Threatened Mangroves of Sunderbans

S.R. Gupta and Arun Lekha

Mangroves are taxonomically diverse group of salt tolerant, broad-leaved evergreen trees and shrubs that grow primarily in tropical and subtropical coastal regions of Asia, Australia and America. Mangroves are made up of salt tolerant evergreen trees and act as natural buffers against tropical cyclones. Mangroves have special aerial roots, prop roots and buttresses to live in muddy, shifting and saline conditions. Theses mangrove systems are the nurseries of many invertebrate species and fish. The Sundarban Mangrove forest, covering an area of 16,000 km2 of land and water, is the longest mangrove forests in the world. Sundarban mangrove lies within the delta of the Ganges, Brahamputra and Meghna rivers in the Bay of Bengal; 60% of the area lies in Bangladesh and 40% area in India. It is a biosphere reserve and the core area (Sundarban National Reserve) is world Heritage site. Under the project Tiger, the Government of India has established a Tiger Reserve in Sundarban.

The Sunderbans Mangrove harbours a rich biodiversity of plants and animals, and is the only habitat for the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger. There is great abundance of invertebrates, birds, insects, monkeys and reptiles. The mangrove ecosystem provides income to the local people from the collection of mollusks, crustaceans, fish and honey. A large number of species of prawns and shrimps are exploited commercially. According to IPCC report 2007, sea level rise is the greatest threat to the Sundarban mangrove system because of flooding of low-lying delta, retreat of shoreline, saliniztion and acidification of soil, changes in water table and adverse effect on livelihood of local people. Mangrove will be affected greatest by sea-level rise. In the case of a 45cm rise in global sea level will cause a destruction of the 75% of the Sundarbans mangrove. Some climate change models also predict increased frequency of tropical cyclones in coastal regions that will impact the biodiversity and resilience of the mangroves.


POSSIBLE CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON MANGROVES


Possible Impact
Temperature Increase
Change in seasonal patterns of reproduction of plants and animals
Elevated CO2
May cause species specific variations
Sea- level changes
Decrease in geographic distribution
Change in species composition
Change in species diversity of mangroves on small islands

Tropical storms
Increased frequency and intensity of storms will affect salinity levels, flooding of low lying areas and wetland sediment budget
Precipitation Change
Effect on plant growth and aerial extent


Sources:
IPCC (2007), and Brij Gopal and Malavika Chauhan(Aquatic sciences, 2007)

Global Climate Change: Science and Policy

Dr Sharda R. Gupta

At the start of the 21st Century, we are confronted with a crisis of climate change. The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change has established an overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is real and happening due to human activities.

WHAT MAKES THE CLIMATE CHANGE?

Climate change refers to any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity. The Earth’s climate is influenced by many factors, mainly by the amount of solar radiation coming from the sun, the amount of greenhouse gases, water vapour, aerosols in the atmosphere and the properties of the Earth’s surface which determine how much of this solar energy is retained or reflected back to space. The phenomenon of trapping and reradiating heat by the greenhouse gases in atmosphere is referred as greenhouse effect.

The atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) have significantly increased since the beginning of the industrial revolution. This is mainly due to human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels ( coal, oil, and natural gas), deforestation and change in land use, and agriculture.

The current atmospheric concentrations of 380 ppm (CO2 molecules per million molecules of air) of carbon dioxide far exceed levels of last 420,000years ( 180 to 280 ppm) as determined by the scientists from Vostok ice core (Figure 1) and that of 650, 000years record of the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica ( EPICA). In recent times, the direct measurements of CO2 have been carried out in Antarctica , Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, USA ( Figure2); Point Barrow Alaska; American Samoa and Trinidad. Climatologists reporting for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have clearly shown that global warming has been caused by human activities

CLIMATE CHANGE INDICATORS

1. Global temperature increase over the last 100years (1906-2005) by 0.740C.

2. Reduction of Arctic Sea Ice summer extent; being lowest in September, 2007 according to the latest report published in New Scientist on 28 April, 2008 ( Figure3).
3. In the Antarctica in southern hemisphere, 87% of glaciers have retreated over the last 50 years.
4. The volume of summit glacier on Kilimanjaro Mountain in Africa has decreased by 81% from the year 1912-2000..
5. Gangotri Glacier, one of the largest glaciers in Himalaya, has retreated by as much as 30m per year in the past decade ( Figure 4).
6. Global sea level has risen by 17cm during the 20th century.
7. In the Arctic Circle, the Inuit are loosing their hunting cultures due to retreating Arctic Ice and permafrost.
8. Mumbai in its suburb Santa Cruz received a very high rainfall of 94.4 cm with in a span of less than 24 hours on July 25, 2005..

PROJECTED IMPACTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

Based on Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC), 2007.

Elevated temperatures of the biosphere

The best estimates for global temperature increase from the 1980s to the end of the 21st century range from 1.8°C to 4.0°C

Melting of Glaciers
- melting of polar ice in both the Arctic and Antarctic
- Melting of glaciers, glacier lake outburst, increase in flooding
- increase in sea level (flooding of major cities)
- increase in thaw depth of permafrost in the arctic region
Water and Coasts
- More rainfall during shorter periods in continental areas
- more floods and storms in coastal regions
- More evaporation and soil moisture deficiencies
- Rock avalanches from destabilized slopes
- High exposure of population and infrastructure on small islands states ( e.g. Mauritius).
Ecosystems
- Terrestrial biosphere tends towards a net carbon source
- species migration and increasing risk of extinction
- In tropical oceans, increased coral bleaching and widespread coral mortality
- Significant extinction of species around the globe
Food
Cereal productivity to decrease in some regions
Adverse impacts on subsistence farmers and fishers
Decline in yields of corn, wheat, rice and other major crops

Human Health
- heat stress, floods and drought
- Malnutrition and increased disease burden
- migration of disease vectors


INTERNATIONAL ACTION

The Kyoto Protocol ratified on 16 February, 2005 requires countries to take appropriate measures to reduce their overall greenhouse gas emissions to a level at least 5.2% below the 1990 level during the initial commitment period 2008-2012. As of April 2008, 178 member Parties have ratified the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC 2008). Under the Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) of Kyoto Protocol, greenhouse gas reduction projects in developing countries like India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, etc., can earn certified emission reductions.
The Nobel Peace Prize for the year 2007 has been awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) jointly with Mr Al Gore. Dr R.K. Pachauri ( Director General, Tata Energy and Resources Institute, TERI, New Delhi), and presently Chairman of the IPCC.

STABILIZING OUR CLIMATE: THE NEED FOR ACTION

15% of world population in developed countries account for almost half of emission of CO2. A recent report has shown that high income nations produce 5.7 times more greenhouse gases emission than low income nations, but low income nations bear greater burden of climate changes (PNAS, February 2008).
There is need to reduce annual carbon emission by about 7 billion tons by 2050. Professor Robert Socolow, Princeton University, USA argues that we already have the science and technology to do so and has given the seven wedges stabilization triangle comprised the various technological solutions. A “wedge” is a strategy to reduce carbon in confronting the problem of greenhouse warming; we must strive to speed up every one of these options over 50 years to provide at least one wedge (Figure 5).
The World Environment Day slogan for 2008 is Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy. Thus, it is important to take initiatives that promote low carbon economies and life-styles, such as :

1. To improve efficiency of buildings, ground transport, industrial processing, and lighting, thermal power plants.
2. Renewable Energy from wind, photovoltaic , hydropower, and organic wastes.
3. Reduced deforestation, afforestation and new tree plantations.
4. Improving biological productivity of Agricultural lands.
5. By changing life styles, managing the wastes and conserving our biodiversity.
Promoting eco-friendly consumption.

CONLUSION
The climate change process is not only biophysical, but also has social profile. Most of the work on climate change has to date focused on mitigation and adaptation strategies to address its causes and consequences to the environment. More recently, the promotion of sustainable development and poverty reduction have brought into focus the human dimension. Today, a much needed step forward in the direction would be to fully integrate human rights when meeting the climate change challenges. Now, it is time to look at some of the deeper implications of climate change, in particular its implications for global fairness and equity.

Inspiring Story for Assembly

Can Parents Change the Destiny of the Child?

When Guatam Budha was born his father king Sudodhan called in the royal priest to make his horoscope.

After checking the date and time of his birth, the priest told that either this child is going to be an emperor or a monk.

We respect spiritually elevated human souls but no parent wants his child to become a monk, however great.

King made the arrangements to ensure that no circumstance was ever allowed around Sidharth( Budha, the child) that led to make him even think of being a monk. All arrangements of princely entertainment were made. Horse riding, teaching of royal ethics a and public duty, beautiful dancers, flower valleys, friends, food and fun. Nobody even will have a sad face in his presence or talk of sorrow.

That made him fed up with the material joys which didn’t offer inner happiness.
As luck would have it, one day he chanced upon to see a dead body being carried for funeral. He asked his teacher who in turn clarified that the death was inevitable.

Why death can’t be avoided? Who gives us birth? What is the source of misery? Can we avoid suffering by praying God? Where do we go after death? – the questions never ended and answers of his teacher hardly satisfied Sidharth.

Sidharth was married in hurry so that he would be absorbed in worldly business. One day he left the palace in the wee hours of night, while his son and wife were asleep – never to come back.

Gautam Budha became a great monk.

Jeans Could Reduce Fertility

Acharya Girish Jha

A study conducted by AIIMS has revealed that the sperm count of a normal adult male in India, which used to be 60 million per ml around 30 years ago, has plunged to a third of that count — to around 20 million per ml. And this relatively swift decline in sperm count is being linked to habits which expose the scrotum to higher-than-normal temperatures.

The 10-year-long study, funded by ICMR and conducted by AIIMS associate professor Dr Rima Dada, questioned 1,000 men from north India and found that lifestyle factors like tight clothing, hot tub dips and long visits to the sauna, pesticide exposure due to intensive gardening or farming as well as increased obesity rates were major causes for decreasing sperm count. [ 12 Apr, 2007 0027hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

It is startling revelation by scientists and if research is carried out further, it will further reveal that cause of stress, anxiety, anger and agitation in modern life is wearing tight, thick clothes. I was also using jeans as easy outfit, comfortable in journey and very economical in maintenance. After every meditation session, I had to go my office wearing jeans which took one hour. During one hour, I always felt discomfort, uneasiness. Until 1987, I could not understand the reasons of my stress. But when I started wearing Pajama and kurta (customized Indian dress) , I felt immediate relief from stress.

Cyber Crime

Cyber crime is a criminal activity involving the information technology infrastructure, including illegal access, damaging, deletion, alteration or suppression of computer data.

Examples of cyber crime include unauthorized access, Email bombing, data diddling denial-of-service attacks.Traditional crimes facilitated through the use of computers include Nigerian 419 frauds (e.g., hacking,phishing, identity theft, child pornography, online gambling, etc. Cyberstalking (harassment) is an example of a traditional crime that has taken a new form.

Unauthorized access to computer systems or networks is commonly referred to as hacking. This includes theft of information stored in computer hard disks.
Email bombing refers to sending a large number of emails to the victim resulting in the victim's email account or mail servers crashing.

Data diddling involves altering raw data just before it is processed by a computer and then changing it back after the processing is completed. Electricity Boards in India have been victims to data diddling programs inserted when private parties were computerizing their systems.

Denial of Service attack involves flooding a computer resource with more requests than it can handle. This causes the web server to crash thereby denying authorized users the service offered by the resource.

Virus / worm attacks are programs that attach themselves to a computer or a file and then circulate themselves to other files and to other computers on a network. They usually alter or delete the data on a computer.

The VBS_LOVELETTER virus was reportedly written by a Filipino undergraduate. In May 2000, this deadly virus struck one in every five personal computers in the world. The original VBS_LOVELETTER utilized the addresses in Microsoft Outlook and emailed itself to those addresses. The e-mail, which was sent out, had "ILOVEYOU" in its subject line. The message in the e-mail was "kindly check the attached LOVELETTER coming from me". Losses incurred during this virus attack were estimated at US $ 10 billion.
Web jacking occurs when someone forcefully takes control of a website (by cracking the password and later changing it). The actual owner of the website does not have any more control over what appears on that website.

Life is about a mix of good and evil. So is the Internet. For all the good it does us, cyberspace has its dark sides too. Awareness is important and any matter should be reported at once. Until laws become more stringent or technology more advanced users must guard against electronic information sharing on their computers.
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WORD POWER

Tennis Elbow

The classic tennis elbow is caused by repeated forceful contractions of wrist muscles located on the outer forearm. The stress, created at a common muscle origin, causes microscopic tears leading to inflammation. This is a relatively small surface area located at the outer portion of the elbow (the lateral epicondyle). Medial tennis elbow, or medial epicondylitis, is caused by forceful, repetitive contractions from muscles located on the inside of the forearm. All of the forearm muscles are involved in tennis serves, when combined motions of the elbow and wrist are employed. This overuse injury is common between ages 20 and 40.

People at risk for tennis elbow are those in occupations that require strenuous or repetitive forearm movement. Such jobs include mechanics or carpentry. Sport activities that require individuals to twist the hand, wrist, and forearm, such as tennis, throwing a ball, bowling, golfing, and skiing, can cause tennis elbow. Individuals in poor physical condition, who are exposed to repetitive wrist and forearm movements for long periods of time may be prone to tennis elbow. This condition is also called epicondylitis, lateral epicondylitis, medial epicondylitis, or golfer's elbow, where pain is present at the inside epicondyle.
— Jeffrey P. Larson

Athlete's Foot

Athlete's foot is a very common condition of itchy, peeling skin on the feet. In fact, it's so common that most people will have at least one episode at least once in their lives. It's less often found in women and children under age 12. (Symptoms that look like athlete's foot in young children most probably are caused by some other skin condition).
Because the fungi grow well in warm, damp areas, they flourish in and around swimming pools, showers, and locker rooms. Tinea pedis got its common name because the infection was common among athletes who often used these areas.
— Carol A. Turkington

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence - Understanding your own emotions and those of others, and being able to use this information to bring about the best outcome for all concerned. Knowing where emotions come from and being able to manage your own and those of others. Knowing what emotions mean and what information they are providing. Being able to work well with others as well as alone. Being able to combine cognitive knowledge with emotional knowledge and use them in tandem.

Cognitive Intelligence - Intellectual abilities such as logic, reason, reading, writing, analyzing and prioritizing. These go on in your own head and utilize only the neocortex, not the emotional centers of the brain which also provide crucial information. These abilities do not require any social skills per se, i.e., you can solve a math equation by yourself, or write an essay, or balance a business’ books by yourself.

Being effective both alone and as a team player vs. Only effective when working alone
Being able to manage your own emotions vs. Having temper tantrums, sulking or withdrawing
Being able to empathize with others and knowing where they're coming from vs. Not being able to grasp the feelings of others and understand how the emotions are affecting the situation
Using an emotional appeal to convince someone of something v. Using an intellectual appeal to convince someone of something

Knowing that motivation is a feeling word v. Thinking that motivation is a thinking word
EXAMPLE

Bill was brilliant in his field and the best IT person in the office as to technical skills, but his people skills were very low. He was abrasive, arrogant, short-tempered, and a perfectionist. Other people didn't like to work with him, and he was unable to explain things in terms other people could understand.

Mary, who was also in the IT department, had good technical skills and a good education, though it was less than Bill’s. However, her emotional intelligence more than made up for this. She was able to handle herself and other people well and to explain things calmly and clearly. People loved to work with her and requested her by name. She received promotion after promotion because of her technical expertise and her high emotional intelligence.

KEY POINT
Many people with very high IQs (cognitive intelligence) do poorly in work and relationships because they have low EQs (emotional intelligence). They sabotage themselves because they can't manage their own emotions or those of other people, and they sabotage projects because they may have all the logical, rational and analytical “answers,” but they don’t have the “soft” skills to move a project forward.

BENEFITS
Emotional intelligence accounts for more success and happiness in life than intellectual intelligence.

RELATED DESTINCTIONS
Soft skills plus hard skills vs. Hard skills only
Knowing people v. Knowing facts
Thinking and feeling v. Thinking only
Learn to develop your emotional intelligence as well as your skills and technical expertise and you’ll do better in your career. Developing your emotional intelligence is also crucial for personal and family relationships. Hire a certified emotional intelligence coach and get started today. Your career and relationships could depend upon it.