Around 50,000.

43
Q

How much land was eroded between 2001 and 2009 in the Sundarbans?

A

44km squared. An average of 5.5km squared per year.

44
Q

What opportunities does shrimp farming provide for people in the Sundarbans?

A

The brackish water provides perfect conditions fir shrimp farming.
Large scale farming allows for commercial production and more income for locals.

45
Q

What are the issues with shrimp farming for the Sundarbans?

A

Its not good for the environment.
Pollution from antibiotics, growth hormones and chemicals containing sulphur pollutes the local rivers where fish species have disappeared and stocks have fallen.

46
Q

How many people on average are killed by tiger attacks per year in the Sundarbans?

A

22.7 on average. Can be up to 60 on a bad year.

47
Q

What has the kill rate of humans by tigers dropped to following mitigation methods?

A

3 people per year.

48
Q

How do people mitigate tiger attacks in the Sundarbans?

A

As tigers almost always attack from the rear, masks with human faces are worn on the back of villagers heads in 1986 and the method stayed ever since.
They also provide prey for the tigers such as releasing captive-bred pigs to the buffer zones.

49
Q

What has the Bangladesh government done to provide help for endangered species?

A

In 2012, the Bangladesh gov declared 3 zones of major canals in the Sundarbans as dolphin sanctuary.
32kms of safe havens was established.
Under the law, fishing in these 3 zones was prohibited and carries a sentence from 6 months - 5 years along with a fine.

50
Q

How many cyclone storm shelters have been constructed in the Sundarbans?

A

Over 2000.

51
Q

How many 123 barrier dams have been built? And what do they provide a barrier for?

A

5000km to prevent saline flood water contaminating farmland.

52
Q

What is bottom up development?

A

Local-scale projects that aim to help a small community to develop.

53
Q

What bottom-up developments did they make in the Sundarbans in 2015?

A

West Bengal rural women were employed to construct roads, building more than 10km of brick roads from 2011-2015.

54
Q

What are the benefits of the bottom-up developments from 2015?

A

Provides income to local women.
Provides better infrastructure.
Connects previously inaccessible villages, able for trade.
They have withstood floods and cyclones.

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