Tropical Deltas And Coastal Zones

Coastal deltas represent one of the most diverse biophysical regions in the tropical developing world. These regions are also home to large human populations and are significant areas of agricultural production and industrialization. Tropical deltas currently face a number of environmental pressures stemming from their intensive use and rapid development, and new threts are emerging as a result of global climate change and expected sea-level rise. Focusing on the developing countries of Asia, Africa and South America, chapters explore the impact of development strategies and existing land and water management practices on delta environments. New management techniques are also explored, which address conflicts between rice-based agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and the emerging threat of climate change. Illustrating the current key management challenges involved in protecting tropical deltaic systems in the face of environmental change, this book will be an essential reference for students, researchers and policy makers in agriculture, environmental science and aquaculture.

Coastal areas are commonly defined as the interface or transition areas between land and sea, including large inland lakes. Overall, about 50–70 % of the global population live within 100 km of the coastline covering only about 4 % of earth’s land, thereby drawing heavily on coastal and marine habitats for food, building sites, transportation, recreational areas, and waste disposal. The people of these zones depend mainly on low productive agriculture due to several constraints such as prolonged water logging and drainage congestion in predominantly low-lying areas with heavy soils during the wet season, preponderance of saline and acid sulphate soils, scarcity of good quality irrigation water, particularly in the dry season, seawater intrusion into adjoining lands, and water pollution due to eutrophication, and others affecting the aquatic habitats, etc. Carbon sequestration in coastal areas, such as, marshes, lagoons, etc. has significant influence on soil quality, and the carbon pool in soils as well as their impacts on the environment. Over and above these, the coastal areas are prone to disasters due to climate change leading to colossal loss of lives and properties in many areas. Forestry and mangrove dynamics, in particular, because of their continuing diminishing nature, are also subjects of interest affecting the ecology of coastal zones requiring appropriate attention. The international symposium held in this context on ‘ Transforming Coastal Zones for Sustainable Food and Income Security ’ in virtual mode in March, 2021 offered scope to present and discuss various thematic areas by eminent scientists from all over the world. The proceedings of selected papers presented reflect cross-sectoral views of the areas highlighting, wherever necessary, a fusion of technologies, with the ultimate target to suggest livelihood security and sustainable development for the sensitive coastal zones. The book intends to share the knowledge with researchers, academicians, and various other stakeholders to address the complex problems of coastal regions, production constraints, social, economic, technical and environmental issues to draw out strategies for resilient agricultural technologies and improving livelihood security in coastal agro-ecosystems.

This collection contains 11 papers presented at Deltas of the World, part of Coastal Zone '93, the Eighth Symposium on Coastal and Ocean Management, held in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 19-23, 1993. Part of the Coastlines of the World series.

This book focuses on the challenges people face in managing agricultural crops, aquaculture, fisheries and related ecosystems in areas of coastal zones in the tropics of Asia, Africa, Australia and South America. Challenges arise from conflicts in the use of natural resources among different stakeholders. Through many case studies, the book discusses the nature of these conflicts and identifies what is known and not known about how to manage them. Case studies include: · trade-offs between enhancing agricultural production and maintenance of rural livelihoods and aquatic biodiversity.· lessons learnt from the conversion of mangrove forests to shrimp farms.

Biological diversity is important for ecosystem function and services, which in turn is essential for human well-being. Under the Convention on Biological Diversity, international efforts have been made to achieve a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss. The loss continues, however. The Asia-Pacific region includes both developing countries with high biodiversity and developed countries with sophisticated data collection and analyses, but only limited information about the status quo of biodiversity in this region has been available. Many Asia-Pacific countries have rapidly grown their economies and social infrastructures, causing a loss of biodiversity and requiring an urgent mandate to achieve a balance between development and conservation in the region. In December 2009, scientists successfully organized the Asia-Pacific Biodiversity Observation Network in the region, to establish a network for research and monitoring of ecosystems and biodiversity and to build a cooperative framework. The present volume is the first collection of information on biodiversity in the Asia-Pacific and represents a quantum step forward in science that optimizes the synergy between development and biodiversity conservation.

Coasts and Estuaries: The Future provides valuable information on how we can protect and maintain natural ecological structures while also allowing estuaries to deliver services that produce societal goods and benefits. These issues are addressed through chapters detailing case studies from estuaries and coastal waters worldwide, presenting a full range of natural variability and human pressures. Following this, a series of chapters written by scientific leaders worldwide synthesizes the problems and offers solutions for specific issues graded within the framework of the socio-economic-environmental mosaic. These include fisheries, climate change, coastal megacities, evolving human-nature interactions, remediation measures, and integrated coastal management. The problems faced by half of the world living near coasts are truly a worldwide challenge as well as an opportunity for scientists to study commonalities and differences and provide solutions. This book is centered around the proposed DAPSI(W)R(M) framework, where drivers of basic human needs requires activities that each produce pressures. The pressures are mechanisms of state change on the natural system and Impacts on societal welfare (including well-being). These problems then require responses, which are the solutions relating to governance, socio-economic and cultural measures (Scharin et al 2016). Covers estuaries and coastal seas worldwide, integrating their commonality, differences and solutions for sustainability Includes global case studies from leading worldwide contributors, with accompanying boxes highlighting a synopsis about a particular estuary and coastal sea, making all information easy to find Presents full color images to aid the reader in a better understanding of details of each case study Provides a multi-disciplinary approach, linking biology, physics, climate and social sciences

Coastal Zones and Estuaries is a component of Encyclopedia of Environmental and Ecological Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources which is part of the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The Theme deals with important links of water, sediment, and nutrients between continents and oceans. The present behavior of sea level, ice sheets, and coral reefs is still a matter of controversy and concern. Coastal experiences learned in developed countries should be used to improve coastal policies world wide. Within the Global Change Programme, it is recognized that the earth system is characterized by critical limits and abrupt changes. The coastal systems are particularly sensitive to these changes. This volume is aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College Students, Educators, Professional Practitioners, Research Personnel and Policy Analysts, Managers, and Decision Makers and NGOs.