Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences
Title : | An Inventory of Green House Gases Emission from Coastal Wetlands of Kerala and their Impact on Regional Climate Change |
Area of research : | Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Renjith K R, Centre For Water Resources Development And Management, Kerala |
Timeline Start Year : | 2023 |
Timeline End Year : | 2026 |
Contact info : | renjith@cwrdm.org |
Equipments : | Evaporator-Chiller
Milli-Q Direct Water Purification System |
Details
Executive Summary : | Wetlands have a significant influence on global climate because of their ability to regulate atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), which together comprise 87% of increases in global radiative forcing since 1750. The wetlands are usually known for the regions of mass carbon storage and sequestration in the form of biomass, when they are reported to be the largest source of CH4 and a significant source of N2O. This dual nature of wetlands is very peculiar but poorly studied, even though it is evident that under certain circumstances same wetlands could either be net sinks or sources of GHGs. i.e., the improper wetland management and ignorance of wetland changes may spoil the delicate balance between the GHGs sequestration abilities of wetlands, shifting this equilibrium in a detrimental direction. This aspect should be addressed to invite the attention of policymakers in India to incorporate climate change aspects in the wetland management strategies. Being one of the country's high populous states, the wetlands in Kerala are currently subjected to acute pressure owing to rapid developmental activities and indiscriminate utilisation of land and water. Due to encroachment, reclamation and waste dumping activities, the aesthetic values of many wetland regions are highly affected. The excessive growth of weeds resulting from eutrophication has created the situation of the utilisation of excess quantity of dissolved oxygen in the water. This has affected the water quality very badly in many places. The impact of improper wetland management and its role in regional GHGs inventory is least studied in India. Five coastal wetlands - (i) Vembanad – Kol, (ii) Ashtamudi, (iii) Kottuli, (iv) Kadulandi and (v) Kavvayi wetlands - chosen for the study are the wetlands identified under the national wetland conservation programme of MoEF&CC, GoI. The study is intended to make an inventory of CO2, CH4 and N2O flux and their controlling factors in the wetlands along the Kerala coast. The proposed work will help fill the regional data gap from our region in the global GHGs inventory. Water (surface and bottom) and sediment samples will be collected from fixed geographical locations based on the hydrodynamics, geology and possible anthropogenic sources, representing the transitional environment (0-35 ppt). The study will be conducted seasonally during the pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon. Human activity has reduced the size and capacity of wetland ecosystems while increasing GHG emissions. Protecting and restoring wetlands for climate mitigation and adaptation reflects a key tenet of Ramsar’s Strategic Plan. Efforts to protect and restore wetlands and promote their wise use will help countries achieve Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement on climate change and contribute toward the SDGs-13 targets and other important global policy goals. |
Co-PI: | Dr. Resmi T R, Centre For Water Resources Development And Management, Kerala-673571, Dr. Sudheesh Valliyodan, Central University Of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala-671316 |
Total Budget (INR): | 30,88,240 |
Organizations involved