This document discusses biodiversity indicators of climate change in coastal and marine environments in India. It outlines several macro-level climate change indicators that are monitored using remote sensing tools, including rising temperatures, sea level rise, and changes in ocean chemistry and coastal geomorphology. It then describes various coastal and marine habitats that are vulnerable to climate change impacts, such as coral reefs, mangroves, lagoons, estuaries, mudflats, and islands. Specific impacts to these habitats include coral bleaching, changes in mangrove community composition and zonation, and loss of islands. Case studies on marine turtles and the Sunderbans reserve demonstrate recorded and projected climate change impacts.

1. Biodiversity indicators of climate changein the context of coastal and marine environment of IndiaProfessor B.C. ChoudhuryWildlife Institute of India,Dehradune.mail: bcc@wii.gov.in

2. Macro level indicators of climate changeRise in temperatureSea level riseOceanic chemistry and circulationChanges in coastal geomorphologyChanges in vegetation structure and phenological cycle(all these are monitored through satellite based remote sensing tools)

3. Sea surface temperature (SST) of the north Indian Ocean derived from the Satellite NOAA-AVHRR. The Colour code is at 1o C interval. Red depicts high temperature (32o C) and blue low (23o C). Orange and yellow are towards higher range and green towards lower range.

4. Coastal and marine biodiversity supporting habitats vulnerable to climate changeCoral Reef and seagrass meadowsMangrovesCoastal lagoons and lakesEstuariesIntertidal mudflatsRocky shoresSandy shores and sand dunesIslands

5. Coastal and marine biodiversity supporting habitats vulnerable to climate changeMangrovesCoral ReefIntertidal mudflats & SwampsSeagrassBeaches & Sand dunesSeaweedBackwaters,Estuaries,Lakes &LagoonsRocky shoreline

6. Impact of climate change on specific coastal and marine habitatsCoral reefsCoral reefs live very close to the upper thermal toleranceWarm episodes (rise in temperature) have resulted in wide scale coral bleaching and mortality. Viz. El-Nino-southern oscillation1998 coral bleaching across the globe as well as recent re-occurence in 2011.

8. Impact of climate change on specific coastal and marine habitatsMangrovesChanges in the community structure and compositionChanges in zonation and distribution patternsIncrease in mono-specificityLoss of hammock and basin and increase in over-wash mangroves Loss of nursery grounds of a host of brackish and marine living resources

9. Impact of climate change on specific coastal and marine habitatsLagoons and lakesIncrease in salinity and salinity tolerant speciesChanges in species composition w.r.t SALINE:BRACKISH:FRESHWATER tolerant speciesSignificant changes in benthos characteristics

10. Impact of climate change on specific coastal and marine habitatsEstuariesIncreased upstream tidal backwash into the rivers and creeksChanges in composition and breeding behaviour of anadromous and catadromous migrators

11. Impact of climate change on specific coastal and marine habitatsIntertidal mudflatsAlmost total loss of intertidal mudflats along the Indian peninsula viz. Gulf of KhambatFurther aggravated where stiff topography structures viz. seawall prevent the inland migration of mudflat impacted faunal groups are wader bird’s diversity & abundance and their migration patterns.

12. Chilika Ramsar Site

13. Impact of climate change on specific coastal and marine habitatsRocky shoresLoss of anchorage to seaweeds and algaeDecline in habitats for gastropods, bivalves and crustaceans

14. Impact of climate change on specific coastal and marine habitatsSandy shores and sand dunesLoss of nesting areas for shore crabs, marine turtles and wadersLoss of sand dune stabilizing vegetations viz. Ipomea, SpinifixGround water qualityEconomic loss, coastal tourism and fisheries related livelihood

15. Impact of climate change on specific coastal and marine habitatsOceanic IslandsImpact and loss of coraline and volcanic islands (viz. Lakshadweep (Pitti island) and Andaman & Nicobar)Loss of endemic species (Megapod, Amphibians and Reptiles)

16. Endemism – An overview in Andamans

17. Endemics - Forest lizard©S.P.Vijayakumar

18. Endemics - Nicobar Tree Frog©S.P.Vijayakumar

19. Endemics - Andaman cobra©S.P.Vijayakumar

20. Endemics- Narcondam Hornbill

21. Endemics - Nicobar Megapodehttp://www.birding.in/birds/Galliformes/nicobar_scrubfowl.htm

22. Invertebrates - The giant crabs©S.P.Vijayakumar

23. Impact on Conservation Network (PAs and Conservation Areas)Impact on 60-70 coast based PAs in IndiaImpact on 106 Important Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Areas (ICMBA)Loss of coast based important bird areas (Pitti Island, Rann of Kachchh, Kolleru, Pulicate, Chilka & Sunderban)

24. Identified ICMBA sites (106)62 ICMBAs West Coast44 ICMBAs East Coast

25. Prioritized ICMBA sitesAlia BetMadhavpurChandipurPurnaThaneChilkaRushikulyaNaupadaPurnagadBantumilliAchra-MalvanMachilipatnamKaliNetraniKundapurKaliveliKolavipalemPichavaramVypin-Fort KochiKumarakomPalk BayKumbalangi

26. Impact on Indicator Flagship Species of Conservation ImportanceHorseshoe crab-loss of breeding and nesting groundSalt water crocodile-Innundation and loss of nesting groundTurtles-Batagurbaskaand PelochelyscantoriAquatic mammals-Irrawady dolphins and gangetic dolphinsMarine turtles – Sea turtlesEgglaying Snakes-Achrochordus, LaticaudaMammals – tiger, fishing cat ad OtterObligate vegetation – Seagrass, Seaweeds and Halophytes

27. Horse shoe CrabTachypleus gigasCarcinoscorpius rotundicauda

29. River Terrapin (Batagur baska)

30. Asian giant softshell turtle (Pelochelyscantori)

31. Gangetic Dolphin in WB

32. Irrawaddy Dolphins

34. Royal Bengal TigerPantheratigrisSunderbans – largest known population in India, also largest /reports of man-tiger conflict/Worlds only known population of tigers in littoral habitatThreats: Poaching & Retaliatory killings due to tiger-human conflicts

35. Fishing Cat (Prionailurusviverrinus)

36. Smooth coated Otter (Lutrogaleperspicillata)

37. Seaweed & Sea Grass

38. Impact on Ethnic Human PopulationCoast based fishing communitiesIndigenous tribal populations viz. Jarawas, Shompens, Onge, Sentineles, Great Andamanese, Nicobari

39. Indigenous communities - The Great AndamaneseThe OngeThe JarawaThe SentineliNicobareseShompensPankaj Saksheria©S.P.Vijayakumar

40. Other identified impactsImpact on TSD (Temperature dependent Sex Determination) – Turtles and CrocodilesEnhanced cyclone, hurricanes, thunder storms and more frequent El-Nino like conditions

41. Case study – Marine Turtles

42. To understand the dynamics of beach geomorphology for successful Arribada.

43. To understand the factors that contribute to the success or failure of hatching with respect to the nesting beach geomorphology.METHODSBeach profilingAvailable beach width and height between high tide line to vegetation line (benchmark) was monitored on monthly basis. Hatching success and emergence successAfter hatching, selected nests were excavated and empty egg shells were counted for calculating hatching and emergence success (Miller 1999)

44. 13BEACH DURING ONSET OF BREEDING (NOV)BEACH EROSION DURING APRILLOSS OF EGGS DUE TO EROSIONEMERGENCE DURING MAY24

47. AUGUST (Lowest)DECEMEBRMARCH (Highest)MAY (Erosion)MASS NESTINGRushikulya Mass Nesting Beach21 kmMASSNESTING BEACH1 km

48. AUGUSTDECEMEBRMARCHMAYSPORADIC NESTINGDevi Nesting Beach19 kmHIGH SPORADIC NESTING BEACH1 km

49. AUGUST (lowest)DECEMEBRMARCH (Highest)MAY (Erosion begins)MASS NESTINGGahirmatha Mass Nesting BeachWheeler islandMASSNESTING BEACH35 km

50. Typical Tide Curves from full moon to new moon period at three comparative study sites

51. Beach height & Mean tidal amplitude in Gahirmatha rookeryNasi-1. Old nesting beach new Nesting beach in wheeler island

52. In 2004, (Mass nesting area 3000 m X 60 m)Wheeler IslandCoconut IslandNasi-IIBabubaliNasi-ISource: Prustyet al 2006

53. In 2009, (Mass nesting area 900 m X 87 m)Wheeler IslandExtended sandbar at Wheeler Island

54. In 2010, (Mass nesting area 1000 m X 53 m)Wheeler IslandExtended sandbar at Wheeler Island

55. Hatching and emergence success: 2009-10HSESError bars show 95.0% CI of meanError bars show 95.0% CI of mean

56. 30 years of study shows the following changes possibly related to climate change i. Shift in breeding season from December to Marchii. Gradual shift in mass nesting site fidelityiii. Loss of nesting beachesiv. Gradual changes in migratory pattern

57. What is needed ?Identifying climate change related thrust areas of research for all sectors on involving coastal and marine systemsInvolvement of coast based academic organizations and universitiesCreation of Centre of Excellence and Advanced Studies on Climate ChangeInternational and National NGOs to initiate climate change initiativesImprovement in existing prediction frameworkIncreased focus on research in the ability of possible climate change impacted vulnerable species for adaptationInclusion of climate change in academic curriculum

58. Probable loss of areas of Sunderban Tiger Reserve in India due to different levels of sea level rise

59. Sunderban specific…Projecting Sunderban as an climate change impacted global ecological entityIdentification of priority vulnerable biodiversity indicators and mechanisms for their safeguards against local and total extinctionCapacity building and information sharing common databaseTrans boundary common minimum programme on climate change monitoring in Bangladesh and India