Biodiversity and ecological significance of mangroves of India

1. MANGROVES FOR COASTAL
SUSTAINABILITY
Presented inWorkshop on
Environmental StabilityThrough
Preservation and Restorations of the Ecological Balance
Preservation and Restorations of the Ecological Balance
Sirsi, Uttara Kannada
29-30 October 2010
KSCST & Forestry College, Sirsi
Dr. M. Jayakara Bhandary
Department of Botany
Government Arts and Science College
Karwar – 581301
mbjaikar@gmail.com

2. Coasts are very important!
Coastal Areas of the
World - Resource Rich
Most inhabited,
Exploited Geographical
Units
Supports 50% Global
Population
Provides 90% global
fish supply
fish supply
Sink for 90% of River
load/Pollutants
Anything that
affects the Coastal
Ecological Balance
affect smajority of
People on Earth!

3. 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

4. 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…

5. 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 1999
October 1999
October 1999
October 1999.
.
.
.
Source:
Mangroves protected villages and reduced death toll
during Indian super cyclone,
Saudamini Das and Jeffrey R.Vincent, 2009
www.pnas.org_cgi_doi_10.1073_pnas.0810440106

7. 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)

8. 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.

9. Global Distribution….
120 tropical and
Sub tropical
Countries.
18.1 milion
ha.
ha.
Source: Spalding et al., 1997,TheWorld Mangrove Atlas

10. 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.

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

13. Speciality of Sundarbans……..
Speciality of Sundarbans……..
Speciality of Sundarbans……..
Speciality of Sundarbans……..
Contains
Contains
Contains
Contains 37
37
37
37 species
species
species
species of
of
of
of 'obligate'
'obligate'
'obligate'
'obligate'
mangrove
mangrove
mangrove
mangrove plants
plants
plants
plants stretched
stretched
stretched
stretched over
over
over
over
an
an
an
an area
area
area
area of
of
of
of 2
2
2
2,
,
,
,200
200
200
200 km
km
km
km2
2
2
2,
,
,
, the
the
the
the
largest
largest
largest
largest diversity
diversity
diversity
diversity of
of
of
of mangrove
mangrove
mangrove
mangrove
plants
plants
plants
plants on
on
on
on the
the
the
the Globe
Globe
Globe
Globe.
.
.
.
This
This
This
This is
is
is
is also
also
also
also the
the
the
the only
only
only
only mangrove
mangrove
mangrove
mangrove
area
area
area
area on
on
on
on earth
earth
earth
earth that
that
that
that is
is
is
is inhabited
inhabited
inhabited
inhabited
area
area
area
area on
on
on
on earth
earth
earth
earth that
that
that
that is
is
is
is inhabited
inhabited
inhabited
inhabited
by
by
by
by tigers
tigers
tigers
tigers.
.
.
.
It
It
It
It also
also
also
also contains
contains
contains
contains 127
127
127
127 species
species
species
species of
of
of
of
euryhaline
euryhaline
euryhaline
euryhaline fish,
fish,
fish,
fish, a
a
a
a total
total
total
total of
of
of
of 1287
1287
1287
1287
animal
animal
animal
animal species
species
species
species comprising
comprising
comprising
comprising 873
873
873
873
invertebrates,
invertebrates,
invertebrates,
invertebrates, one
one
one
one species
species
species
species of
of
of
of
Hemichordata
Hemichordata
Hemichordata
Hemichordata,
,
,
, and
and
and
and 413
413
413
413 species
species
species
species
of
of
of
of vertebrates
vertebrates
vertebrates
vertebrates.
.
.
.

14. Mangroves of Karnataka
Official Estimates
2 - 3 Km2 -
Underestimated!
Along estuaries,
Fringing Type
Fringing Type
Kali, Aghanashini,
Sharavathi,
Kundapura,
Nethravathi – main
locations
Fragmented Patches

15. Mangroves of Kali
Estuary
14 out of 15 True
mangrove species
of Karnataka grow
here
here

16. Floral Diversity
Global – About 90 species
India
East Coast – 60 species
West Coast – 34 species
True Mangroves- Exclusive
mangroves
mangroves
Mangrove Associates –Also
found outside mangrove habitats
Rhizophoraceae,
Avicenniaceae,
Sonneratiaceae – Major families

17. Mangrove diversity…..
Aegiceras corniculatum
Excoecaria agallocha
Aegiceras corniculatum
Lumnitzera racemosa
Bruguiera gymnorrhiza
Acrostichum aureum
(Mangrove fern)

18. Species Diversity

19. Mangrove associates
Mangrove associates
Dolichandrone spathaceae
Derris spp.
Clerodendrum sp.
Premna sp.
Pongamia sp.
Dolichandrone spathaceae
Caesalpina crista
Pongamia sp.
Cyperus sp.
Canavalia sp.

20. Biological Speciality – Highly
adapted to mangrove habitats

22. Vivipary

23. 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

24. 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 fuel
from fuel
from fuel
from 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
20
20
20
20‐
‐
‐
‐year old plantation of mangroves
year old plantation of mangroves
year old plantation of mangroves
year old plantation of mangroves
stores 11.6 kg m
stores 11.6 kg m
stores 11.6 kg m
stores 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 m
burial rate of 580 g m
burial rate of 580 g m
burial rate of 580 g m‐
‐
‐
‐2 yr
2 yr
2 yr
2 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

27. 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

28. 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 over
5 million to 3.6 million
hectares.

29. Mangroves sequester carbon but could be
climate change’s first victims.
Photo: Gertrud Helmut Denzau/Sanctuary Photolibrary

30. Conservation
Protected Areas –
Sundarban, Gulf of
Mannar ( BR), Bhitar
Kannika (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

31. Thank you…..