INTRODUCTION OF GLOBAL WARMING
The Sunderban, the largest tidal area in the World which is now a World Heritage site exemplifies the principle of sustainability. These are the size, the distribution of over 10,000 square kilometers of different types of mangroves, and the hydrological centrality of these ecosystems in modern India and Bangladesh where the services rendered by them involve carbon stock, shore guards, and protection of biological riches. But the impacts global warming is lurking as a very real danger to this already marginal environment, its ability to support the inhabitants both human and animal, as well as the millions who rely on this food bowl for their survival.
RISING SEA LEVELS: Main Impacts of Global Warming
The impacts of global warming on the Sundarbans include one of the most apparent ones, which are rising sea levels. For instance, polar ice caps and glaciers are Polo increasingly melting due to heightened temperatures across the world; seas levels are similarly on an upward trend. The sundarbans as a tidal wooded wetland area of the delta is very sensitive to this kind of occurrence. Some analyses opine that sea levels along the east coast, especially in the Bay of Bengal, are rising at a rate of 3 millimeters per year, a situation that will threaten to deluge a fair proportion of the Sundarbans within the term of the end of the present century.
And when this happens as it does in the present day through increased rise in sea levels, then there are detrimental effects on the rest of the ecosystem. Mangrove forests which provide shelter for human habitation in cases of cyclone induced storm surges and helps in controlling coastal erosion is itself being eroded at this alarming rate. It not only weakens their conserving ability but also greatly destroyed the living environment of numerous species, such as the Bengal tiger Panthera tigris tigris.
INCREASED SALINITY
These aspects along with the sea level rise really affect the salinity levels in the Sundarbans due to the impacts global warming. Change in salinity level where high tides reach well into the estuarine system enable seawater to penetrate deeper into mangrove ecosystems influencing survival of the mangroves. The presence of a high salt concentration in mangrove environments affects the growth of some of the species influencing the level of diversity in the region.
For example, Heritiera fomes which is not a salt tolerant species is gradually giving way to Avicennia marina, a salt tolerant species. The alteration of mangrove forest systems does not only have an impacts on the coastal physical environment, but also to the fauna that depend on certain mangrove-plant species for food and habitation needs.
ALTERED HYDROLOGICAL CYCLES
The climatic change particularly the impacts of global warming has had a major effect on the hydro logical cycles in the Sundarbans. There is an on record alteration in monsoon patterns involving disturbances in rain bearing clouds with occasional years of lean rainfall and long periods of drought which have negatively impacted the freshwater inputs into the area. These appear to be necessary to sustain ecological balance following fresh water coverage, and support mangrove growth. Downstream salinity is made worse when freshwater flow is hindered by unpredictable precipitation and upstream water abstraction for irrigation and municipalities terminates the delicately balanced ecosystem.
LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY
Sundarbans is also a hub of both plant and animal species and thus bio-diversity site where many endangered animals like tiger, crocodile and dolphin are found. These species are endangered as a result of the effects of climate change including; loss of habitats, high salinity levels and fluctuating temperatures. For example, Bengal tiger endangered by habitat fragmentation and hunting, and aggravated by increased sea levels which push into the remaining habitat space.
Likewise, soil and water affect animal life as alterations in temperature and salinity this impacts on breeding and migration . The decline of species in the Sundarbans does to the ecosystem what a broken leg does to the body, it weakens an otherwise strong system, which is capable of offering crucial services.
INCREASED FREQUENCY OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
Impacts of global warming has been attributed to conditions like cyclones and storm surges which are frequently and heavily experienced in particular regions. Sundarbans spreads in the geographical locality of cyclone, and during the recent years, the region has suffered severe cyclone Amphan and Yaas in 2020 and 2021, respectively, . These incidences lead to great loss to the mangrove swamp, loss of coastline and displacement of human and animals.
Cyclone impact also reduces due to mangroves because the energy of storm surges is first dissolved by them. But the deforestation of the mangroves caused by the impacts of global warming threatens their ability to act a barrier and the area is more open to future mishaps.
SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS OF GLOBAL WARMING
Sundarbans is an important ecological asset and also a very significant source of living for millions of people who directly or indirectly depend on this region for their living. They stabilize shorelines, provide breeding grounds for fish, underpin agriculture and tourism on the condition that there several impacts of global warming. This means that cases like loss of fish habitats and changes in water conditions have a direct implication of the lives of fishermen in that region. Likewise, high salinity and flood making soil of the agricultural fields unfit for cultivation which makes food shortage and poverty rate high in the region.
Environmental forced assimilation causes “climate refugees”, a displacement from their homes due to the rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions, resulting to heavy pressure on already stretched resources in poor regions. Unfortunately, the social impacts of global warming for the population of the Sundarbans show that measures to prevent further deterioration of the situation are needed as soon as possible to preserve both the natural environment and the people living there.
CONSERVATION AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES
Therefore, while addressing with the impacts of global warming in the Sundarbans, both the conservation, adaptive management, and mitigation measures are needed. Key measures include:
Restoration of Mangroves: The only visible rehabilitation programmes are meant for planting salt-tolerant mangroves to remediate the sunken lands and build climate change resilience.
Sustainable Water Management: Consequently, preventing the intrusion of seawater into the Sundarbans and over drafting of surface water can alleviate salinity problems For example, Increased emphasis should be placed on rainwater harvesting with appropriate human interventions upstream.
Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Housing structures such as benches and other barriers offer a way of protecting some of the vulnerable regions from storm surges and floods, which in turn will mean protecting people and animals.
Community Engagement: Local people can be empowered to play part in conservation with the development of incentives, livelihood opportunities that will help in reducing pressure on the ecosystem.
Policy and International Cooperation: The problem calls for stringent measures in realization of national and international policies to check global source of warming and to conserve a very sensitive ecological resource like Sundarbans. It would therefore clearly show that this natural resource is best managed through cross border cooperation between India and Bangladesh.
Research and Monitoring: Therefore, there is a need for a continued study and subsequent analysis of changes in the ecological and climatic environment of the Sundarbans to determine the steady state consequences of global warming and to formulate necessary survival strategies.
CONCLUSION
The Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem again stands at the crossroads due to a global warming that is literally poised to kill the ecosystem. This WSHC is an estuarine tidal wetland of significant ecological, cultural, and economic importance. It is time to develop uniting activities in order to decrease the results of the troublesome tendencies such as the growth of sea levels, increased salinity, loss of dwellings, and weather conditions that analyze the negative impacts of global warming.
The preservation of Sundarbans is a prerequisite rather than a luxury which will become a moral lesson – for losing have repercussions on the variety of species, climate, and humanity. Through successful establishment of conservation measures and eradicating the factors that lead to world warming, we are in a position to protect this incomparable ecosystem for the future generation.
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