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Keywords = Sundarbans Wetlands

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25 pages, 936 KiB  
Article
Fish Genetic Resources and Wetland Conservation in Bangladesh: Comparative Insights on Biodiversity, Sustainable Management, and Sustainable Development Goals
by Atiqur Rahman Sunny, Sharif Ahmed Sazzad, Md Shishir Bhuyian, Md. Nazmul Hasan, Md. Faruque Miah, Md. Ashrafuzzaman and Shamsul Haque Prodhan
Limnol. Rev. 2025, 25(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/limnolrev25020020 - 3 May 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 950
Abstract
Background: Bangladesh’s wetlands support fish genetic resources, biodiversity, and food security but face obstacles like habitat degradation, overfishing, and climate change. This research looks at the diversity, abundance, IUCN conservation status, and stakeholder views for sustainable wetland management in three major wetlands: the [...] Read more.
Background: Bangladesh’s wetlands support fish genetic resources, biodiversity, and food security but face obstacles like habitat degradation, overfishing, and climate change. This research looks at the diversity, abundance, IUCN conservation status, and stakeholder views for sustainable wetland management in three major wetlands: the Sundarbans mangrove (brackish water), the Sylhet floodplain (freshwater), and the Meghna River basin (estuary). Methods: To assess ecosystem health and vulnerability, we assess fish biodiversity and conservation status using Margalef’s Species Richness Index and Shannon–Weaver Diversity Index. We also used structured questionnaires to interview and gain stakeholders’ perceptions. Results: A total of 165 fish species were identified and categorized based on the IUCN Red List. The Sundarbans exhibited the highest species richness and diversity. The proportion of vulnerable species was highest in Sylhet (15%), followed by the Sundarbans (12%) and Meghna (9%), while 54% of fish species in Sylhet, 36% in the Sundarbans, and 26% in Meghna were not threatened. This study emphasizes integrated wetland management solutions that support SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 14 (Life Below Water), and 15 (Life on Land) as outlined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Conclusion: Findings provide a foundation for policymakers, researchers, and conservationists to develop sustainable wetland management frameworks that safeguard fish genetic resources, livelihoods, and ecological balance. Full article
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22 pages, 7393 KiB  
Article
Making Noah’s Ark Work for Fishing Cat Conservation: A Blueprint for Connecting Populations across an Interactive Wild Ex Situ Spectrum
by Tiasa Adhya, Simran Singh, Himaja Varma Gottumukkala, Aditya Banerjee, Ishita Chongder, Sulata Maity and P. Anuradha Reddy
Animals 2024, 14(19), 2770; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14192770 - 25 Sep 2024
Viewed by 2947
Abstract
The One Plan Approach advocates for a hybrid species management framework, wherein captive-bred populations are considered metapopulations nested within a broader network of zoos and wild populations Additionally, the Opportunities to Thrive framework aims to enhance animal welfare by addressing the physiological, psychological, [...] Read more.
The One Plan Approach advocates for a hybrid species management framework, wherein captive-bred populations are considered metapopulations nested within a broader network of zoos and wild populations Additionally, the Opportunities to Thrive framework aims to enhance animal welfare by addressing the physiological, psychological, and emotional needs of captive individuals, thereby improving conservation outcomes. Here, we present an integrated framework for the conservation of a globally threatened wetland wild cat species, the fishing cat, by synthesizing optimal ex situ management practices and in situ conservation strategies. Further, we examined the genetic constitution of the founder population in a fishing cat captive breeding program that was recently initiated by the West Bengal Zoo Authority, India and conducted a population viability analysis to suggest how best to maintain the genetic diversity of the population. We found that the present genetic diversity of 56% and maximum carrying capacity of the captive population (30 individuals) can be maintained for more than 100 years with a combination of supplementation and harvesting. Keeping stochastic events in mind, the introduction of two adult males and females to the existing population each year will seamlessly allow the harvesting of two adult males and two adult females every alternate year to supplement wild populations. Further, we adopted the proposed integrated framework to delineate recommendations for the supplementation of wild populations in West Bengal. We used environmental criteria known to influence fishing cat occurrence to identify 21 potential reintroduction zones in the Sundarbans landscape and Terai region in northern West Bengal with habitable areas for the fishing cat that are larger than the maximum known species’ home range. Our study is timely and insightful because it provides a holistic blueprint for implementing the One Plan Approach in safeguarding a threatened species. Full article
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13 pages, 1776 KiB  
Article
First Results of a Campaign of the Measurement of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Sediments of the Hooghly River, West Bengal, India
by Michele Arienzo, Maria Toscanesi, Luciano Ferrara, Carlo Donadio, Priyanka Mondal, Jonathan Muthuswamy Ponniah, Gaetana Napolitano, Santosh Kumar Sarkar and Marco Trifuoggi
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(4), 666; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12040666 - 17 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1620
Abstract
This study presents the first data on a 2018–2021 campaign to monitor polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels, PAHs, in the final stretch of the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. The range of sedimentary PAHs was 0–47,366 ng/g, higher than the ranges given by [...] Read more.
This study presents the first data on a 2018–2021 campaign to monitor polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels, PAHs, in the final stretch of the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. The range of sedimentary PAHs was 0–47,366 ng/g, higher than the ranges given by the literature for comparable study areas. The assay reveals an outstanding level of PAHs contamination in the fine sediments of the Hooghly River and Sundarban wetland, where the dominance of 4–6 ring PAHs was 83% of the total. The diagnostic ratios based on molecular ratios of PAHs show that the pollution comes mainly from the combustion of petroleum. The ratio of anthracene relative to anthracene plus phenanthrene, ANT/(ANT + PHE), was >0.30, which is higher than the reference discriminant ratio of >0.10, suggesting that PAHs were from the combustion source. In the meantime, fluoranthene over the sum of fluoranthene plus pyrene, FLT/(FLT + PYR), was >0.5 and indicated coal combustion, in agreement with the literature. The mean level of carcinogenic hydrocarbons was at 18% of the total measured PAH, with a peak of 91%, revealing significant potential risk for humans and ecosystems. The toxicity equivalence factors, TEF, of the individual PAHs and the total BaP equivalent toxicity, TEQ, were adopted as a comparison reference of sediment quality. At most sites, toxic effect ranges were classified as high and very high. The results of this research call for public authorities to remedy a situation of severe ecological risk. Full article
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21 pages, 8151 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Mangrove in Five Typical Mangrove Reserve Wetlands in Asia, Africa and Oceania
by Cun Du, Shahbaz Khan, Yinghai Ke and Demin Zhou
Diversity 2023, 15(2), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15020148 - 21 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3590
Abstract
Mangrove wetlands play a key role in global biodiversity conservation, though they have been damaged in recent decades. Therefore, mangrove habitats have been of great concern at the international level since the latter half of the 20th century. We focused on the key [...] Read more.
Mangrove wetlands play a key role in global biodiversity conservation, though they have been damaged in recent decades. Therefore, mangrove habitats have been of great concern at the international level since the latter half of the 20th century. We focused on the key issue of the dynamics of mangrove habitats. A comprehensive review of their typicality and status from the global perspective was evaluated before the landscape dynamics of the mangrove habitats at the five sites were interpreted from Landsat satellite images covering 20 years, from 2000 to 2020. Ground-truthing was undertaken after comparing the results with the other published international mangrove datasets. We reached three conclusions: Firstly, within the period from 2000 to 2020, the mangrove area in Dongzhaigang increased by 414 ha, with an increase of 24.6%. In Sembilang NP, Sundarban, Kakadu NP, and RUMAKI, the mangrove area decreased by 1652 ha, 16,091 ha, 83 ha, and 2012 ha, with a decrease of 1.8%, 2.7%, 0.9%, and 3.9%, respectively. Secondly, other types of wetlands play a key role in degradating the mangrove wetlands in all of five protected areas. Thirdly, the rate of mangrove degradation has slowed dramatically based on the five sites over the past two decades, which are generally consistent with the findings of other researchers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Observation, Simulation and Assessment)
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18 pages, 17525 KiB  
Article
Monitoring of 35-Year Mangrove Wetland Change Dynamics and Agents in the Sundarbans Using Temporal Consistency Checking
by Zhen Zhang, Md Rasel Ahmed, Qian Zhang, Yi Li and Yangfan Li
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(3), 625; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15030625 - 20 Jan 2023
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3925
Abstract
Mangrove wetlands are rapidly being lost due to anthropogenic disturbances and natural processes, such as sea-level rise (SLR), but are also recovering as a result of conservation efforts. Accurate and contemporary mangrove maps to detect their distribution and changes are urgently needed to [...] Read more.
Mangrove wetlands are rapidly being lost due to anthropogenic disturbances and natural processes, such as sea-level rise (SLR), but are also recovering as a result of conservation efforts. Accurate and contemporary mangrove maps to detect their distribution and changes are urgently needed to understand how mangroves respond to global change and develop effective conservation projects. Here, we developed a new change detection algorithm called temporal consistency checking combining annual classification and spectral time series (TCC-CS) for tracking mangrove losses and gains. Specifically, mangrove change events were determined by measuring the deviation of greenness and wetness of candidate change segments from automatically collected mangrove reference samples. By applying to the world’s largest mangrove patches, we monitored the 35-year mangrove trajectory in the Sundarbans from 1988 to 2022 using all available Landsat images on the Google Earth Engine platform. In the Sundarbans, 18,501.89 ha of mangroves have been gained, but these have been offset by losses of 27,009.79 ha, leading to a net mangrove loss of 1.42% (8507.9 ha) in the past 35 years. We further mapped the pixel-level change agents and found that SLR-induced erosion and degradation, instead of human activities, were the major drivers of losses in the Sundarbans. Trend analysis on loss agents indicates that mangrove losses caused by human activities, such as the expansion of croplands and aquaculture ponds, have declined, but SLR is still a persistent threat to mangrove wetlands in this iconic mangrove area. Our study provides a computationally efficient methodology for examining large-scale mangrove changes, and the resultant annual mangrove maps provide strong support for mangrove conservation in the Sundarbans. Full article
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11 pages, 1252 KiB  
Article
Variations in Soil Blue Carbon Sequestration between Natural Mangrove Metapopulations and a Mixed Mangrove Plantation: A Case Study from the World’s Largest Contiguous Mangrove Forest
by Abhiroop Chowdhury, Aliya Naz and Subodh Kumar Maiti
Life 2023, 13(2), 271; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13020271 - 18 Jan 2023
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3704
Abstract
Sundarban is the world’s largest mangrove wetland. This study, conducted in 2016, to compare blue carbon sequestration with different natural metapopulations and a four-year-old Avicennia marina (30% area)-Rhizophora mucronata (70% area)-mixed mangrove plantation under anthropoganic stress. The aims of the study is [...] Read more.
Sundarban is the world’s largest mangrove wetland. This study, conducted in 2016, to compare blue carbon sequestration with different natural metapopulations and a four-year-old Avicennia marina (30% area)-Rhizophora mucronata (70% area)-mixed mangrove plantation under anthropoganic stress. The aims of the study is to find out the variations in soil ecological function indicators (pH, electrical conductivity, bulk density, soil texture, available nitrogn, phosphorus and soil organic carbon) and key ecological service indicator (soil blue carbon pool) between sites. Simpson’s Index of dominance, diversity and Shannon-Weiner Index revealed that all the sites are under ecological stress, with the Suaeda maritima-dominated mudflat having the least biodiversity. It is also revealed that pH and electrical conductivity were highest in Suaeda maritima and Phoenix padulosa-dominated metapopulations, whereas organic carbon was the highest under the mangrove plantation and Avicennia marina-dominated site. Available nitrogen was recorded highest in the community with the Sonneretia sp.-Avicennia marina association. The mixed mangrove plantation had the highest blue carbon pool. The species diversity was not found to be related with the distance from the nearby conserved mangrove forest, contrary to the island biogeography theory. This study concludes with a recommendation of mixed mangrove plantations to restore the degraded saline mudflats along the human settlements across the globe. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Carbon Systems: Dynamics, Conservation, and Management)
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20 pages, 4033 KiB  
Article
Process Controls of the Live Root Zone and Carbon Sequestration Capacity of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, Bangladesh
by Edwin J. Bomer, Carol A. Wilson and Tracy Elsey-Quirk
Sci 2020, 2(3), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/sci2030054 - 15 Jul 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5121
Abstract
The conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems, like mangrove forests and salt marshes, represents a critical strategy for mitigating atmospheric emissions and climate change in the 21st century. Yet the existence of these environments is threatened by human-induced disturbances, namely deforestation and accelerated sea-level [...] Read more.
The conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems, like mangrove forests and salt marshes, represents a critical strategy for mitigating atmospheric emissions and climate change in the 21st century. Yet the existence of these environments is threatened by human-induced disturbances, namely deforestation and accelerated sea-level rise. Coastal systems maintain surface elevation in response to sea-level rise through a combination of physical and biological processes both above and below the ground surface. The quantification and relative contribution of belowground process controls (e.g., seasonal water content, organic matter decomposition) on surface elevation change is largely unexplored but crucial for informing coastal ecosystem sustainability. To address this knowledge deficit, we integrated measurements of surface elevation change of the live root zone (0.5 to 1 m depth) with geotechnical data from co-located sediment cores in the Sundarbans mangrove forest (SMF) of southwest Bangladesh. Core data reveal that the primary belowground controls on surface elevation change include seasonal fluctuations in pore-water content and the relative abundance of fine-grained sediments capable of volumetric expansion and contraction, supporting an elevation gain of ~2.42 ± 0.26 cm year−1. In contrast to many mangrove environments, the soils of the SMF contain little organic matter and are dominantly composed (>90%) of inorganic clastic sediments. The mineral-rich soil texture likely leads to less compaction-induced subsidence as compared to organic-rich substrates and facilitates surface equilibrium in response to sea level rise. Despite a relatively high soil bulk density, soil carbon (C) density of the SMF is very low owing to the dearth of preserved organic content. However, rates of C accumulation are balanced out by locally high accretion rates, rendering the SMF a greater sink of terrestrial C than the worldwide mangrove average. The findings of this study demonstrate that C accumulation in the SMF, and possibly other alluvial mangrove forests, is highly dependent on the continued delivery of sediment to the mangrove platform and associated settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Change Impacts on Mangrove Ecosystems)
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12 pages, 680 KiB  
Article
Metal Distribution and Short-Time Variability in Recent Sediments from the Ganges River towards the Bay of Bengal (India)
by Estefanía Bonnail, Rocío Antón-Martín, Inmaculada Riba and T. Ángel DelValls
Geosciences 2019, 9(6), 260; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences9060260 - 11 Jun 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4390
Abstract
The Ganges River receives inputs from highly populated cities of India (New Delhi, Calcutta, among others) and a strong influence of anthropogenic activities until reaching the Bay of Bengal. It is a seasonal river with 80% of discharges occurring between July and October [...] Read more.
The Ganges River receives inputs from highly populated cities of India (New Delhi, Calcutta, among others) and a strong influence of anthropogenic activities until reaching the Bay of Bengal. It is a seasonal river with 80% of discharges occurring between July and October during monsoon. The land-based activities next to the shore lead to discharges of untreated domestic and industrial effluents, inputs of agricultural chemicals, discharges of organic matter (cremations), and discharges of chemicals from aquaculture farms. In spite of the UNESCO declaring Human Patrimony the National Park Sundarbans, located in the delta, contamination has increased over time and it dramatically intensifies during the monsoon period due to the flooding of the drainage basin. Vertical element distribution (Cd, Co, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) was studied in sediments collected in different stations towards the Hügli Estuary. Results determined no vertical gradient associated with the analyzed sediment samples, which informs about severe sediment dynamic in the area that probably relates to tidal hydrodynamics and seasonal variation floods. The multivariate analysis results showed different associations among metals and in some cases between some of them (Co, Zn, Pb, and Cu) and the organic carbon. These allow the identification of different geochemical processes in the area and their relationship with the sources of contamination such as discharge of domestic and industrial effluents and diffuse sources enhanced by the monsoons. Also, an environmental risk value was given to the studied area by comparing the analyzed concentrations to quality guidelines adopted in other countries. It showed an estimated risk associated with the concentration of the metal Cu measured in the area of Kadwip. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Sediments and Marine Environments)
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