437
D. Kar, Wetlands and Lakes of the World,
DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-1023-8_21, © Springer India 2013
Two-thirds of the earth is surrounded by water
and appears blue (the planet of water) from space
(UNEP 1994 ). Lakes and rivers, the most important freshwater resources, account for 2.53 % of
the total water found on earth. Of the total water
in the hydrosphere (4 × 10
8 km
3 ), the seas and
oceans account for c 97.5 % which cover c 71 %
of the earth’s surface. Wetlands are estimated to
occupy nearly 6.4 % of the earth’s surface, 30 %
of which is made up of bogs, 26 % fens, 20 %
swamps, about 15 % fl ood plains, etc. ( IUCN
1996 ). The amount of freshwater on earth is very
small compared to seawater. Out of this, c 69.6 %
is locked away in the continental ice, c 30.1 % in
underground aquifers and c 0.26 % in rivers and
lakes. Lakes, in particular, occupy <0.007 % of
the world’s freshwater. The distribution of the
world water resources compiled from various
sources is listed in Table 21.1 and the continentwise distribution of FW resources is listed in
Table 21.2 (UNEP 1994 ).
Wetlands, with a share of 0.0001 % amongst
the global water sources, include swamps,
marshes, bogs and similar areas and are an
important and vital component of the ecosystem
(IUCN 1996 ). A wide variety of wetlands exist
across the continents because of regional and
local differences in hydrology, vegetation, water
chemistry, soils, topography, climate and other
factors. At the earth’s surface, FW forms the
habitat of large number of species. These aquatic
organisms represent a substantial portion of the
earth’s biological diversity.
21.1 Wetlands of Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a neighbour of India. The country,
like India, is gifted with large number of lentic
bodies spread across the length and breadth of the
country. A brief account of some of the wetlands
in Bangladesh is given below.
21.1.1 Hakaluki Haor
Hakaluki Haor (Plate 21.1 ) is a marshy wetland
on the Eastern part of Bangladesh bordering
Assam of India. It is one of the biggest wetlands
in Asia in general and Bangladesh in particular.
About 190,000 people live in and around Hakaluki
Haor. It has a surface area of 181.15 km
2
(18,115 ha). Hakaluki Haor is a Ramsar wetland.
It was designated as an Ecologically Critical Area
(ECA) by the Director General of the Department
of Environment, Govt. of Bangladesh, as the wetland ecosystem is said to have attained the zenith
of its succession.
21.1.2 Chalan Beel
Chalan Beel (Plate 21.2 , Fig. 21.1 ) is a large
inland wetland lying in Natore District of
Rajshahi Division in Bangladesh. It consists of a
series of Beels connected to one another by
various channels to form a continuous sheet of
waterbody during the rainy season. It dries up in
21
Wetlands of Other Regions in Asia
D. Kar, Wetlands and Lakes of the World,
DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-1023-8_21, © Springer India 2013
Two-thirds of the earth is surrounded by water
and appears blue (the planet of water) from space
(UNEP 1994 ). Lakes and rivers, the most important freshwater resources, account for 2.53 % of
the total water found on earth. Of the total water
in the hydrosphere (4 × 10
8 km
3 ), the seas and
oceans account for c 97.5 % which cover c 71 %
of the earth’s surface. Wetlands are estimated to
occupy nearly 6.4 % of the earth’s surface, 30 %
of which is made up of bogs, 26 % fens, 20 %
swamps, about 15 % fl ood plains, etc. ( IUCN
1996 ). The amount of freshwater on earth is very
small compared to seawater. Out of this, c 69.6 %
is locked away in the continental ice, c 30.1 % in
underground aquifers and c 0.26 % in rivers and
lakes. Lakes, in particular, occupy <0.007 % of
the world’s freshwater. The distribution of the
world water resources compiled from various
sources is listed in Table 21.1 and the continentwise distribution of FW resources is listed in
Table 21.2 (UNEP 1994 ).
Wetlands, with a share of 0.0001 % amongst
the global water sources, include swamps,
marshes, bogs and similar areas and are an
important and vital component of the ecosystem
(IUCN 1996 ). A wide variety of wetlands exist
across the continents because of regional and
local differences in hydrology, vegetation, water
chemistry, soils, topography, climate and other
factors. At the earth’s surface, FW forms the
habitat of large number of species. These aquatic
organisms represent a substantial portion of the
earth’s biological diversity.
21.1 Wetlands of Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a neighbour of India. The country,
like India, is gifted with large number of lentic
bodies spread across the length and breadth of the
country. A brief account of some of the wetlands
in Bangladesh is given below.
21.1.1 Hakaluki Haor
Hakaluki Haor (Plate 21.1 ) is a marshy wetland
on the Eastern part of Bangladesh bordering
Assam of India. It is one of the biggest wetlands
in Asia in general and Bangladesh in particular.
About 190,000 people live in and around Hakaluki
Haor. It has a surface area of 181.15 km
2
(18,115 ha). Hakaluki Haor is a Ramsar wetland.
It was designated as an Ecologically Critical Area
(ECA) by the Director General of the Department
of Environment, Govt. of Bangladesh, as the wetland ecosystem is said to have attained the zenith
of its succession.
21.1.2 Chalan Beel
Chalan Beel (Plate 21.2 , Fig. 21.1 ) is a large
inland wetland lying in Natore District of
Rajshahi Division in Bangladesh. It consists of a
series of Beels connected to one another by
various channels to form a continuous sheet of
waterbody during the rainy season. It dries up in
21
Wetlands of Other Regions in Asia