Ecology and Biodiversity Of Mangroves

MANGROVES FOR COASTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Presented in Workshop onEnvironmental Stability Through

Preservation and Restorations of the Ecological BalancePreservation and Restorations of the Ecological BalanceSirsi, Uttara Kannada29-30 October 2010

KSCST & Forestry College, Sirsi

Dr. M. Jayakara BhandaryDepartment of Botany

Government Arts and Science CollegeKarwar – 581301

mbjaikar@gmail.com

Coasts are very important!� Coastal Areas of the World - Resource Rich

� Most inhabited, Exploited Geographical Units

� Supports 50% Global Population

� Provides 90% global fish supplyfish supply

� Sink for 90% of River load/Pollutants

� Anything that affects the Coastal Ecological Balance affect smajority of People on Earth!

Coastal

Rich & Productive

Critical & Serene &

Tourism

Potential

Needs Protection &

Conservation

Demand for Space & Resources

Environment

Critical & Changing

Globally Significant

Serene & Beautiful

Tourism

Potential

Needs Protection &

Conservation

Modified from: Sudarshan et al., 2000, Subtle Issues in Coastal Management, IIRS

Fragile & Prone for Natural Disasters….

� Super Cyclone (1999) Winds of 160 mile speed, More than 10,000 deaths, Coast of Orissa washed away!

� Deadly Tsunami (2004)� Deadly Tsunami (2004)Waves of 10 mt height, 10,880 deaths (in India), Total about 2,30,000, 13 countries affected. Worst hit – Indonesia, Thailand, Srilanka & India.

� Floods…

Mangroves Mangroves Mangroves Mangroves were associated were associated were associated were associated with with with with statistically significant statistically significant statistically significant statistically significant reductions in human deaths reductions in human deaths reductions in human deaths reductions in human deaths during the during the during the during the cyclone cyclone cyclone cyclone that struck that struck that struck that struck

Post- Disaster Analysis..Eye Openers on the ecological value of Coastal Ecosystems!?

during the during the during the during the cyclone cyclone cyclone cyclone that struck that struck that struck that struck the eastern coast of India in the eastern coast of India in the eastern coast of India in the eastern coast of India in October 1999October 1999October 1999October 1999....

Source:Mangroves protected villages and reduced death tollduring Indian super cyclone, Saudamini Das and Jeffrey R. Vincent, 2009 www.pnas.org_cgi_doi_10.1073_pnas.0810440106

Pre-tsunami—Simulation models illustrated that a wide (100 m) belt of dense mangrove trees (referred to as a “greenbelt”) could reduce a tsunami pressure flow by more than 90% (Hiraishi and Harada, 2003). 90% (Hiraishi and Harada, 2003).

Post tsunami—In an area of S.E. India there was significantly less damage where mangroves had been conserved (Danielsen et al., 2005; Science)

Ecological Value of MANGROVES rediscovered…?

What are Mangroves?

Mangroves are woody plants that grow along the land‐sea interface, bays, estuaries, lagoons, backwaters, and in the rivers, reaching upstream up to the point where the water still remains saline (Qasim, l998). saline (Qasim, l998).

These plants and their associated organisms (microbes, fungi, other plants and animals) constitute the ‘mangrove forest community’ or ‘mangal’.

The mangal and its associated abiotic factors constitute the mangrove ecosystem.

Global Distribution….

120 tropical and Sub tropical Countries.

18.1 milion ha.ha.

Source: Spalding et al., 1997, The World Mangrove Atlas

Mangroves of India….� Occurs along the East Coast (80%) and West Coast (20%).

� 3-4% of Global Extent� Area estimates range from 7 lac ha. to 3.6 lac ha.

� 4,639 Km2 - 2007� 4,639 Km2 - 2007� Sundarbans, Mahanadi Delta, Picchavaram, Cauvery Delta, Godavari-Krishna Estuarine Complex, Andaman-Nicobar Islands –notable mangrove locations.

State-wise mangrove cover -2005(in sq. km.)

Speciality of Sundarbans……..Speciality of Sundarbans……..Speciality of Sundarbans……..Speciality of Sundarbans……..

� ContainsContainsContainsContains 37373737 speciesspeciesspeciesspecies ofofofof 'obligate''obligate''obligate''obligate'mangrovemangrovemangrovemangrove plantsplantsplantsplants stretchedstretchedstretchedstretched overoveroveroveranananan areaareaareaarea ofofofof 2222,,,,200200200200 kmkmkmkm2222,,,, thethethethelargestlargestlargestlargest diversitydiversitydiversitydiversity ofofofof mangrovemangrovemangrovemangroveplantsplantsplantsplants onononon thethethethe GlobeGlobeGlobeGlobe....

� ThisThisThisThis isisisis alsoalsoalsoalso thethethethe onlyonlyonlyonly mangrovemangrovemangrovemangroveareaareaareaarea onononon earthearthearthearth thatthatthatthat isisisis inhabitedinhabitedinhabitedinhabitedareaareaareaarea onononon earthearthearthearth thatthatthatthat isisisis inhabitedinhabitedinhabitedinhabitedbybybyby tigerstigerstigerstigers....

� ItItItIt alsoalsoalsoalso containscontainscontainscontains 127127127127 speciesspeciesspeciesspecies ofofofofeuryhalineeuryhalineeuryhalineeuryhaline fish,fish,fish,fish, aaaa totaltotaltotaltotal ofofofof 1287128712871287animalanimalanimalanimal speciesspeciesspeciesspecies comprisingcomprisingcomprisingcomprising 873873873873invertebrates,invertebrates,invertebrates,invertebrates, oneoneoneone speciesspeciesspeciesspecies ofofofofHemichordataHemichordataHemichordataHemichordata,,,, andandandand 413413413413 speciesspeciesspeciesspeciesofofofof vertebratesvertebratesvertebratesvertebrates....

Mangroves of Karnataka� Official Estimates2 - 3 Km2 -Underestimated!

� Along estuaries, Fringing TypeFringing Type

� Kali, Aghanashini, Sharavathi, Kundapura, Nethravathi – main locations

� Fragmented Patches

Mangroves of Kali Estuary

14 out of 15 True mangrove species of Karnataka grow

herehere

Floral Diversity

� Global – About 90 species� India� East Coast – 60 species� West Coast – 34 species� True Mangroves- Exclusive mangrovesmangroves

� Mangrove Associates –Also found outside mangrove habitatsRhizophoraceae, Avicenniaceae, Sonneratiaceae – Major families

Mangrove diversity…..

Aegiceras corniculatum

Excoecaria agallocha

Aegiceras corniculatum

Lumnitzera racemosa

Bruguiera gymnorrhizaAcrostichum aureum

(Mangrove fern)

Species Diversity

Mangrove associatesMangrove associates

Dolichandrone spathaceae

Derris spp.

Clerodendrum sp.

Premna sp.

Pongamia sp.Dolichandrone spathaceae

Caesalpina crista

Pongamia sp.

Cyperus sp.

Canavalia sp.

Biological Speciality – Highly adapted to mangrove habitats

Vivipary

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE•Coastal Shore Protection -

Bioshields

•Breeding Ground for crabs,

shrimps, Fishes

•Tsunami/Cyclone Protection ?

•Nutrient source for marine Food •Nutrient source for marine Food

Web

•Habitat for Birds, other animals

•Source of Firewood and other

domestic needs

•Carbon Sequestering

•Eco-Tourism Spots

•Educational/Research materials

� mangrove forests sustain more than mangrove forests sustain more than mangrove forests sustain more than mangrove forests sustain more than 70 direct human activities, ranging 70 direct human activities, ranging 70 direct human activities, ranging 70 direct human activities, ranging from fuelfrom fuelfrom fuelfrom fuel‐‐‐‐wood collection to fisheries wood collection to fisheries wood collection to fisheries wood collection to fisheries (Dixon, 1989; Lucy, 2006).(Dixon, 1989; Lucy, 2006).(Dixon, 1989; Lucy, 2006).(Dixon, 1989; Lucy, 2006).

� Fix greater amounts of CO2 per unit Fix greater amounts of CO2 per unit Fix greater amounts of CO2 per unit Fix greater amounts of CO2 per unit area, than what the phytoplankton do area, than what the phytoplankton do area, than what the phytoplankton do area, than what the phytoplankton do in the tropical oceans (Kathiresan & in the tropical oceans (Kathiresan & in the tropical oceans (Kathiresan & in the tropical oceans (Kathiresan & Bingham, 2001). Bingham, 2001). Bingham, 2001). Bingham, 2001).

capable of accumulating and storing capable of accumulating and storing capable of accumulating and storing capable of accumulating and storing � capable of accumulating and storing capable of accumulating and storing capable of accumulating and storing capable of accumulating and storing carbon in the soil in large quantities. A carbon in the soil in large quantities. A carbon in the soil in large quantities. A carbon in the soil in large quantities. A 20202020‐‐‐‐year old plantation of mangroves year old plantation of mangroves year old plantation of mangroves year old plantation of mangroves stores 11.6 kg mstores 11.6 kg mstores 11.6 kg mstores 11.6 kg m‐‐‐‐2 of carbon with C 2 of carbon with C 2 of carbon with C 2 of carbon with C burial rate of 580 g mburial rate of 580 g mburial rate of 580 g mburial rate of 580 g m‐‐‐‐2 yr2 yr2 yr2 yr‐‐‐‐1 (Fujimoto, 1 (Fujimoto, 1 (Fujimoto, 1 (Fujimoto, 2000)2000)2000)2000)

� support 30% of fish catch and almost 100% of shrimp catch in South-East Asian countries

THREATS……Most threatened!THREATS……Most threatened!

Deforestation / Land reclamation

Sand/Shell mining

Prawn/fish Farming

Reduction in Freshwater discharge

Tourism activities/

Other coastal developmental Pressures

The planet has lost 35% of its mangrove forests over the last twenty years.

The rate of loss of mangroves each year tops the loss of the rainforest at 2.1%

The countries that were hit hardest by the tsunami –hardest by the tsunami –Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand – have experienced recent net losses of mangrove cover.Between 1980 – 2000, the total area of mangroves in these four countries was reduced by 28%%, from over5 million to 3.6 million hectares.

Mangroves sequester carbon but could be climate change’s first victims.

Photo: Gertrud & Helmut Denzau/Sanctuary Photolibrary

Conservation

� Protected Areas –Sundarban, Gulf of Mannar ( BR), BhitarKannika (NP), Coringa Sanctuary, etc. About 16, 500 ha

� Afforestation / Enhancement

� Afforestation / Enhancement

� Inventorisation / Survey

� Public Education / Awareness

� Local Involvement / Economic Incentives

� National Programme– MOEF – 1986-87

Thank you…..