The Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem in India is evaluated as “endangered” by a global team of researchers using the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Ecosystems framework. The clearing of mangroves dating back to the 1800s and declining fish populations were the main historical threats. Ongoing threats such as climate change and reduced freshwater supply may further imperil this ecosystem, they said.
Researchers from India, Australia, Singapore and the United Kingdom evaluated the Indian Sundarbans ecosystem using the Red List of Ecosystems framework developed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature to assess an ecosystem’s risk of collapse. The framework is analogous to the Red List of Threatened Species.
“Despite this seemingly bleak outcome, there is cause for cautious optimism” because of the slow down in…