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Eco-development
as a Tool for the Control of Climate Change Hazards
of Kuttanad Wetlands of Kerala
By P. K. K.
Nair, P. K. Shaji and T. Alexander*
The wetland
ecosystem all over the world is fundamentally characterized by water stress as a
focus of environmental impacts on biodiversity and human habitats. In Kerala
scenario, with 44 rivers and distinctive physio-geographical features, the
wetland system offers an opportunity to carry out intensive research and to
address sustainable development issues, in which a model area identified is the
Kuttanad wetlands. The location is characterized by a coast line with the
Arabian Sea in the west, a stretch of backwaters in the east, associated by
extensive rice fields and a net work of canals connected to major rivers
draining into the area. In fact, the backwaters itself form a reservoir of
pollutants sourced in the sewage from cities and towns, and organic sediments
from the rivers.
The phenomenon
of climate change is related to the increasing level of CO2 in the
air as a bye product of various gas emissions, like SO2, NOX
and even Methane from rice fields, apart from CO2 emission from
fuel wood. The area is also marked by natural background radiation from the
thorium rich coastline, and spilled over the entire wetland system, the impact
of which on the green house effect is yet to be properly assessed and
quantified. Further, the Kuttanad area is below sea level and therefore
vulnerable to sea water intrusion due to rising level of the sea which is
perceived to occur as a result of climate change. Any increase in carbon load of
the air will eventually lead to an increase in atmospheric temperature (may be
about 10C more in the next 50 years or even less) if the hazard is
not adequately controlled.
A documentation
of the flora in the Kuttanad wetlands in Alappuzha district covering an area of
1414 sq. kms. has indicated the paucity of vegetational elements, with just 338
Species, of which the tree wealth is very poor being restricted to 89 species.
The vegetation and its composition, particularly the tree wealth, could be very
crucial for arresting the impacts of climate change. The leaf system and its
spread can effectively control the photosynthetic activity in which CO2
is captured and O2 is released. It is therefore imperative that the
vegetational composition of Kuttanad wetlands need to be fortified through green
belt development with appropriate plant species, particularly the trees, in
conformity with the existing ecological pattern, with the addition of new
elements of benefit to livelihood, socio-economic gains, conservation and
ecorestoration. In such a process it will be important to generate new knowledge
on epidermal features especially the stomatal index and its efficiency in the
process of gas exchange, associated with photosynthesis.
A thematic
ecodevelopment of coastal belt and associated wetlands could have
multidirectional impacts in controlling marine related hazards like the tsunami
at the same time as the improvement of human health resulting from higher oxygen
output. As a beginning to the demonstration of the benefits of green belting,
studies have been carried out in the tsunami affected panchayats of Arattupuzha
and wetland panchayat of Kainakari, in which the cashew plant has been
identified as one of the tree elements and Calophyllum inophyllum has
been notified as an example of ecorestoration of the lost biodiversity. Together
with the above, naturally occurring coconut palm, which withstood the tsunami,
will be retained with the addition of dwarf coconut, in the programme of
evolving an agroforestry system. Thus, ecodevelopment is an inevitable option
for the control of wetland stress with benefits in ecology, economy and
environment.
*
Environmental Resources Research Centre, P. B. No: 1230, Peroorkada
P. O., Thiruvananthapuram, India,
E-mail:
[email protected] |
