85
are subjected to erosion. During November, 2007, a team of researcher carried out
sediment texture analysis in 24 stations of mangrove dominated Indian Sundarbans
(Figs. 3.31 and 3.32).W
In this monitoring programme, mechanical analysis for texture was carried out
using the International Pipette method. In this process, the sediment sample collected from each station during low tide was treated to remove the organic matter
with hydrogen peroxide. Soluble matter was removed by washing and filtering with
Pasteur- Chamber land suction filters. The sample was dried and weighed, and this
weight formed the basis of calculation of percentages of material in each size class.
The results were finally used in textural classification.
It is observed from this study that in the sediment of Indian Sundarbans, the
percentage of sand is higher, followed by that of silt and clay. So the soil is mainly
sandy- loam in nature. Such soils have visible particles of sand mixed into the soil.
When sandy loams soils are compressed, they hold their shape but break apart easily. Such type of sediment has low water holding capacity, high permeability and
low nutrient storage capacity (Fig. 3.33) and is highly prone to erosion.
The sandy beaches and sand dominated coasts support several vegetations that
play important roles in controlling erosion. The mangrove associate plant Ipomoea
pes-caprae is a halotolerant plant, which is not a true mangrove floral species, but
is exclusively confined only in transitional vegetation, landwards and seawards. It
is commonly known as sand binder and is abundant in Indian Sundarban delta preferably in regions where the sediment is dominated by sand (Figs. 3.34 and 3.35).
I. pes-caprae develops as a stoloniferous and creeping plant that can act as a
significant sand binder and mostly prevalent in tropical sand dunes (Fig. 3.35). It is
also known as a “psammophytic” species playing a major role in shielding the
coastal shores from erosion and flooding. The structural organization of I. pescaprae is in accordance with its protective role by absorbing energy from wind, tide
and wave action, which are the primary agents of erosion in coastal zone.
References
Banerjee, K., Sengupta, K., Raha, A. K., & Mitra, A. (2013). Salinity based allometric equations for biomass estimation of Sundarban mangroves. Biomass and Bioenergy (Elsevier), 56,
382–391.
Britsch, L. D., & Kemp III, E. B. (1990). Land loss rates: Mississippi River deltaic plain. US
Corps of Engineers Technical Report GL-90-2, New Orleans.
Cahoon, D. R., & Hensel, P. (2006). High-resolution global assessment of mangrove responses
to sea-level rise: a review. In: E. Gilman, (Ed.), Proceedings of the Symposium on Mangrove
Responses to Relative Sea Level Rise and Other Climate Change Effects, 13 July 2006,
Catchments to Coast, Society of Wetland Scientists 27th International Conference, 9–14
July 2006, Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns, Australia. Western Pacific Regional Fishery
Management Council, Honolulu, HI, USA, ISBN: 1-934061-03-4, p. 9–17.
Cahoon, D. R., Hensel, P., Rybczyk, J., McKee, K., Proffitt, C. E., & Perez, B. (2003). Mass tree
mortality leads to mangrove peat collapse at Bay Islands, Honduras after hurricane Mitch.
Journal of Ecology, 91, 1093–1105.
References
are subjected to erosion. During November, 2007, a team of researcher carried out
sediment texture analysis in 24 stations of mangrove dominated Indian Sundarbans
(Figs. 3.31 and 3.32).W
In this monitoring programme, mechanical analysis for texture was carried out
using the International Pipette method. In this process, the sediment sample collected from each station during low tide was treated to remove the organic matter
with hydrogen peroxide. Soluble matter was removed by washing and filtering with
Pasteur- Chamber land suction filters. The sample was dried and weighed, and this
weight formed the basis of calculation of percentages of material in each size class.
The results were finally used in textural classification.
It is observed from this study that in the sediment of Indian Sundarbans, the
percentage of sand is higher, followed by that of silt and clay. So the soil is mainly
sandy- loam in nature. Such soils have visible particles of sand mixed into the soil.
When sandy loams soils are compressed, they hold their shape but break apart easily. Such type of sediment has low water holding capacity, high permeability and
low nutrient storage capacity (Fig. 3.33) and is highly prone to erosion.
The sandy beaches and sand dominated coasts support several vegetations that
play important roles in controlling erosion. The mangrove associate plant Ipomoea
pes-caprae is a halotolerant plant, which is not a true mangrove floral species, but
is exclusively confined only in transitional vegetation, landwards and seawards. It
is commonly known as sand binder and is abundant in Indian Sundarban delta preferably in regions where the sediment is dominated by sand (Figs. 3.34 and 3.35).
I. pes-caprae develops as a stoloniferous and creeping plant that can act as a
significant sand binder and mostly prevalent in tropical sand dunes (Fig. 3.35). It is
also known as a “psammophytic” species playing a major role in shielding the
coastal shores from erosion and flooding. The structural organization of I. pescaprae is in accordance with its protective role by absorbing energy from wind, tide
and wave action, which are the primary agents of erosion in coastal zone.
References
Banerjee, K., Sengupta, K., Raha, A. K., & Mitra, A. (2013). Salinity based allometric equations for biomass estimation of Sundarban mangroves. Biomass and Bioenergy (Elsevier), 56,
382–391.
Britsch, L. D., & Kemp III, E. B. (1990). Land loss rates: Mississippi River deltaic plain. US
Corps of Engineers Technical Report GL-90-2, New Orleans.
Cahoon, D. R., & Hensel, P. (2006). High-resolution global assessment of mangrove responses
to sea-level rise: a review. In: E. Gilman, (Ed.), Proceedings of the Symposium on Mangrove
Responses to Relative Sea Level Rise and Other Climate Change Effects, 13 July 2006,
Catchments to Coast, Society of Wetland Scientists 27th International Conference, 9–14
July 2006, Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns, Australia. Western Pacific Regional Fishery
Management Council, Honolulu, HI, USA, ISBN: 1-934061-03-4, p. 9–17.
Cahoon, D. R., Hensel, P., Rybczyk, J., McKee, K., Proffitt, C. E., & Perez, B. (2003). Mass tree
mortality leads to mangrove peat collapse at Bay Islands, Honduras after hurricane Mitch.
Journal of Ecology, 91, 1093–1105.
References