vi
remaining wetlands. Chapter 1 (“The Florida Everglades: An Overview of Alteration
and Restoration”), by Charles W. Finkl and Christopher Makowski, discusses how
urbanization, agriculture, and flood control destroyed about half of the Florida
Everglades (a wetland of international importance [Ramsar Convention] and an
international biosphere reserve [UNESCO]) and indicates failures of the world’s
most expensive reclamation effort that amounts to more than US$ 8 billion. Chapter
2 (“Recent Agricultural Occupation and Environmental Regeneration of Salt
Marshes in Northern Spain”), by Ane García-Artola, Alejandro Cearreta, and María
Jesús Irabien, deals with the reclamation of more than 50% of the original salt
marshes that were degraded since the seventeenth century. This chapter illustrates
how global temperate coastal wetlands with abundant sediment supply can be
regarded as a soft adaptation measure that militates against consequences of climate
change in the coastal zone. Chapter 3 (“Impact of Urbanization on the Evolution of
Mangrove Ecosystem of the Wouri River Estuary [Douala, Cameroon]”), by
Ndongo Din, Vanessa Maxemilie Ngo-Massou, Guillaume Léopold Essomè-Koum,
Eugene Ndema-Nsombo, Ernest Kottè-Mapoko, and Laurant Nyamsi-Moussian,
illustrates the deleterious effects of the urban environment on mangrove depletion
around cities due to wood harvesting, sand extraction, and petroleum exploitation,
in addition to coastal erosion and climate change. Unfortunately, the prognosis for
a change in perception of mangrove degradation in this region is poor due to the
absence of implementation of specific regulations to protect the mangrove forests.
Chapter 4 (“Impacts of Coastal Land Use Changes on Mangrove Wetlands at Sungai
Mangsalut Basin in Brunei Darussalam”), by Shafi Noor Islam and Umar Abdul
Aziz Bin Yahya, continues in a similar vein by showing how increasing population
pressure and economic development are detrimental to mangroves and salt marshes.
Similar to the Everglades, there is the specter of conversion of water bodies and loss
of open space where clearing of coastal mangroves and salt marshes result in a wide
range of environmental issues and risks, not the least of which is severe pollution.
This situation happens because the local authorities are unable to cope with the
rapidly changing situations, internal resource constraints, and management limitations. Chapter 5 (“Land Use and Occupation of Coastal Tropical Wetlands: Whale
Coast, Bahia, Brazil”), by Sirius O. Souza, Camara C. Vale, and Regina C. Oliveira,
reports similar impacts in Brazil where coastal tropical wetlands are often compromised by the gradual expansion of population and economic cycles. Better planning
proposals for land use and occupation are suggested for implementation. Chapter 6
(“Degraded Coastal Wetlands Ecosystems in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Rivers Delta
Region of Bangladesh”), by Shafi Noor Islam, Sandra Reinstädtler, and Albrecht
Gnauck, is perhaps the premier example in the world of population pressure on
coastal wetland resources where 36.8 million people are living in the coastal region
delta and who are dependent on coastal water resources. Unwanted impacts on the
delta, tidal flats, mangrove forests, marches, lagoons, estuaries and other natural
resources are elucidated in the light of ecosystem development and management
strategies that are supposed to ensure communities with livelihood and sustainable
development. Chapter 7 (“Handling High Soil Trace Elements Pollution: Case
Study of the Odiel and Tinto Rivers and Accompanying Salt Marshes [Southwest
Preface
remaining wetlands. Chapter 1 (“The Florida Everglades: An Overview of Alteration
and Restoration”), by Charles W. Finkl and Christopher Makowski, discusses how
urbanization, agriculture, and flood control destroyed about half of the Florida
Everglades (a wetland of international importance [Ramsar Convention] and an
international biosphere reserve [UNESCO]) and indicates failures of the world’s
most expensive reclamation effort that amounts to more than US$ 8 billion. Chapter
2 (“Recent Agricultural Occupation and Environmental Regeneration of Salt
Marshes in Northern Spain”), by Ane García-Artola, Alejandro Cearreta, and María
Jesús Irabien, deals with the reclamation of more than 50% of the original salt
marshes that were degraded since the seventeenth century. This chapter illustrates
how global temperate coastal wetlands with abundant sediment supply can be
regarded as a soft adaptation measure that militates against consequences of climate
change in the coastal zone. Chapter 3 (“Impact of Urbanization on the Evolution of
Mangrove Ecosystem of the Wouri River Estuary [Douala, Cameroon]”), by
Ndongo Din, Vanessa Maxemilie Ngo-Massou, Guillaume Léopold Essomè-Koum,
Eugene Ndema-Nsombo, Ernest Kottè-Mapoko, and Laurant Nyamsi-Moussian,
illustrates the deleterious effects of the urban environment on mangrove depletion
around cities due to wood harvesting, sand extraction, and petroleum exploitation,
in addition to coastal erosion and climate change. Unfortunately, the prognosis for
a change in perception of mangrove degradation in this region is poor due to the
absence of implementation of specific regulations to protect the mangrove forests.
Chapter 4 (“Impacts of Coastal Land Use Changes on Mangrove Wetlands at Sungai
Mangsalut Basin in Brunei Darussalam”), by Shafi Noor Islam and Umar Abdul
Aziz Bin Yahya, continues in a similar vein by showing how increasing population
pressure and economic development are detrimental to mangroves and salt marshes.
Similar to the Everglades, there is the specter of conversion of water bodies and loss
of open space where clearing of coastal mangroves and salt marshes result in a wide
range of environmental issues and risks, not the least of which is severe pollution.
This situation happens because the local authorities are unable to cope with the
rapidly changing situations, internal resource constraints, and management limitations. Chapter 5 (“Land Use and Occupation of Coastal Tropical Wetlands: Whale
Coast, Bahia, Brazil”), by Sirius O. Souza, Camara C. Vale, and Regina C. Oliveira,
reports similar impacts in Brazil where coastal tropical wetlands are often compromised by the gradual expansion of population and economic cycles. Better planning
proposals for land use and occupation are suggested for implementation. Chapter 6
(“Degraded Coastal Wetlands Ecosystems in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Rivers Delta
Region of Bangladesh”), by Shafi Noor Islam, Sandra Reinstädtler, and Albrecht
Gnauck, is perhaps the premier example in the world of population pressure on
coastal wetland resources where 36.8 million people are living in the coastal region
delta and who are dependent on coastal water resources. Unwanted impacts on the
delta, tidal flats, mangrove forests, marches, lagoons, estuaries and other natural
resources are elucidated in the light of ecosystem development and management
strategies that are supposed to ensure communities with livelihood and sustainable
development. Chapter 7 (“Handling High Soil Trace Elements Pollution: Case
Study of the Odiel and Tinto Rivers and Accompanying Salt Marshes [Southwest
Preface