Kakinada: Many studies say that the sea levels are gradually rising, and environmentalists have expressed concern that it could endanger coastal zones in future.
Mangroves are also threatened by a rise in sea levels; loss of mangroves will reduce the coastal water quality, biodiversity, fish and crustacean nursery habitats, adversely affect adjacent coastal habitants. The loss of mangroves could eliminate a major resource for human communities that rely on them for numerous products and serves.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a global sea level rise of 102 mm per year is the result of human induced global warming. Senior scientist A. Saleem Khan who researches climate change said that the global mean sea level rise would not be uniform around the world due to local changes in the sea.
M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation senior scientist R. Ramasubramanian who is working on the Kakinada and Krishna district coastline, said that the sea level was rising by 2 mm near Kakinada and Machilipatnam.
If the sea levels rise, the groundwater in the coastal area and agriculture fields will become saline and can neither used for farming nor drinking. It will lead to starvation and migration due to losing livelihood.
Mr Ramasubramanian said that the MSSRF was taking up a project of growing mangroves near Koringa mangroves and Machilipatnam shore. He said the foundation was trying to overcome the consequences of salination and other impacts of sea level rise through adaptation strategies such as restoration of degraded mangroves and demonstration of integrated mangrove based fishery livelihoods, he said.
There is a prediction that nearly 894 km in the Krishna and Godavari delta region will become saline, if the sea level rises by about 0.6 metres, or 600 mm. The project area is highly vulnerable to storm surges and the predctions are that the intensify and the frequency of cyclones will increase.
Mr Ramasubramanian said that the Krishna delta was influenced by tropical sub-humid climate with hot humid summers and mild winters and the annual mean rainfall was about 1,250 mm. About 45 lakh people depend on agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture within the delta.
Mangroves are partially helpful
Though many organisations are working to increase mangrove cover, experts said that it is not sufficient for protecting ecological balance.
Governments should curb the usage and disposal of plastic waste and other environmentally dangerous materials to the sea and the shore. The mangroves are the most protective barrier for coastal zones from the impact of sea level rise. When the sea level rises, the mangrove roots also grow and prevent the sea waters for that extent.
For many years, the mangroves have been affected by deforestation and other sorts of misuse by locals and the extent of mangroves has been drastically decreased. The M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and the forest department are growing mangroves with the support of local communities and making it a livelihood.
MSSRF senior scientist R. Ramasubramanian said the protection of mangroves was important they curb the impact of sea level rise and also provide habitats for several birds and endangered animals. The Koringa mangroves houses 80 varieties of endangered species.
