News: A recent study conducted by researchers highlights the remarkable ability of Sunderban mangroves to recover from environmental stress within weeks.
About Mangroves and their Importance
- Mangroves are trees that grow in salty water near the sea. They are unique because most trees cannot survive in such conditions.
- The Sundarbans are located in the delta of the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers. They get both fresh water from rivers and salty water from the Bay of Bengal.
- Why do mangroves matter?
- They protect coastlines from cyclones and storms by acting as a natural barrier.
- They provide a home for rare and endangered animals like the Bengal tiger, Irrawaddy dolphin, and estuarine crocodile.
- They serve as a nursery for 90% of aquatic species on India’s east coast.
- They absorb five times more carbon than regular forests, helping in the fight against climate change.
Findings of the study
- Even after severe weather events, mangroves bounced back within 1-2 weeks.
- They continued to maintain steady productivity, even though pollution was reducing the nutrients available in the water.
- Water Pollution is a growing problem for mangroves. Scientists measured the Redfield Ratio (a balance of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus in the soil).
- Ideally, the Nitrogen to Phosphorus (N/Ph) ratio should be 16:1. However, By 2015, the ratio had increased to 75:1 (almost five times higher). This means nitrates (from pollution) increased, while essential phosphates decreased.
- Mangroves change how they interact with their surroundings based on the stress they face.
- They “remember” past stress events, like how they responded to a cyclone, and store this memory to help them react better in the future.
- This ability is called “link strength and memory,” which helps them survive tough conditions.
About Sundarbans
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