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Climate Change and Coastal Ecosystems: Issues and Concerns
... Coastal communities by increasing vulnerability of coastal ecosystems. (Senapati & Gupta, 2014). India's 8,118 km coastline and its adjacent inland percent of the world's population, or about 540 million people, Recent studies reveal that the seas are rising much faster than they were rising in the 20th century. ...
... It forecasts rise from 1990 to 2100 of 9-88 cm with a median of 48 cm. Estimates put the sea level rise by 2100 between 1 and 2 mm (Senapati & Gupta, 2014). However, this rise is not expected mass, oceanic currents and wind patterns (FAO, 2010). ...
... Flooding is expected to be a major impact also leading to loss of farm output. Many coastal communities live a fragile existence due to high dependence on depleted and over-exploitedGupta, 2014). Climate change is expected to sharpen these impacts Change's (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report, there shall be an increase thereby increasing the impact of waves which in turn could lead to erosion of coasts. ...
The Bay of Bengal region faces a double challenge of feeding its citizens while climate change undermines its all-important water resources. This paper examines the case of Sri Lanka with a comparison to Bangladesh. Sri Lanka depends primarily on surface water resources for agricultural, domestic and industrial uses. Consuming over 87 percent of surface water, agriculture is by far the dominant user, sustained largely by direct rainfall and a sophisticated hydraulic civilization based around networks of irrigation tanks for rainfall storage. Agriculture in turn drives food security by way of the staple rice crop, and still accounts for 30 percent of employment in Sri Lanka. Rice accounts for 82 percent of all surface water usage by agriculture. Surface water resources are already under pressure by economic and demographic changes that increase water demands. Climate change threatens to intensify this pressure further by altering surface water availability. Despite a lack of consensus as to whether total rainfall will decline or increase given multiple predictions using varying scenarios, there is greater agreement that variability will increase, causing even greater uncertainty and longer dry spells. Particularly affected will be parts of Sri Lanka’s dry zone, including the North-Central Province (NCP), a major rice production region, but heavily dependent on rainfall and surface irrigation. Similarly, northern and parts of eastern Bangladesh already possess low surface water flows. Increases in temperature will further impact water resources in such regions by raising evaporation rates. The strong link between national food security and water intensive rice production therefore poses important policy and practical challenges within a climate change context. In Sri Lanka, current experiences in the water sector and climate impact projections have not raised the profile of groundwater as a critical resource in meeting these challenges. While groundwater is also increasingly used for large-scale commercial agriculture, industry and rural drinking water, current groundwater capacities, withdrawals and contributions to various sectors are unknown. Through a case study on agro-well driven high value vegetable cultivation in Sri Lanka’s NCP, this paper demonstrates the considerable resilience to water stress and poverty alleviation potential of groundwater, while also highlighting existing challenges to be reconciled if groundwater is to sustainably support the dual policy objectives of relieving water stress and alleviating rural poverty.
The research was conducted in four villages in the NCP between November 2013 and October 2014, under the “Groundwater-based Agrarian Change in North Central Province, Sri Lanka” project funded by the Land, Water and Ecosystems (LWE) program led by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
... Mumbai (19 • 02 22 N, 72 • 49 55 E) is a well-known metropolitan city in northwest India. The coastal region of Mumbai is dominated by fishing activities, the fertilizer industry, thermal power plants, cargo handling activities, and the oil and pharmaceutical industries [35,40]. A total of 213 fish specimens (study site Okha, n = 50; study site Jakhau, n = 75; study site Jaffrabad, n = 38; and study site Mumbai, n = 50) of H. nehereus were collected from December 2022 to January 2023 from the major fishing harbors on the northwest coast of India. ...
... Mumbai (19°02′22′′ N, 72°49′55′′ E) is a well-known metropolitan city in northwest India. The coastal region of Mumbai is dominated by fishing activities, the fertilizer industry, thermal power plants, cargo handling activities, and the oil and pharmaceutical industries [35,40]. A total of 213 fish specimens (study site Okha, n = 50; study site Jakhau, n = 75; study site Jaffrabad, n = 38; and study site Mumbai, n = 50) of H. nehereus were collected from December 2022 to January 2023 from the major fishing harbors on the north-west coast of India. ...
Microplastic (MP) pollution is a prevalent and global threat to fish. MP contamination was investigated in Harpadon nehereus collected from the principal fishing harbors of India’s northwest coast. A total of 213 specimens were collected from the major fishing harbors of Gujarat state (Jakhau, Okha, and Jaffrabad) and Maharashtra state (Mumbai). In the laboratory, the morphometric parameters of the specimens, such as total length and body weight, were measured. The collected specimens were analyzed for MP isolation using the previously documented protocol. MPs were quantified under a stereomicroscope, and physical parameters were recorded. All the examined specimens were found to be contaminated with MPs, with an abundance of 6.98 ± 6.73 MPs/g. The maximum contamination of MPs was recorded at the study site in Jaffrabad, followed by Jakhau, Mumbai, and Okha. Morphometric analysis of MPs revealed threads to be the most dominant shape. Black and blue MPs with a 1–2 mm size were the predominant recorded types. The chemical composition of extracted MPs revealed polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polyurethane (PU) as polymer compositions. Conclusively, the findings highlighted a greater menace to seafood safety due to trophic transfer, which causes a hazardous effect on human health.
... India has a >8000 km long coastline with nine coastal states comprising 60 districts and two major island groups where fishing is providing livelihood to many Indian communities (Senapati and Gupta, 2014). Being a developing country, India has a rapid rate of industrialization and economic development. ...
... With such effects, the coastal habitat and ecosystems are degrading and become more and more vulnerable. Therefore, the coastal areas remain under threat and they will be more fragile and vulnerable in time perspective with due effects of extending urbanization (Senapati & Gupta, 2014). Therefore, the goal of sustainable development is somehow impossible to achieve without protecting the environment for the present as well as a future generation by controlling our present stage of development at a certain level (Cicin-Sain, 1993;Sum & Hills, 1998;Sathaye et al., 2006;Ray et al., 2019). ...
The fragile coastal areas are facing tremendous challenges in response to the recent
trend of population growth and urbanization in the context of global and regional
climate change and related events. The Haldia municipality area is imposed to coastal
inundation and associated vulnerability as it is situated in the low-lying fragile littoral
deposition of a soft sedimentary surface. The accelerated rate of flourishing urban
infrastructural development ensures over the muddy surface, low-lying areas, wetland,
coupled with the degradation of agricultural land and natural vegetation in conjunction
with the magnitude of population growth. The haphazard urban infrastructural
development leads to tidal inundation and storm rainwater logging, which also creates
drainage problems in most of the urban areas. The land use and land cover (LULC)
changes and landscape alteration has produced the environmental problems associated
with ecosystem destruction. The six major types of LULC classifications have been done
using the geospatial techniques in the four different Landsat images of 1991, 2001,
2011 and 2018. The LULC conversion has also been analyzed during 1991–2018 for the
entire study area. After the establishment of the port-industry based urban centre in
1967, the urban infrastructural development concentrated over the elevated levee
landscape in the IOC, Durgachack and Township areas during 1991. Afterwards, the
built-up areas significantly increased in the low-lying areas of the central and western
part through land-filling. The built-up area has tremendously grown from 4.72 km² to
29.36 km² during the study period, mostly occupying the agricultural land, muddy
fields and vegetation areas.
... The 7517 km long coastline is home to 260 million people or onethird of India's population, who live in low-lying areas within 50 km of the coast and are now regularly exposed to climate variabilities and extreme weather events (Senapati and Gupta, 2014). The 2700 km of road length bordering the Bay of Bengal and the other roads in the vicinity along the coastline suffer annually from damaging meteorological events such as tropical cyclones, storm surges, high winds, flooding and coastal erosion (IRC, 2018). ...
Cyclones and the associated floods have recently become a regular problem for many states of India, particularly on its west and east coasts. Odisha (renamed from Orissa in 2011) is a state located along the eastern coast of India that experiences tropical cyclones mainly from the Bay of Bengal. Some of the recent severe cyclonic storms that caused large-scale devastation in Odisha in the last decade include cyclone Amphan in May 2020, cyclone Fani in May 2019, cyclone Titli in October 2018, cyclone Hudhud in October 2014 and cyclone Phailin in October 2013. The roads, being one of the essential lifeline infrastructure facilities, commonly get damaged during these cyclonic floods in terms of floodwater overtopping, erosion of road surfaces, shoulders and embankment slopes, and even the washing out of the whole roadway section. These recent events have indicated that special attention is needed to minimise damage to this vital lifeline infrastructure by developing and adopting climate-resilient road infrastructure. This paper focuses on the damage assessment of transportation infrastructure during the recent cyclones and associated floods in Odisha, and advances some recommendations for possible measures to be taken for the design of cyclone- and flood-resilient road infrastructure.
... The unusual weather conditions in the sea may have an adverse impact on fishers and sometimes the fishing boats get stuck on the deep sea due to unseasonal rains [8,13]. Sea-level rise is considered to be an important manifestation of global warming [2,26,32,33]. Ocean warming and sea-level rise, had a direct impact upon the lives and livelihoods of coastal fishing communities. In addition to this, coastal areas are also vulnerable to severe erosion due to rise in sea level [6,8,15]. ...
Global climate change has become a critical barrier in the twenty-first century and it alarms the marine fishermen to respond and react until conditions become more adverse. Interaction with climate by humans occurs at all levels, but recent researchhas focused on industries, technological and demographic aspects. So far, less attention has been paid to investigate the factors which affect perception and decision-making at the individual level. The uncertain condition of climate on marine fisheries from the last twodecades had created drastic change in ecosystems as well as in the fishers’ livelihood. Fishers are the group who first experiences thebitter conditions of climate change on marine fisheries because their livelihood depends highly on the marine resources. Therefore,the fishers’ perception about the consequences of climate change on fisheries may help to emerge the fisheries by implicating certainproductive management measures. The research has been carried out in the two southern coastal districts of Ramanathapuram andKanyakumari, Tamil Nadu state to find out the fishers’ perception of the consequences of climate change on fisheries. A sample sizeconsisting of 120 marine fishermen were randomly selected and interviewed. The results inferred that increase in cost of fishing,increase in fishing investments, decline in fishing days, reduction in fish diversity and fish catches were the major consequencesfaced by fishers due to the climate change.
Key words:Marine fishermen, perception, climate change, consequences, constraints.
... India's large coastline with a number of coastal cities and large number of island territories in the Indian Ocean will make the country's coastal population exposed to climate vulnerabilities from the sea. It has been estimated that one third of India's total population live in coastal areas, which in the coming years would be vulnerable to coastal flooding, increased rainfall, cyclones, storms etc. 71 Thus, India's scientific research in the Arctic to study Arctic ice melting and other related domains remains of utmost importance for protecting the country's vital interests in the region. ...
Climate induced geo-physical transformations occurring in the Arctic are also attributing to geopolitical transformations of the region. Opening up of the Arctic is resulting in a geopolitical race amongst the Arctic and non-Arctic states to dominate emerging economic and strategic opportunities in the region. Transformations in the Arctic assume global links and possess a potential of significantly impacting the Arctic as well as the Asian states. China’s assertiveness to become a Polar Great Power has set a course for new Asian perceptions towards the region. In pursuits of its economic, environmental, scientific, social and strategic endeavours, China is making significant inroads in the region to meet its short and long-term objectives. This paper makes an attempt to reconsider India’s approach towards the Arctic not by taking China as a benchmark, but rather as a useful backdrop to broaden and deepen India’s engagements in the circumpolar north.
... The ecology of the coastal region is extremely fragile and vulnerable to serious degradation due to anthropogenic activities (Senapati and Gupta, 2014). High unemployment and extremely poor livelihood security is the characteristic feature of the rural life of the coastal region. ...
An inventory study was carried out to identify the soil fertility constraints as well as assessing the quality of pond water utilized for irrigation by the farmers of the
coastal saline zone of four selected blocks namely Kakdwip, Nimpith, and Canning of
South-24 Parganas and Sandeskhali of North-24 Parganas, West Bengal, India,
respectively. A field experiment study was conducted at Nimpith, South-24 Parganas,
West Bengal as a representative site of coastal Sunderbans to improve productivity of
rice-sunflower cropping sequence by suitable soil nutrient management strategies.
Rice-sunflower cropping sequences were tested with five soil based management
practices including application of different organics such as FYM(T2), Vermicompost
(VC)(T3), Green leaf manure (GLM)(T4), and combined application of
FYM+GLM+VC (T5) vis-a-vis state recommended dose of fertilizer (T1) by
Randomised Block Design with four replications for the two consecutive years. The
partial substitution of inorganic fertilizers through organics during transplanting of
rice significantly increased the system rice equivalent yield of the cropping sequences.
However, the magnitude of increase was more pronounced with 25% N supplemented
through combined application of FYM+GLM+VC followed by FYM and green leaf
manuring and VC. The application of organics resulted in maintaining higher organic
C, available macro and micro-nutrients status of such salt affected degraded soil. The
use of organics also resulted in maintaining higher microbial biomass carbon and the
enzyme activities like fluorescein diacetate hydrolyzing activities, dehydrogenase, etc
in the soils over the conventional state recommended dose of fertilizer. Although the
soil parameters specifically biological attributes decreased after harvest of the
sunflower crops under different nutrient management as against after the rice (kharif)
harvest due to significant rise in soil salinity and decreasing soil moisture content in
the summer month of May. The electrical conductivity showed a significant negative
correlation with, moisture content, microbial biomass C and with the enzyme activities like FDA and dehydrogenase in soil. System rice equivalent yield showed
a significant and negative correlation with electrical conductivity of soil (r = -0.95**)
and bulk density (r = - 0.27*) whereas a significant and positive correlation was
recorded with moisture content (r = 0.674**), oxidisable organic C (r =0.66**),
microbial biomass C, dehydrogenase, and Fluorescein diacetate hydrolyzing activities
in soil. From the factor analysis, it revealed that the highest loaded variable in
component-1 i.e. Avail Fe of soil showed a strongly positive correlation with Available
P, available K, Fe, Mn, Zn microbial biomass C, Dehydrogenase and FDA. On the
other hand second-highest loaded variable in component 2 i.e. Available N showed
strongly positive correlation with, pH and Organic Carbon in soil. T5 treatment in
rice-sunflower cropping system was the best treatment in terms of higher rice grain
equivalent yield (Rs. 35894.45/ha/yr) and profitable economic return (B: C ratio of
1:1.58). Soil management practices including application of different locally available
organic inputs along with inorganic fertilizers were cost-effective, increased the yield
of crops and maintained the soil quality.
... The major activities found along the Indian coastal zone are traditional activities like, fishing, tourism, agricultural activities, oil exploration, commercial and residential development. Fishing activities not only provides important source of food but also provides employment, income and foreign exchange for India (Senapati and Gupta 2014). Within India we found mangrove ecosystem along the coastal areas of West Bengal which are distributed over North and South 24 Parganas, East Midnapur and southern parts of Howrah. ...
Climate change is a major threat for ecosystems, food security, forests and other natural resources. Proper steps must be taken to reduce the vulnerability of the farming communities living in coastal areas, especially in the developing countries. This chapter reviews the impact of climate change on the coastal agro-ecosystem, and practices to improve sustainability. We found that 27 countries are the most vulnerable due to accelerated sea level rise. In some coastal areas, up to 40% biodiversity loss has already been observed. About 70% income is generated from crop cultivation and the rest is from fisheries and other animal husbandry activities. Hence, climate resilient agriculture can secure the rural livelihood. Adaptation measures may include agro-forestry practices, establishment of orchards, nutrient recycling, salinity management and rational use of water. Techniques of climate resilient agriculture vary with techniques available, needs of the farming community, resources and infrastructure.
... In the context of India, the coastal plains along the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea are vulnerable to floods caused by cyclones, gales and storms. In India, more than 250 million people live within ~50 km of coastal region (Senapati et al., 2014). In the last 30 years, it had been estimated that ~80 million people per year of the total population had been affected by natural disaster (International Federation, 2008;Bhatt et al., 2014). ...
Flood activity has often exaggerated the Visakhapatnam Coastal Zone (VCZ) due to the occurance of cyclone or gales in Bay of Bengal. Remote sensing (RS) technology has proven as a dynamic tool for flood mapping, monitoring and management. Mapping of flood prone area is most crucial to reduce the effect of flood on environment. Flood zone delineation is very important for smart city planning to shield the built-up infrastructure. Present study has focused to assess the proximal flood prone zone over VCZ. In this study multi-influencing parameters corresponding to Land use land cover (LU/LC), drainage density (DD), slope and aspect is used to derive the flood prone map. The vulnerability assessment was done based on the major and minor effect of the parameters on the occurance of flood. Various thematic maps of the influencing parameters were derive from remote sensing satellite data. Later, weightage were given to each classes based on the interrelationship between each and every parameters which influence the flood. Resultant flood prone map indicates that lowermost settlement region along the coastal zone (i.e. Srinivasa Nagar, Dwarika Nagar, HPCL steel plant, Gollapalem, Palem, Visakhapatnam steel plant and NTPC Deepanjali Nagar, etc.) are highly susceptible to the flood.
... India has a long tropical coastline consisting several large estuaries characterized by the alternative deposition and erosion of sediment loads of mighty subcontinental rivers like the Bhagirathi, Mahanadi, Krishna, Godavari, and Subarnarekha (Bandyopadhyay 2009;Barman et al. 2016). These estuaries have evolved mostly along the eastern coastal plains, and the adjoining areas are thickly populated since the last few centuries (Senapati and Gupta 2014). The sustenance and livelihood generation of these millions of human populace are not only a concern for the Indian state but also a cause of worry for the global scientific community as these populations leave an unprecedented magnitude of ecological footprints on the estuarine environment (Kumar et al. 2010;Pattanaik and Prasad 2011). ...
In the Subarnarekha estuary of eastern India, deforestation remained a perpetual menace throughout the last century, thereby considerably augmenting the regional environmental vulnerability, especially in the wake of climate change–induced rise of sea levels. Like other similar areas, coastal afforestation had been widely implemented here as a prime measure of integrated coastal zone management. This study highlighted the impacts of such afforestation initiatives conducted in this area during the last 40 years by integrating geospatial information and community feedbacks. It was also a pioneering one in evaluating the level of sustainability achieved by these initiatives chiefly by analyzing their ability to attain the dual aims of environmental conservation and livelihood generation for the coastal communities. Results indicated that the detrimental effects of the continual removal of healthy mangrove and Pandanus tectorius stands could overwhelmingly be traced along the backshore areas and riverbanks. However, the scenario became better since 2008–2009 as both the dense mangroves and Casuarina plantations had experienced considerable areal increases primarily due to the renewed impetus on the Joint Forest Management and Social Forestry programs as well as regulation on shrimp aquaculture practices. Conversely, overall status of biodiversity and ecological composure remained alarmingly poor as many areas exhibited monospecific stands of Avicennia species. Accordingly, the study suggested establishment of appropriate zonal plantations based on species assemblage and utilities, bio-stabilization of coastal dunes, regulated grazing, enhanced community emancipation regarding usufruct sharing, and conflict resolution as the imperative measures for sustainable ecological restoration of this estuary.
The quest for environmental conservation and sustainability is an urgent and multifaceted challenge, pivotal for securing a greener and more sustainable future. This abstract encapsulates key strategies that are fundamental in addressing the diverse aspects of human impact on the environment, with a focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture, water conservation, habitat preservation, and public education and awareness. Renewable energy is at the forefront of this transformation. The traditional dependence on fossil fuels has led to significant environmental problems, including climate change, air pollution, and natural habitat destruction. Transitioning to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power is imperative. These sources not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also mitigate the impacts of climate change, thus providing a cleaner, more sustainable energy solution. Improving energy efficiency is another critical strategy. Enhanced energy efficiency in buildings, transportation, and industrial processes can substantially lower energy consumption and related emissions. Implementing better insulation, energy-efficient appliances, and smart technologies that optimize energy use are practical approaches to achieve this goal. In the realm of agriculture, sustainable practices are essential. Techniques like crop rotation, organic farming, and permaculture promote soil health, conserve biodiversity, and decrease reliance on harmful chemicals. These practices contribute to more sustainable food production systems that are less detrimental to the environment. Water conservation is equally vital. Efficient use and management of water through technologies that support water recycling and rainwater harvesting can help sustain this essential resource, particularly in regions experiencing water scarcity. The preservation of natural habitats and biodiversity is also crucial. Protecting forests, oceans, and other ecosystems from threats such as pollution and deforestation is key to maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance, which are fundamental for life on Earth. Public education and awareness are indispensable in fostering change.
PurposeSoil salinity and acidity are the major land degradation processes in coastal agro-ecosystem which harm agricultural productivity. This study aims to evaluate the changes in crop productivity and soil quality of saline and slightly acid soils under the influence of integrated nutrient management (INM) practices.MethodsA rice-based strip plot experiment was established on a raised bed created through a land-shaping technique in Coastal Sundarbans of India. Rice-tomato, rice-sunflower, and rice-chili cropping were tested over two consecutive years with the addition of various organic amendments in combination with mineral fertilizers. Soil physical, chemical, and microbial properties were measured using standard protocols.ResultsSoil salinity increased during the winter season (crops grown during October to February) hence decreased microbial biomass, soil respiration, and enzyme activities as compared to monsoon (the crop sown at the beginning of the summer rains during June to September). The effect was more pronounced in control. However, the addition of organics reduced the soil salinity and restricted the magnitude of such decreases resulting in higher system rice equivalent yield in those treatments over control. The higher respiratory quotient value was measured in control, indicating a stress response to the loss of more organic carbon. Rice-sunflower cropping and conjunctive use of NPK with green leaf manure + farm yard manure + vermicompost show better performance in terms of soil quality and yield.Conclusions
The application of organic amendments to the soil can be considered an effective management practice, due to soil quality improvement rapidly as well as enhancing microbial activities by reducing soil salinity which is a major problem of coastal saline agro-ecosystem.
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