RESPONDENT ANALYSIS IN CONTEXT TO IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE REGULATING SERVICES OF MANGROVE VEGETATION

The mangrove ecosystem in the lower Gangetic delta is noted for providing several regulatory services. The major regulatory services include erosion, natural disaster, Phytoremediation, carbon sequestration, siltation, and sea-level rise. Here, we have attempted to develop a mechanism of assessing and ranking the magnitude of regulatory services offered by Sundarban mangroves based on stakeholder’s views on the subject. The respondents were categorized into five major classes namely policy level worker, researcher, fisherman, agriculturist, and local inhabitant. About 295 respondents belonging to these 5 categories were asked about the types of regulatory services and their respective magnitude by ranking the services between 1 and 6. Finally, based on data generated, three separate Combined Mangrove Regulating Service Scale (CMRSS) were assessed for three sectors (western, central, and eastern) of Indian Sundarbans. The basic root for such assessment is contrasting variations between these three sectors based on geographical features, salinity, and biodiversity. The present approach of analysis can be a road map to identify and empirically score the regulatory services of mangroves.