Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Spatial and temporal variations of organic matter contents and potential sediment nutrient index in the Sundarbans mangrove forest, Bangladesh

  • Environmental Engineering
  • Published:
KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering Aims and scope

Abstract

This paper has investigated the total organic carbon contents together with total nitrogen, total phosphorous, electrical conductivity and grain size parameters of the surface sediments of the Sundarbans mangrove forest in Bangladesh. The results showed that the seasonal variations of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and Total Nitrogen (TN) were significant at all sampling points. TOC and TN content at the monsoon were quite higher than that of the winter season. TOC and TN also showed strong positive correlations between them and negatively correlated with Total Phosphorus (TP). Depending on the distributions of TOC and TN, the studied forest ranges could be arranged at the following order: Sarankhola and Chandpai ranges > Khulna range > Satkhira range. In contrast, TP content showed the reverse order of TOC and TN, where the higher concentrations were generally distributed at the southern parts of Sundarbans. Besides, TOC and TN showed linear positive correlations with grain size distribution where fine grained sediments contain higher amount of TOC and TN. However, in terms of grain size variation, TP reversed the results of TOC and TN. Thus “grain size effect” was an important factor for influencing the distributions of sediment nutrients. Carbon-Nitrogen (C/N) ratios showed the highest contribution of terrestrial organic carbon near the Sarankhola and Chandpai ranges were iso-lines projecting towards northeast, indicating the influence of the upstream river water. Sediment Nutrient Indexes (SNI) were low, although reasonably variable, in forest floor directly receiving effluents from other anthropogenic sources/farms. It was evident that potential nutrient levels changed from the high values at northeast sites to the southwest sites, and this pattern was common across the four forest ranges.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ali, S. S. (1998). “Sundarbans: Its resources and ecosystem.” In: Rahman M A, Shah M S, Murtaza G M, Matin M A (eds.), Integrated Management of Ganges Flood Plains and Sundarbans ecosystem, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh, pp. 38–49, ACC. No. 13046/dt. 23.8.99/RIN: 551.442-54925.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alongi, D.M., Christoffersen, P., and Tirendi, F. (1993). “The influence of forest type on microbialnutrient relationships in tropical mangrove sediments.” Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, Vol. l71, No. 2, pp. 201–223, DOI: 10.1016/0022-0981(93)90004-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banerjee, K., Chowdhury, M. R., Sengupta, K., Sett, S., and Mitra, A. (2012). “Influence of anthropogenic and natural factors on the mangrove soil of Indian Sundarbans wetland.” Arch. of Environ. Sci., Vol. 6, pp. 80–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhuiyan, M. A. H., Parvez, L., Islam, M. A., Dampare, S. B., and Suzuki, S. (2010). “Heavy metal pollution of coal mine-affected agricultural soils in the northern part of Bangladesh. Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 173, Nos. 1–3, pp. 384–392, DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.08.085.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bird, E. C. F. (1967). Coasts: An introduction to systematic geomorphology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Press, Massachusetts, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boto, K. G. and Wellington, J. T. (1984). “Soil characteristics and nutrient status in a northern australian mangrove forest.” Estuaries, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 61–69, DOI: 0160-8347/84/010061-09S01.50/0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyd, C. E. and Teichert-Coddington, D. (1995). “Dry matter, ash, and elemental composition of pond-cultured Penaeus vannamei and P. stylirostris.” Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 88–92, DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-7345.1995.tb00214.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyd, C. E. and Tucker, C. S. (1998). “Pond aquaculture water quality management.” Boston: Kluwer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bruland, K. W. (1988). Dahlem, flux to the seafloor, Group Report, pp. 210–213, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon-to-nitrogen_ratio.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bui, T. D., Luong-Van, J., Maier, S. W., and Austin, C. M. (2013). “Assessment and monitoring of nutrient loading in the sediments of tidal creeks receiving shrimp farm effluent in Quang Ninh, Vietnam.” Environmental Monitoring Assessment, Vol. 185, No. 10, pp. 8715–8731, DOI: 10.1007/s10661-013-3207-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burford, M. A., Costanzo, S. D., Dennison, W. C., Jackson, C. J., Jones, A. B., and McKinnon, A. D. (2003). “A synthesis of dominant ecological processes in intensive shrimp ponds and adjacent coastal environments in NE Australia.” Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 46, No. 11, pp. 1456–1469, DOI: 10.1016/S0025-326X(03)00282-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cahoon, D. R. and Reed, D. J. (1995). “Relationship among marsh surface topography, hydroperoid and soil accretion in a deteriorating Louisiana Salt Marsh.” Journal of Coast Research, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 357–369.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, V. J. (1976). “Mangrove Vegetation.” Vaduz. (Liechtenstein). J. Cramer, Germany, 447 pp. Forestry (1977), Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 195–196, DOI: 10.1093/forestry/50.2.195-a Online ISSN 1464-3626-Print ISSN 0015-752X.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Chowdhury, R. A. and Ahmed, I. (1994). “History of forest management.” In: Hussain Z, Acharya G, (eds.). Mangroves of the Sundarbans, Vol. Two: Bangladesh. IUCN, Bangkok, Thailand, pp. 155–179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, L. D. and Hannon, J. (1967). “The man-grove swamp and salt marsh communities of the Sydney district. I. Vegetation, soils and climate”. Journal of Ecology, Vol. 55, No. 3, pp. 753–771, DOI: 10.2307/2258423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Das, S. and Siddiqi, N. A. (1985). “The mangrove and mangrove forest of Bangladesh.” Mangrove Silviculture Division Bulletin No. 2. Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI), Chittagong.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eshleman, K. N. and Hemond, H. F. (1985). “The role of soluble organics in acid base status of waters at Bickford Watershed Massachussetts.” Water Resource Research, Vol. 21, pp. 1503–1510, DOI: 10.1029/WR021i010p01503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feller, I. C. (1995). “Effects of nutrient enrichment on growth and herbivory of dward red mangrove (Rhizophera mangle). Ecological Monographs, Vol. 65, No. 4, pp. 477–505, http://www.serc.si.edu/labs/animal_plant_interaction/pubs/Feller%201995.pdf

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Field, A. P. (2009). Discovering statistics using SPSS, London: Sage, http://www.statisticshell.com/html/bookall.html

    Google Scholar 

  • Forstner, U. (1977). “Metal concentrations in fresh water sediments, natural background and cultural effects.” Interactions between sediments and Freshwater, Golterman, H. L. (Ed.) Junk, The Hague, Wageningen, pp. 94–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gee, G. W. and Bauder, J. W. (1986). “Particle-size analysis in Klute, A., ed., Methods of soil analysis part 1: Physical and mineralogical methods, American Society of Agronomy-Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp. 383–411

    Google Scholar 

  • Gossain, G. M., Rahman, M. S., and Khan, S. A. (2015). “Species composition, richness, density and distribution of climbers in relation to salinity in Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh.” International Journal of Chemical, Environmental and Biological Science, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 78–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golterman, H. L. (2004). The chemistry of phosphate and nitrogen compounds in sediments, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, K. R. and Biddlestone, A. J. (1973). “Composting-process parameters.” The Chemical Engineer, pp. 71–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hassan, M. M. and Mazumder, A. H. (1990). “Distribution of organic matter in some representation forest soils of Bangladesh.” Indian Journal of Forestry, Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 281–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hemminga, M.A., Slim, F.J., Kazungu, J., Ganssen, G.M., Nieuwenhuize, J., and Kruyt, N.M. (1994). “Carbon outwelling from a mangrove forest with adjacent seagrass beds and coral reefs (Gazi Bay, Kenya).” Marine Ecology Progress Series, Vol. 106, pp. 291–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hesse, P. R. (1961). “The decomposition of organic matter in a mangrove swamp soil. Plant and Soil, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 249–263, DOI: 10.1007/BF01343856.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, R. M., Peterson, B. J, Deegan, L. A., Hughes, J. E., and Fry, B. (2000). “Nitrogen biogeochemistry in the oligohaline zone of a New England estuary.” Ecology, Vol. 81, No. 2, pp. 416–432, DOI: 10.2307/177437.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hossain, G. M. (2013). Ecosystem health status assessment of the Sundarbans mangrove forest in Bangladesh, PhD Thesis, Submitted to Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoq, M. E. (2008). Sundarbans mangrove: Fish and fisheries Ecology, resources, productivity and management perspectives, Graphic Media, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hussain, Z. and Acharya, G. (edn.) (1994). “Mangroves of the Sundarbans, Vol. 2: Bangladesh.” IUCN, Bangkok, Thailand.

    Google Scholar 

  • Iftekhar, M. S. and Saenger, P. (2008). “Vegetation dynamics in the Bangladesh Sundarbans mangroves: A review of forest inventories.” Wetlands Ecology and Management, Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 291–312. DOI: 10.1007/s11273-007-9063-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ishiwatari, R. and Uzaki, M. (1987). “Diagenetic changes of lignin compounds in a more than 0.6 million-year-old lacustrine sediment (Lake Biwa, Japan).” Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Vol. 51, No. 2, pp. 321–28, DOI: 10.1016/0016-7037(87)90244-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Islam, M. S. N. (2008). “Cultural landscape changing due to anthropogenic influences on surface water and threats to mangrove wetland ecosystems: A case study on the Sundarbans, Bangladesh, pp. 1–326.

    Google Scholar 

  • IWM (2003). “Sundarbans biodiversity conservation project-Surface water modeling.” Final Report, Vol. 1. IWM (Institute of Water Management), Dhaka, Bangladesh. TA No. 3158-BAN (Contact COCS/00-696).

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. L. (1962). Soil chemical analysis, Prentice Hall Inc. Englewood Cliffs. N. Jersy, USA, pp. 1–521, Identifier-access: http://www.archive.org/details/soilchemicalanal030843mbp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamaruzzaman, B. Y., Waznanh, A. S., Shahbuddin, S, Jalal, K. C. A, Ong, M. C. (2010). “Temporal variation of Organic Carbon during the premonsoon and postmonsoon season in Pahang River-estuary, Pahang, Malaysia.” Oriental Journal of Chemistry, Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 1309–1313.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, S. M. (1967). “Functional relation between absorption in soil and chemical structure.” Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, Vol. 16, pp. 340–343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mafizuddin, M., Ali, M. M. (1993). “Alluvial characteristics of the changes floodplain.” In: Arephin, S. (ed.). J. Bangladesh National Geographical Assos. (BNGA), Department of Geography, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Vol. 19, Nos. 1–2, pp. 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matilal, S, Mukherjee, B. B., Chatterjee, N., and Gupta, M. D. (1986). “Studies on soil and vegetation of mangrove forests of Sundarbans.” Indian Journal of Marine Science, Vol. 15, pp. 181–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Middelburg, J. J., Nieuwenhuize, J., Slim, F. J., and Ohowa, B. (1996). “Sediment biogeochemistry in an east African mangrove forest (Gazi Bay, Kenya).” Biogeochemistry, Vol. 34, pp. 133–155, DOI: 10.1007/BF00000899.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitra, A. and Banerjee, K. (2005). “Living resources of the Sea: Focus Indian Sundarbans.” WWF-India, Sunderbans Landscape Project, Canning Field Office, West Bengal, India, pp. 1–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, T. R. and Jackson, R. J. (1989). “Dynamics of dissolved organic carbon in forested and catchments, wetland, New Zealand, Larry River”. Water Resource Research, Vol. 5, No. 6, pp. 1331–1339, DOI: 10.1029/WR025i006p01331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olsen, S. R., Cole, C. V., Watanable, F. S., and Dean, L. A. (1954). “Estimation of available phosphorus in soil by extraction with sodium bicarbonate.” U.S. Dept. of Agric. Cire.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palma, P., Alvarenga, P., Palma, V., Fernandes, R, Soares, A., and Barbosa, I. (2010). “Assessment of anthropogenic sources of water pollution using multivariate statistical techniques: A case study of the Alqueva’s reservoir, Portugal.” Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Vol. 165, Nos. 1–4, pp. 539–552, DOI: 10.1007/s10661-009-0965-y.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prahl, F. G., Ertel, J. R., Goni, M. A., Sparrow, M. A., and Eversmeyer, B. (1994). “Terrestrial organic-carbon contributions to sediments on the washington margin.” Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta Vol. 58, No. 14, pp. 3035–48, DOI: 10.1016/0016-7037(94)90177-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Primpas, I., Tsirtsis, G, Karydis, M., and Kokkoris, G. D. (2010). “Principal component analysis: development of a multivariate index for assessing eutrophication according to the European water framework directive.” Ecological Indicators, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 178–183, DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2009.04.007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman, M. M. (2003). Invasive plants of Sundarbans. Interim report under SBCP project, IUCN, Bangladesh, p. 32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reef, R., Feller, I. C., and Lovelock, C. E. (2010). “Nutrition of mangroves. Tree Physiology, Vol. 30, No. 9, pp. 1148–1160, DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpq048.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, A. I., Alongi, D. M., and Boto, K. G. (1993). “Food chains and carbon fluxes In: Robertson A1 & Alongi DM (Eds) Tropical Mangrove Ecosystems.” AGU, Washington, DC, pp. 293–326. DOI: 10.1029/CE041p0293.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romine, D. S. and Metzger, W. H. (1939). “Phosphorus fixation by horizons of variuos soil types in relation to dilute acid, extractable iron, and aluminium.” Agronomy Journal, Vol. 31, pp. 99–108, DOI: 10.2134/agronj1939.00021962003100020002x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siddiqi, N. A. (2001). “Mangrove forestry in Bangladesh. Institute of Forestry and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Chittagong. Nibedon Press Ltd., Chittagong, Bangladesh.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, S. L., Batley, G. E., Chariton, A. A., Stauber, J. L., King, C. K., and Chapman, J. C. (2005). “Handbooks for sediment quality assessment. Bangor, NSW: CSIRO.

    Google Scholar 

  • SRDI (2012). Analytical methods: Soil, water, plant materials and fertilizer (2nd eds.), Soil Resource Development Institutes, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, K. (2006). “It's A Long Road to A Tomato.” New York: Marlowe & Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tabachnick, B. G. and Fidell, L. S. (2007). Using multivariate statistics, Boston: Pearson Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trott, L. A, McKinnon, A. D., Alongi, D. M., Davidson, A., and Burford, M. A. (2004). “Carbon and nitrogen processes in a mangrove creek receiving shrimp farm effluent.” Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, Vol. 59, No. 2, pp. 197–207, DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2003.08.008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wahid, S. M. (1995). “Hydrological study of the Sundarbans.” UNDP/ FAO project BGD/84/056, Department of Forest, Dhaka, Bangladesh, pp. 16–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walkley, A. and Black, I. A. (1934). “An examination of Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method.” Soil Science, Vol. 37, pp. 29–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, D., Chen, Z., Xu, S., Da, L., Bi, C., and Wang, J. (2007). “Denitrification in tidal flat sediment, Yangtze estuary.” Science in China Series B: Chemistry, Vol. 50, No. 6, pp. 812–820, DOI: 10.1007/s11426-007-0109-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodroffe, C. (1992). “Mangrove sediments and geomolphology.” In: Robertson A1 & Alongi DM (Eds) Tropical Mangrove Ecosystems, AGU, Washington, DC, pp. 7–41, DOI: 10.1029/CE041p0007.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Yokoyama, H., Abo, K., and Ishihi, Y. (2006). “Quantifying aquaculturederived organic matter in the sediment in and around a coastal fish farm using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios. Aquaculture, Vol. 254, Nos. 1–4, pp. 411–425, DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2005.10.024.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, J., Wu, Y., Kang, Q., and Zhang, J. (2007). “Spatial variations of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur in the salt marsh sediments of the Yangtze Estuary in China.” Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, Vol. 71, Nos. 1–2, pp. 47–59, DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2006.08.012.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Botany, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh

    Gazi Mosharof Hossain

  2. Dept. of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh

    Mohammad Amir Hossain Bhuiyan

Authors
  1. Gazi Mosharof Hossain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohammad Amir Hossain Bhuiyan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Amir Hossain Bhuiyan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hossain, G.M., Bhuiyan, M.A.H. Spatial and temporal variations of organic matter contents and potential sediment nutrient index in the Sundarbans mangrove forest, Bangladesh. KSCE J Civ Eng 20, 163–174 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-015-0333-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-015-0333-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation