Current Human Impacts on the Mangroves

This picture shows how the land filled with mangroves
has been cleared for farming purposes.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/ipsnews/8033144559/)

     There are various impacts that humans give to the Mangroves. These impacts not only apply to the Sundarban Mangroves but the Mangroves around the world. One human impact is agriculture. There are many cases relating to the conversion of major mangrove sites as agriculture spots. “It is said that in one of the biggest delta regions in the world, about 150,000 ha of mangroves were destroyed in 100 years” (http://ocw.unu.edu/international-network-on-water-environment-and-health/unu-inweh-course-1-mangroves/Degradation-and-destruction-of-mangroves.pdf). Turning such areas into agricultural lands occur when enough salt is dissolved in the ground. These mangrove lands are often used to grow paddies or coconuts. Even though much about the relationships between mangroves and other wetlands and species are not accurately known, mangroves habitat is a famous nursery areas for many species which are seeking for shelter. Loss of such area endangers many growing species, which in return hurt the community around the mangroves like a chain rule. (http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/001835.html)

This picture shows the result of aquaculture in Cirebon, West Java.
Farmers are not willing to go into stormy weathers.
(http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/02/16/mangrove-damage-worsens-cirebon.html)

     

     Another example of current human impacts on the mangroves would be urbanization. This impact spreads as the human population starts to grow and the mangrove sites are destroyed for human inhabitation. Such example is true because “the human population in the Sundarbans, now estimated at more than 2 million, continues to increase very rapidly” (http://www.eoearth.org/article/Sundarbans_mangroves).  Urbanization leads to other various human impacts such as timber and aquaculture practices. mangroves can be cleared for timber, which can be used to produce energy sources. Because of the nature of their wood, mangroves are used for construction purposes. This therefore leads mangroves as a famous timber source. Also, aquaculture can greatly impact mangroves. The main reason why aquaculture destroys mangrove population is due to acidification of the water. Considering that mangroves depend on water, building aquaculture altered the chemistry and the nature of the water which in return has declined the mangrove habitats. (http://www.eoearth.org/article/Sundarbans_mangroves)

Citation:

Kathiresan, K. "Threats to Mangroves." OCW. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. <http://ocw.unu.edu/international-network-on-water-environment-and-health/unu-inweh-course-1-mangroves/Degradation-and-destruction-of-mangroves.pdf>.

Fund, World Wildlife. "Sundarbans Mangroves." Sundarbans Mangroves. Encyclopedia of Earth, 03 Sept. 2008. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Sundarbans_mangroves>.