Control of physical background on distribution of wetlands in Diara Region, Eastern India

Abstract

The sustainability of a land–water transitional zone characterised with aquatic vegetation, agriculture, waterlogging and seasonality is almost entirely dependent on physical background of the region and human activities upon it. The places where wetlands exist are now getting transformed due to a host of factors which lead to the loss of such biologically diverse ecosystem. The investigation towards the existence of wetlands in respect of its physical background can guide to identify the suitable condition of wetland concentration in one hand and reasons for wetland loss on the other. Diara is one of the most naturally dynamic regions of India due to the presence of three shifting rivers in its three sides and River Ganga is one of them. River Ganga being the major river affects both the physical set up and wetland status of this region, as within a time span of 90\xa0years (1926–2016), it produces a migration corridor of 855.55\xa0km2 along this region and such dynamicity has created 25 riverine wetlands with an average area of 1.41\xa0km2. Apart from channel migration, lithological condition, relief, ground water table and soil are playing vital role in the varying distribution of wetlands in this region.