Sundarbans Mangrove of Bangladesh: fisheries biodiversity degradation and vulnerability to climate change impact

The Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh, a World Heritage site, is unique for its productivity and significance in balancing the local ecosystem. However, its biodiversity continues to be threatened by a growing human population that not only places pressure on its biological resources, but also impacts on the freshwater inflows from upstream areas. The suitable area of the two dominant tree species- Heritiera fomes and Excoecaria agallocha will decrease significantly by the year 2050 due to sea level rise as compared to the year 2001. On the other hand, fisheries production has reduced by 56% in last four decades and the trend is slightly higher in the east (59%) compared to the west (56%). Considering the high biodiversity value of the Sundarbans, some parts of the forest zone have been declared as protected areas. With rising sea levels and the increasing salinity in the water and soil has severely threatened the health of mangrove forests and the quality of soil and crops. Additionally, there have been serious disturbances to hydrological parameters and change in fishing patterns, resulting in disastrous consequences for fishermen. Although historically, the management approach for the Sundarbans focused principally on the revenue generation from the forest through systematic management, new paradigm of management should look forward considering the potential impacts of climate change, ecological integrity, sustainable harvesting and ensuring continuity of the ecosystem services of the Sundarbans for next generations of human as well as the ecosystem itself