Significant reduction of carbon stocks and changes of ecosystem service valuation of Indian Sundarban

Over the past four and a half decades, the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem has experienced a significant decline in both carbon stocks and ecosystem service values (ESVs), with total losses amounting to 3310.79 million USD and 6.31 Tg of carbon, respectively. This deterioration is attributed to natural and anthropogenic pressures, including illegal human encroachment. The study utilized time-series satellite data (1975, 2000, and 2020) alongside the InVEST model to analyze dynamic patterns of carbon sequestration and employed the Getis-Ord Gi* method to identify ESV change hotspots. These findings underscore the urgent need for stricter regulatory measures to protect this critical ecosystem, which is vital for millions of people.

Bera, B., Bhattacharjee, S., Sengupta, N., Shit, P. K., Adhikary, P. P., Sengupta, D., & Saha, S. (2022). Significant reduction of carbon stocks and changes of ecosystem service valuation of Indian Sundarban. Scientific Reports, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11716-5