The Sunderbans

Question 1

What are the natural climax ecosystems of the sunderbans?

Answer 1

Mangrove forests

Swamps

Question 2

How large is the area that the sunderbans covers?

Answer 2

10,000km2

Question 3

What two countries do the sunderbans extend to?

Answer 3

Southern Bangladesh and India

Question 4

What is the bay called that the sunderbans is on?

Which ocean is it?

Answer 4

Bay of Bengal

Indian Ocean

Question 5

The delta is formed from which 3 of the world’s great rivers?

Answer 5

The Ganges,Brahmaputra and Meghna

Question 6

What direction do the larger channels of the delta flow and why?

Answer 6

North to south flow

Due to strong tidal currents creating tidal inlets

Question 7

Why do the locations of the network of main channels usually remain static?

Answer 7

River channels composed of silts and clays which are relatively resistant to erosion

Question 8

What are the interconnecting smaller channels of the delta called and what is their purpose?

Answer 8

Khals

Drain the land

Question 9

What endangered animal are mangrove forests home to?

Answer 9

Royal Bengal tiger

Question 10

What are the main opportunities for locals in the sunderbans

Answer 10

• mangrove riots provide ideal nurseries for fish (fishing)
• flooding provides nutrients to mangrove forests
• rich biodiversity= good food and material sources + medicine
• Is a biosphere reserve = jobs in ecotourism as guides + attracts investment and donation to the area

Question 11

How are people in the sunderbans limited?

Answer 11

• Only 55.25% educated at primary school
• unskilled work- limited to move out of the area for different work
• isolated environment- difficult to improve infrastructure and educational services
• Most shrimp farms owned by TNCs- little profit for locals
• storm surges frequently damage infrastructure and farmland

Question 12

Name some Main social challenges in the sunderbans

Answer 12

• mismanagement and corruption= exploitation of workers
• locals depend on what the forest provides
• black marketers fell trees- honey collectors lose their livelihood
• Nypa leaf collectors have to bribe forest officers for permits
• locals not consulted about sunderbans future
• Flooding increases disease + homelessness
• Tiger attack’s increase due to shrinking habitat

Question 13

Name some main economic challenges in the sunderbans

Answer 13

• 4 million farmers live below high tide - easy to lose livelihood
• 50% if population live below poverty line
• trade inhibited by few roads
• open access areas previously used for farming/ fishing becoming less available due to TNCs moving in
• flooding of agricultural land Increases soil salinity therefore land becomes less fertile

Question 14

Name some of the main environmental challenges in the sunderbans

Answer 14

• locals choose to fell trees which damage the environment as little as possible- TNCs and illegal fellers do not
• top companies focus on profit over conservation
• 20% have been submerged under the rising sea, storm surges and typhoons since 1969
• low lying embankments are regularly breached- many locals live here

Question 15

Define resilience

Answer 15

A measure of how something responds to a disturbance

Question 16

How to mangrove forests provide a high level of resilience?

Answer 16

• protect land again flooding
• embankment provides higher land and can dissipate wave energy
• root systems provide nurseries- protect fish from predators/ storm activity
• roots allow embankments to recover after storm activity
• Peat traps CO2 emissions
• 30 trees per 0.01 hectares can reduce effects of tsunamis by 90%

Question 17

Define mitigation

Answer 17

Either eliminating a problem, or reducing its frequency/ severity

Question 18

What is the current deforestation rate of mangrove forests and if this continues, when will the forests be expected to disappear?

Answer 18

2% a year deforestation rate

Forests gone by 2020

Question 19

Around how many people a year are killed by tiger attacks?

Answer 19

22.7

Question 20

Name 3 mitigation strategies for tiger attacks and order of most effective

Answer 20

1) pigs- let into wild provide another good source
2) electrified dummies- tiger associates humans with shock -expensive so not many can be put out
3) masks - on back of head as tigers tend to attack from behind- temporary as tigers learn they can still attack humans

Question 21

Describe a mitigation strategy against deforestation

Answer 21

• Indian NGO nature environment and wildlife society
• reforestation of mangroves in areas of depletion
• in 2015- planted around 50,000 saplings
• can bring back diversity of an area ( although some types of plants undiscovered for medicinal uses may be lost forever)
• cheap

Question 22

How much is 1 hectare of mangrove forest worth?

Answer 22

$12,000

Question 23

What was the name of the cyclone that hit the sunderbans in 2009?
How many were dead?

Answer 23

Cyclone aila

190 dead

Question 24

Describe a mitigation strategy for tropical storms

Answer 24

• cyclone shelters
• In 2015, 1,012 shelters built in vulnerable locations
• does not protect livelihood of the people
• under a national cyclone risk mitigation programme

Question 25

What are the individual islands called on the sunderbans?

Answer 25

Chars