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Top Dying Scenarios of Sundri (heritiera Fomes) Trees in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh.

Dr.A.S.M.Helal Siddiqui
Senior Research Officer
Mangrove Silviculture Division,Bangladesh Forest Research Institute,Ministry of Environment and Forest,Mangrove Bhaban, Muzgunni, Khulna-9000

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

(Heritiera fomes) is one of the single most important species in the Sundarbans belongs to the sterculaceae family. It is a gregarious evergreen tree with buttressed, stem attaining a height of about 20 to 25 m. and dbh. can be found maximum 40 cm. Sundri wood is hard and reddish in color. It is used extensively for main sawn timber, fire wood, poles, house posts, rafters, masts, oar handles, boat building, construction works, poles and anchor logs for REB (Rural Electrification Board), planking, heavy furniture, wooden bridges and used as transmission poles. It has also a strong domestic demand for multipurpose uses; because it is a good durable wood with a weight of 65 pounds per cubic foot.The Symptoms of top dying affected and unaffected trees are detected, site 2 and site 3 top dying is 19%, 20% and 26% and branch dying 21%, 35% and 21% and total affected percentages are 40%, 55% and 47% respectively. The average number of top dying out of three sites totally affected 47.33% and average top dying percentage is 20.66%, Branch affected 25.66% and average percentage of unaffected (sound) tree is 52.66% in the fresh water zone.In the moderate saline water zone, the three site class viz. site class1, site class 2 and site class 3 also varied one another. The affected top dying percentages are 26%, 32% and 28% and average 28.66% whereas percentage of branch dying is 22%, 9% and 12% and average 14.33% and total affected tree is 43%.In case of strong saline zone the result shows that top dying percentage are 13%, 30% and 03% and branch affected percentages are 08%, 15% and 05% that is total affected tree is 21%,45% and 08% respectively and average top dying in the strong saline zone is 15.33% and branch affected 9.33% and total24.66%.The result (table-1) also shows that in moderate saline water zone which is under Khulna Range, the highest % of top dying affected. Then followed by fresh water zone and the lowest % of top dying affected are 28.66%, 20.66% and 15.33% respectively, and total % of unaffected trees in the study zone are 57%, 52.66% and 75.33% respectively.The Forest Department recognizes top dying of sundari as the key management concern of the Sundarbans.The causal factors are revised and presented here- lack of sufficient fresh water flow due to Farrakka Barrage, water salinity, sedimentation, increasing water durability-cyclone effect , tidal surge, natural maturity of the delta, lack of nutrients, fungal pathogen, entomological introduction, industrial pollution, pesticide effect, ionic imbalance, water logging etc.

Keywords: Sundri (Heritiera fomes) trees, The Sundarbans,Top dying scenarios,

Location: The Sundarbans

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Conservation and Biodiversity

Commodity: Sundari

Objectives:

1.To identify the real situation of top dying scenarios of Sundri trees in the Sundarbans.

2.To know the causal factors of it and to know the abundance of top dying and its symptoms

Methodology:

In the field the observation and survey and literature reviews were conducted sincerely with a view to fulfill the objectives. Top dying symptoms and others scenarios of diseases and disorders that the branch and leaf condition which indicated the trees are quietly affected were booked.

Source of Information: Helal Siddiqui,A.S.M.2009. Top dying scenarios of Sundri (Heritiera fomes) trees in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh. in Badabon, Published by Sundarbon Academy, Farazipara, Khulna, 74- 90 pp.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.	Budget: N/A

Total Budget (Tk.) : N/A

Achievement/Findings:

Top dying is seen to occur in the entire area of the Sundarbans. The incidence of top dying varies considerably within a zone or a part of the compartment. The compartments with severe incidence of top dying sundri are noticed.The incidence of top dying area belong to the compartment of 14, 21, 23, 25, 26 28(Block-1), 6, 45 (Block-3), 32, 33, 39 (Block-4), 46,47 (Block-5A) and 38 (Block-5B). The level of top dying of sundri in the Sundarbans almost constant at around 17% during the last five to six decades and thereby assuming the shape of a natural phenomenon in the functioning of the Sundarbans ecosystems. T top dying occur in the mixed Gewa-Sundri forest type than in other forest types in which sundri is a major component. The affected trees reveals as a decline and die back of the foliage and twigs of a part of the crown and ultimately the main stem affected and may be truncated . Top dying may be classified into two types-one in which the trees are finally dead and damage at the top portion and the other type in which leaves become gradually pale then yellow and curl in marginally and finally fall off. About the problem of top dying. Helal Siddiqui (1996) opined that increasing of water salinity and turbidity, lack of sufficient tidal flush in the forest floor, deficiency of nutrients and foods, siltation, disturbance of growth of pneumatophores and different types of pathogens cause of dying of sundri in the Sundarbans.

Knowledge Management: