Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

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Analysis of Effluent Discharge in to Natural Forest in Bangladesh

Received: 30 July 2014    Accepted: 06 August 2014    Published: 20 September 2014
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Abstract

Natural forest resources like Sundarbans mangroves in Asia including Bangladesh, India, and East Africa previously contained a much fuller range of species (Seidensticker, and Hai, 1983; Khan, 1997). In the Southeast Asian region, species diversity of mangroves was previously much higher, where approximately two-thirds of all species and 70% of the major vegetation types with 15% of terrestrial species in the Bangladesh-India-Malayan realm have already been destroyed (Ellison, 1998, 2000). Despite this designation, this natural forest resources (Sundarbans) in Bangladesh has been facing tremendous problems, including that of dieback (top-dying), shrimp farming, human destructions, deforestations, illicit fellings, miss-management of the main tree species (Heritiera fomes) which is affecting millions of trees (Awal, 2007). The cause of this dieback is still not well understood unknown. The present work has investigated one of the possible factors that might be causing this top-dying, namely the concentrations of various chemical elements present in the sediments, particularly heavy metals, though other chemical parameters such as the pH, salinity, moisture content of the sediment and nutrient status were also assessed. A questionnaire survey was conducted among different groups of people inside and outside of Sundarbans to explore local perceptions as to the possible causes of top dying. This confirmed the increase in top-dying prevalence (Awal, 2007). Despite various hypotheses as to the causes of this top-dying, the underlying causes are still not well understood. The present work has explored some of the possible factors involved, focusing particularly on the relationship between the amount of top-dying in different places and the concentrations of a number of chemical elements present in the soil and water, in order to test the hypothesis that chemical pollution might be responsible. Other factors such as the pH, salinity and nutrient status were also assessed. The vegetation structure was assessed in terms of tree height, bole diameter, species present, and regeneration status; and the intensity of top-dying within the plots was recorded on a rank scale. Most of the elements studied had no significant correlation with the top dying of Heritiera fomes. However, Sn, Exchangeable K, and soil pH were significantly related, and three elements, namely Pb, Zn, Ni, were also close to significance. Sn concentration is negatively associated with top dying. Soil pH varied significantly in the different plots. Exchangeable K was positively associated with the tree diameter whether the top dying was severe or mild (Awal, 2007).

DOI 10.11648/j.aff.20140305.11
Published in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Volume 3, Issue 5, October 2014)
Page(s) 329-340
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Shrimp Farming, Chemical Contamination, Abnormal Elemental Concentration, Chemical Contamination, Health Problems, Causal Factors, Heavy Metal Concentrations, Pollution, Natural Resources Degradations, Sundarbans, Top-Dying

References
[1] Awal, M.A. (2007). Analysis of possible environmental factors causing top-dying in mangrove forest trees in the Sundarbans in Bangladesh. PhD thesis, University of Bradford.
[2] Awal, M.A., Hale, W.H.G. & Stern, B. (2009). Trace element concentrations in mangrove sediments in the Sundarbans, Bangladesh. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 58(12), 1944-1948.
[3] Awal, M.A. (2014). “Correlation between the chemical composition of the surface sediment and water in the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans, Bangladesh, and the regeneration, growth and dieback of the forest trees and people health”..Journal of Science Innovation; 2014. 2(2): pp.11-21.Science Publishing Group, USA; May 20th, 2014(2):11-21;doi: 10.11648/j/si.20140202.11.
[4] Asian Development Bank, 1993-95. Main Plan-1993/2012. Vol.1. Forestry Master Plan. Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines.
[5] Anonymous, 1986. Mangroves in India: Status Report, Government of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi, 150 pp.
[6] Anonymous, 1986. Sundri trees fast reducing. The Bangladesh Observer, 1st. December, 1986.
[7] Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 2006. Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh, Statistics Division. Ministry of Planning. Dhaka, Bangladesh.
[8] Bari, A. 1993. Afforestation and the nutrient sink. Assistance to Fisheries Research Institute. Mymensingh. BGD / 89 / 012, Field Document-3.
[9] Burns, K.A; S. D. Garrity, and S.C. Levings. 1993. How many years until mangrove ecosystems recover from catastrophic spills? Marine Pollution Bulletin 26 (5): 239-248.
[10] Chaffey, D. R; Miller, F.R; Sandom, J. H. 1985. A forest inventory of the Sundarbans, Bangladesh, Main report, Project Report No.140, 196 pp; Overseas Development Administration, London, U.K:195-196.
[11] Chantarasri, S. 1994. Integrated Resource Development of the Sundarban, Fisheries Resources Mangagement for the Sundarban, UNDP / FAO, BGD / 84 / 056, Khulna, Bangladeshp: 170-172.
[12] Chowdhury, A.M. 1984. Integrated Development of the Sundarbans, Bangladesh: Silvicultural Aspects of the Sundarbans. FAO Report No / TCP/ BGD/ 2309 (Mf), W / R003.
[13] Chowdhury, M. I. 1984. Morphological, hydrological and ecological aspects of the Sundarbans. FAO report N0. FO: TCP/BGD/2309(Mf) W /R0027, 32 P.
[14] Christensen, B. 1984. Integrated development of the Sundarbans, Bangladesh: Ecological aspects of the Sundarbans. Reported prepared for the Government of Bangladesh. FAO report no. FO: TCP/ BGD/2309(MF) W/ R0030.
[15] Faizuddin, M. 2003. Research on the Top Dying of Sundri in Bangladesh: 43, Mangrove Silviculture Division, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Khulna, Bangldesh.
[16] Faizuddin, M. and Islam, S.A. 2003. Generated Technology and Usable Information of the Mangrove Silviculture. Mangrove Silviculture Division, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Khulna, p. 17.
[17] FAO, 1993. Forest resources assessment 1990: Tropical countries. FAO Forestry Paper. 112, Rome, 98-102p.
[18] FAO, 1994. Review of the state of world marine fisheries resources. FAO Fisheries resources. FAO Fisheries Technical Approach Paper 335:143.
[19] Gibson, I.A.S. 1975. Reports on a visit to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, 28 February to 1 April 1975.Unpublished Report, ODA, London, 28pp.
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[21] Government of Bangladesh, (2006).Mosaic of Bangladesh; 2006; External Publicity Wing; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh; p:1-145
[22] Hambrey, J. 1999. Mangrove, Fisheries and Economic. Aquaculture and Aquatic Resource Management Program. Asian Institute of Technology. Thailand: 1-4.
[23] Harris, L. D. (1984). The Fragmented Forest: Island Biogeographic Theory and the Preservation of Biotic Diversity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
[24] Hussain, Z. and Karim, A. (1994). Introduction. In: Mangroves of the Sundarbans. Volume 2: Bangladesh, Z. Hussain and G. Acharya (Eds.) IUCN. Bankok, Thailand. !-18 pp.
[25] Islam, M. A.1993. Some Relevant Information about Sundarban. Sundarbans Forest Division, Khulna, Bangladesh, p. 21.
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[28] Rahman, M.A. 2003. Mid-term Report on Top Dying of Sundri (Heritiera fomes) and Its Management in the Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project, Khulna.109pp.
[29] Seidensticker, J. Hai; A. 1983. The Sundarbans wildlife management plan: conservation in the Bangladesh (cited in Chaffey et al., 1985), Bangladesh.
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    Awal, Mohd Abdul. (2014). Analysis of Effluent Discharge in to Natural Forest in Bangladesh. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 3(5), 329-340. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aff.20140305.11

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    Awal; Mohd Abdul. Analysis of Effluent Discharge in to Natural Forest in Bangladesh. Agric. For. Fish. 2014, 3(5), 329-340. doi: 10.11648/j.aff.20140305.11

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    Awal, Mohd Abdul. Analysis of Effluent Discharge in to Natural Forest in Bangladesh. Agric For Fish. 2014;3(5):329-340. doi: 10.11648/j.aff.20140305.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.aff.20140305.11,
      author = {Awal and Mohd Abdul},
      title = {Analysis of Effluent Discharge in to Natural Forest in Bangladesh},
      journal = {Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries},
      volume = {3},
      number = {5},
      pages = {329-340},
      doi = {10.11648/j.aff.20140305.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aff.20140305.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.aff.20140305.11},
      abstract = {Natural forest resources like Sundarbans mangroves in Asia including Bangladesh, India, and East Africa previously contained a much fuller range of species (Seidensticker, and Hai, 1983; Khan, 1997). In the Southeast Asian region, species diversity of mangroves was previously much higher, where approximately two-thirds of all species and 70% of the major vegetation types with 15% of terrestrial species in the Bangladesh-India-Malayan realm have already been destroyed (Ellison, 1998, 2000). Despite this designation, this natural forest resources (Sundarbans) in Bangladesh has been facing tremendous problems, including that of dieback (top-dying), shrimp farming, human destructions, deforestations, illicit fellings, miss-management of the main tree species (Heritiera fomes) which is affecting millions of trees (Awal, 2007). The cause of this dieback is still not well understood unknown. The present work has investigated one of the possible factors that might be causing this top-dying, namely the concentrations of various chemical elements present in the sediments, particularly heavy metals, though other chemical parameters such as the pH, salinity, moisture content of the sediment and nutrient status were also assessed. A questionnaire survey was conducted among different groups of people inside and outside of Sundarbans to explore local perceptions as to the possible causes of top dying. This confirmed the increase in top-dying prevalence (Awal, 2007).  Despite various hypotheses as to the causes of this top-dying, the underlying causes are still not well understood. The present work has explored some of the possible factors involved, focusing particularly on the relationship between the amount of top-dying in different places and the concentrations of a number of chemical elements present in the soil and water, in order to test the hypothesis that chemical pollution might be responsible. Other factors such as the pH, salinity and nutrient status were also assessed. The vegetation structure was assessed in terms of tree height, bole diameter, species present, and regeneration status; and the intensity of top-dying within the plots was recorded on a rank scale. Most of the elements studied had no significant correlation with the top dying of Heritiera fomes. However, Sn, Exchangeable K, and soil pH were significantly related, and three elements, namely Pb, Zn, Ni, were also close to significance. Sn concentration is negatively associated with top dying. Soil pH varied significantly in the different plots. Exchangeable K was positively associated with the tree diameter whether the top dying was severe or mild (Awal, 2007).},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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    T1  - Analysis of Effluent Discharge in to Natural Forest in Bangladesh
    AU  - Awal
    AU  - Mohd Abdul
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    T2  - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
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    AB  - Natural forest resources like Sundarbans mangroves in Asia including Bangladesh, India, and East Africa previously contained a much fuller range of species (Seidensticker, and Hai, 1983; Khan, 1997). In the Southeast Asian region, species diversity of mangroves was previously much higher, where approximately two-thirds of all species and 70% of the major vegetation types with 15% of terrestrial species in the Bangladesh-India-Malayan realm have already been destroyed (Ellison, 1998, 2000). Despite this designation, this natural forest resources (Sundarbans) in Bangladesh has been facing tremendous problems, including that of dieback (top-dying), shrimp farming, human destructions, deforestations, illicit fellings, miss-management of the main tree species (Heritiera fomes) which is affecting millions of trees (Awal, 2007). The cause of this dieback is still not well understood unknown. The present work has investigated one of the possible factors that might be causing this top-dying, namely the concentrations of various chemical elements present in the sediments, particularly heavy metals, though other chemical parameters such as the pH, salinity, moisture content of the sediment and nutrient status were also assessed. A questionnaire survey was conducted among different groups of people inside and outside of Sundarbans to explore local perceptions as to the possible causes of top dying. This confirmed the increase in top-dying prevalence (Awal, 2007).  Despite various hypotheses as to the causes of this top-dying, the underlying causes are still not well understood. The present work has explored some of the possible factors involved, focusing particularly on the relationship between the amount of top-dying in different places and the concentrations of a number of chemical elements present in the soil and water, in order to test the hypothesis that chemical pollution might be responsible. Other factors such as the pH, salinity and nutrient status were also assessed. The vegetation structure was assessed in terms of tree height, bole diameter, species present, and regeneration status; and the intensity of top-dying within the plots was recorded on a rank scale. Most of the elements studied had no significant correlation with the top dying of Heritiera fomes. However, Sn, Exchangeable K, and soil pH were significantly related, and three elements, namely Pb, Zn, Ni, were also close to significance. Sn concentration is negatively associated with top dying. Soil pH varied significantly in the different plots. Exchangeable K was positively associated with the tree diameter whether the top dying was severe or mild (Awal, 2007).
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 5
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