Mangrove wetland ecosystems in Ganges-Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh |
| |
Authors: | Shafi Noor ISLAM Albrecht GNAUCK |
| |
Affiliation: | (1) Department of Ecosystems and Environmental Informatics, Brandenburg University of Technology at Cottbus, P.O. Box 101344, D-03013 Cottbus, Germany |
| |
Abstract: | The Sundarbans is one of the productive mangrove wetland ecosystems in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh. The delta
is undergoing rapid ecological changes due to human activity. In the present study, surface water salinity data from 13 rivers
of the Sundarbans were collected in order to investigate the saline water intrusion in the mangrove wetlands. Results demonstrate
that saline water has penetrated the upstream area as river water salinity has increased significantly in 1976 compared to
the year 1968. The soil and river water salinity data also shows that it has crossed the water salinity threshold line in
most parts of the Sundarbans wetlands. These observations are due to the construction of Farakka Barrage in 1975, which reduced
the water discharge of the Ganges River from 3700 m3/s in 1962 to 364 m3/s in 2006. The shortage of freshwater discharge to the deltaic area is trailing active ecosystems function, especially in
the dry season in the south western region in Bangladesh. The objective of this study is to understand and analyze the present
degraded mangrove wetland ecosystems and their negative impacts. The findings of this study would contribute to the formulation
of the mangrove wetland ecosystems management plan in the Ganges delta of Bangladesh. |
| |
Keywords: | freshwater discharge salinity intrusion construction of Farakka Barrage |
本文献已被 万方数据 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |