The Sundarbans Under Threat: Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity, Habitats, and Human Livelihoods

Zoology

The Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem, located in the delta formed by the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers, plays a crucial role in global biodiversity and climate regulation. This analysis focuses on the impact of climate change on this unique environment, examining factors such as rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and more frequent severe cyclones. Rising sea levels and higher salinity are reshaping the mangrove species composition, affecting their growth and reproductive processes. Temperature increases exacerbate these changes, disrupting the ecosystem’s delicate balance and altering species distributions and interactions. Shifts in precipitation patterns reduce freshwater inflows, worsening salinity intrusion and affecting both plant and animal life. More frequent and intense cyclones are accelerating erosion and habitat loss, affecting not only the mangroves but also the human populations that rely on this ecosystem for fishing and agriculture.The socio-economic consequences are significant, as climate-driven changes threaten the livelihoods of local communities. This review explores adaptive management strategies, including community-led conservation and policy initiatives, as essential tools for mitigating these impacts and building resilience. It calls for integrated, interdisciplinary approaches to safeguarding the Sundarbans, urging enhanced international cooperation, sustainable management practices, and focused research to confront climate change challenges and protect this critical ecological and socio-economic resource

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