Mangroves Losing Ground

Introduction

Sundarbans are disappearing fast. Using radar imagery, scientists have quantified the impacts of cyclone Sidr, human activities and climate change on the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forests. They have found that rapid deterioration in the mangrove health is causing as much as 200 metres of the coastal forests to disappear annually at places.

The Sundarbans protect coastal areas from tidal waves and cyclones and are among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics. They are home to nearly 500 species of reptiles, fish, birds and mammals, including the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger.

Source

Down To Earth, January 2013