3.11 – A contrasting coastline- the Sundarbans
Background:
- Sundarbans = low lying coastal landscape occupying the world’s largest delta
- It extends over 10 000km2
- Located in east India and south west Bangladesh
- Delta is formed from the sediment deposited by 3 of the world’s largest rivers: the
Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna
- Natural climax ecosystems: mangrove forests and swamps
Coastal processes: Tidal action
- A network of interconnecting river channels flows across the clay and silt deposits
- The location of the network of main channels remained static due to the silts and clays
being resistant to erosion
- The larger channels are generally straight and wide following a north to south current
due to the strong tidal currents
- The smaller channels drain the land with each powerful ebb tide
Material is deposited by the rivers and eroded by the sea = in DYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM
the sediment store stays the same
Opportunities of the mangrove forest:
Goods Services
Fuel (firwood, charcoal) Protection (flood, shoreline erosion, cyclones)
Construction materials Provision (breeding grounds, local and global
(timber) climate controls, fishing grounds)
Household items Maintenance (biodiversity, soil formation and
(furniture, glue) fertility, storage of nutrients
Food and drink (fish, and air pollutants)
leaves, fruit, honey) Value (cultural and religious, scientific information,
recreation and tourism)
Challenges to the Sundarbans:
Background:
- Sundarbans = low lying coastal landscape occupying the world’s largest delta
- It extends over 10 000km2
- Located in east India and south west Bangladesh
- Delta is formed from the sediment deposited by 3 of the world’s largest rivers: the
Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna
- Natural climax ecosystems: mangrove forests and swamps
Coastal processes: Tidal action
- A network of interconnecting river channels flows across the clay and silt deposits
- The location of the network of main channels remained static due to the silts and clays
being resistant to erosion
- The larger channels are generally straight and wide following a north to south current
due to the strong tidal currents
- The smaller channels drain the land with each powerful ebb tide
Material is deposited by the rivers and eroded by the sea = in DYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM
the sediment store stays the same
Opportunities of the mangrove forest:
Goods Services
Fuel (firwood, charcoal) Protection (flood, shoreline erosion, cyclones)
Construction materials Provision (breeding grounds, local and global
(timber) climate controls, fishing grounds)
Household items Maintenance (biodiversity, soil formation and
(furniture, glue) fertility, storage of nutrients
Food and drink (fish, and air pollutants)
leaves, fruit, honey) Value (cultural and religious, scientific information,
recreation and tourism)
Challenges to the Sundarbans:
