Country report on pollution: India

Biogeographical features, coastal ecosystems and coastal activities of the Bay of Bengal Coast of India. Overview of sources of pollution, water and sediment quality. Present status of pollution and trans-boundary issues. International instruments adopted, policy and mechanisms for pollution control and enforcement of existing policies and legislations

Tourism Carrying Capacity for Beaches of South Andaman Island, India

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) is one of the largest tourist areas in India attracting both the international and domestic tourists each year. The Island Administration has a vision to develop the islands as an upmarket island destination for ecotourism. Among the island group, the South Andaman region is the most visited tourist destination and beaches of these islands have great potential for tourism attractions. The present work is an attempt to understand the potential of these beaches by assessing the carrying capacity in terms of number of visitors that can be allowed over a period of time, which will further help with better tourism management. The methodology used to estimate the tourism carrying capacity (TCC) is based on the physical and ecological conditions of each site and the existing infrastructure. The total effective carrying capacity (ECC) estimated for the beaches of Port Blair area (126,301 visitors/day) reveals that the current tourism activity is in lower level compared to its carrying capacity. Such carrying capacity assessments can be used as an input into the regular planning process. Preliminary estimates suggest that A&N Islands can be promoted for high value-low volume, eco-friendly, and environmentally sustainable tourism

Critically Vulnerable Coastal Areas - A Framework for Community Based Resource Management: Vembanad, Kerala 2016

The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 emphasizes Conservation and Sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Further, India's National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environmental and Development, 1992 and the National Environmental Policy, 2006 recognize the importance of multi stakeholder partnership in implementation of conservation plans for sustainable development of natural resources

Symbiotic brachyuran crab Eumedonus zebra Alcock, 1895 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Pilumnidae) – A first record from South east coast of India

1779-1781The article report the occurrence of the symbiotic brachyuran crab Eumedonus zebra Alcock, 1895 from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, south-eastern coast of India based on the morphometric characteristics of the species. This is the first record of genus Eumedonus from the region and is known to be an obligate symbionts of sea urchins

Structure and regeneration status of mangrove patches along the estuarine and coastal stretches of Kerala, India

This study presents the structural characteristics and regeneration potential of mangrove patches in the estuarine and coastal areas of Kerala, a tropical maritime state in India. Field surveys were carried out at 46 selected sites during August 2015 to May 2016. In each site, the vegetative structure and regeneration status were assessed using the quadrat method. Altogether 219 quadrates were laid out and a total of 13 true mangrove species, belonging to 5 families and 8 genera, were recorded. The total tree density and stand basal area of the study region was 1678.08/ha and 20.33 m2/ha respectively. The low basal areas indicate the reduced structural development in mangroves. Of the 13 tree species, Avicennia constitutes 56% of the total Important Value Index (IVI) and Avicennia officinalis represents 41% of the IVI in Kerala, followed by Avicennia marina (15%), Rhizophora mucronata (15%), Sonneratia alba (8%) Rhizophora apiculata (7%) and Excoecaria agallocha (7%). The diameter at breast height (DBH) in the study area revealed that 47% of the tree species came under the 1–10 cm DBH class. Total sapling and seedling density in Kerala was 2238.35 and 3232.42 individuals/ha respectively. Density of young plants (seedlings ? saplings) was only 31% greater of tree density and varied from 3–63%, which indicates poor regeneration potential. The Maturity index value (MIV) and complexity index (Ic) value of mangroves were 18.30 and 109.81 respectively. However, the low Ic value (\10) observed in seven out of ten coastal districts indicated poor structural development of mangroves in Kerala. Therefore, locationspecific conservation and management measures, guided by the knowledge on spatial distribution and habitat requirements of mangrove varieties should be taken to preserve the mangrove diversity of Kerala

Nearshore sediment dynamics of Kavaratti Island, Lakshadweep archipelago using integrated modelling system

845-857The Kavaratti Island of Lakshadweep archipelago exhibits high coastal erosion and shoreline changes due to the anthropogenic stresses on the island morphology. This study focuses on the shoreline analysis using Digital Shoreline Analysis System model and nearshore sediment dynamics using an integrated modeling system with high resolution bathymetry of ~15 m. The sediment load and bed level change were estimated using the sediment transport model through the feedback mechanism of flow and wave forces. The model simulations were performed during winter, pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons for the year 2015 and calibrated using the field observation datasets. Shoreline change studies indicate the coastal erosion of about 83.43 % and accretion of about 16.55 % along the island coast. The study signifies the erosion around the fishing jetty and accretion at the western (Katchery) jetty due to wave induced currents and tidal influx. The scouring effect due to the presence of tetrapods along the island coast is observed between 0.02 and 0.18 m

Land–ocean interactions in the coastal zone: past, present & future

The Land–ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) project was established in 1993 as a core project of the International Geosphere–Biosphere Programme (IGBP) to provide the science knowledge to answer "How will changes in land use, sea level and climate alter coastal systems, and what are the wider consequences?" In its first phase of operation (1993–2003) LOICZ began a fundamental investigation focused on biophysical dimensions, including seminal assessments of coastal seas as net sources or sinks of atmospheric CO2, river discharge to the oceans, and biogeochemical modelling. In the second generation of LOICZ (2004–2014), increased attention was paid to the human dimensions of the coast, involving the inclusion of cross-cutting themes such as coastal governance, social-ecological systems, ecological economics and activities around capacity building and the promotion of early career scientists. This paper provides a synthesis of this work and looks forward to the future challenges for the project. With the transition to Future Earth, there is a paradigm shift emerging. The new vision is to support transformation to a sustainable and resilient future for society and nature on the coast, by facilitating innovative, integrated and solutions-oriented science. Realising this vision takes LOICZ into a third generation: to be at the forefront of co-designing, co-producing and co-implementing knowledge for coastal resilience and sustainability. LOICZ as Future Earth Coasts will continue to address 'hotspots' of coastal vulnerability, focusing on themes of dynamic coasts, human development and the coast, and pathways to global coastal sustainability and constraints thereof

Anthropogenic nitrogen pollution threats and challenges to the health of South Asian coral reefs

Nitrogen pollution is a widespread and growing problem in the coastal waters of South Asia yet the ecological impacts on the region’s coral ecosystems are currently poorly known and understood. South Asia hosts just under 7% of global coral reef coverage but has experienced significant and widespread coral loss in recent decades. The extent to which this coral ecosystem decline at the regional scale can be attributed to the multiple threats posed by nitrogen pollution has been largely overlooked in the literature. Here, we assess the evidence for nitrogen pollution impacts on corals in the central Indian Ocean waters of India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. We find that there is currently limited evidence with which to clearly demonstrate widespread impacts on coral reefs from nitrogen pollution, including from its interactions with other stressors such as seawater warming. However, this does not prove there are no significant impacts, but rather it reflects the paucity of appropriate observations and related understanding of the range of potential impacts of nitrogen pollution at individual, species and ecosystem levels. This situation presents significant research, management and conservation challenges given the wide acceptance that such pollution is problematic. Following from this, we recommend more systematic collection and sharing of robust observations, modelling and experimentation to provide the baseline on which to base prescient pollution control action

Land-ocean interactions in the coastal zone: Past, present and future

The Land-ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) project was established in 1993 as a core project of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) to provide the science knowledge to answer "How will changes in land use, sea level and climate alter coastal systems, and what are the wider consequences?" In its first phase of operation (1993-2003) LOICZ began a fundamental investigation focused on biophysical dimensions, including seminal assessments of coastal seas as net sources or sinks of atmospheric CO2, river discharge to the oceans, and biogeochemical modelling. In the second generation of LOICZ (2004-2014), increased attention was paid to the human dimensions of the coast, involving the inclusion of cross-cutting themes such as coastal governance, social-ecological systems, ecological economics and activities around capacity building and the promotion of early career scientists. This paper provides a synthesis of this work and looks forward to the future challenges for the project. With the transition to Future Earth, there is a paradigm shift emerging. The new vision is to support transformation to a sustainable and resilient future for society and nature on the coast, by facilitating innovative, integrated and solutions-oriented science. Realising this vision takes LOICZ into a third generation: to be at the forefront of co-designing, co-producing and co-implementing knowledge for coastal resilience and sustainability. LOICZ as Future Earth Coasts will continue to address 'hotspots' of coastal vulnerability, focusing on themes of dynamic coasts, human development and the coast, and pathways to global coastal sustainability and constraints thereof

Assessment of trace metal contamination in a historical freshwater canal (Buckingham Canal), Chennai, India

The present study was done to assess the sources and the major processes controlling the trace metal distribution in sediments of Buckingham Canal. Based on the observed geochemical variations, the sediments are grouped as South Buckingham Canal and North Buckingham Canal sediments (SBC and NBC, respectively). SBC sediments show enrichment in Fe, Ti, Mn, Cr, V, Mo, and As concentrations, while NBC sediments show enrichment in Sn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, and Hg. The calculated Chemical Index of Alteration and Chemical Index of Weathering values for all the sediments are relatively higher than the North American Shale Composite and Upper Continental Crust but similar to Post-Archaean Average Shale, and suggest a source area with moderate weathering. Overall, SBC sediments are highly enriched in Mo, Zn, Cu, and Hg (geoaccumulation index (Igeo) class 4– 6), whereas NBC sediments are enriched in Sn, Cu,Zn, and Hg (Igeo class 4–6). Cu, Ni, and Cr show higher than Effects-Range Median values and hence the biological adverse effect of these metals is 20%; Zn, which accounts for 50%, in the NBC sediments, has a more biological adverse effect than other metalsfound in these sediments. The calculated Igeo, Enrichment Factor, and Contamination Factor values indicate that Mo, Hg, Sn, Cu, and Zn are highly enriched in the Buckingham Canal sediments, suggesting the rapid urban and industrial development of Chennai MetropolitanCity have negatively influenced on the surrounding aquatic ecosystem