Biodiversity impacts of the Asian tsunami tragedy

Jon Hornbuckle Most of the population of Milky Stork breeds in the Sundaland wetlands Zoom In

The direct impacts of the tsunami on birds and other biodiversity are thought likely to include:

• Direct mortality: in the case of birds, this is probably generally low because of their ability to escape from the tsunamis, except perhaps in those areas very close to the epicentre of the earthquake (i.e. Aceh, northern Sumatra, and the southern Nicobar Islands). Mammals (and other biodiversity) in the coastal lowlands that were hit by the tsunami are likely to have been more badly affected because of their lower ability to escape.
• Damage to forests: television footage and initial eye-witness accounts suggest that forest areas remain largely intact, even in the worst affected areas, but it is possible that there will be a die-back of vegetation because of salt-water intrusion. This could potentially affect large areas of lowland forest, and might have a very significant effect on some low-lying islands where most of the forest was exposed to sea-water (e.g. the southern Nicobar Islands). It is possible that coastal mangrove forests were damaged by the tsunami, particularly in those areas close to the epicentre of the earthquake.
• Damage to conservation infrastructure: we are deeply saddened to learn that in Aceh many government and NGO staff involved in wildlife conservation were killed in the tsunami or lost members of their families. Throughout the tsunami zone, protected areas infrastructure and management systems have been destroyed or severely damaged (e.g. at Yala National Park in Sri Lanka, and in support of Gunung Leuser National Park in Aceh), putting back by years the conservation efforts for these areas.
• Damage to wetlands: many coastal wetlands will have been affected by the large inflow of salt-water and wreckage during the tsunami, with longer-term effects including changes in their hydrology caused by changes to coastlines and damage to sea-defences. Although species will have adapted to such natural disasters during their evolutionary history, past habitat loss due to human activity will have reduced the availability of refuges.
  • As part of the global response to the disaster, the Ramsar Convention has asked Wetlands International to work with Ramsar International Organisation Partners (IOPs) to coordinate efforts to bring together scientifically sound advice on wetlands in the region in order to assist governments in choosing the most effective response measures. The Ramsar Tsunami Reference Group has been established involving Wetlands International, WWF, IUCN, BirdLife International and the International Water Management Institute to combine resources, share information and produce timely advice as and when it is needed. If you would like to support this work financially or can contribute scientific or technical information, please contact tsunami@wetlands.org

The indirect / long-term impacts of the tsunami on birds and other biodiversity might include:

• The on-going effects to prevent further loss of human life and the spread of disease will be followed by a long period of reconstruction and re-development of people’s livelihoods. If not carefully planned, this could lead to significant adverse impacts on biodiversity, particularly if communities of people are to be resettled inland, including in forested areas (e.g. in the Leuser ecosystem in Aceh). It is important that the environmental impacts of new developments are properly assessed. There is a risk that the disaster is used as a cover for the re-emergence of proposed infrastructure projects that were previously prevented from implementation due to environmental concerns.
• There is a danger that shortages of the timber that is urgently needed for reconstruction in the areas affected by the tsunami will provide opportunities for illegal logging and trading of timber. A preliminary assessment of timber requirements for reconstruction in Aceh (Greenomics Indonesia and WWF 2005) found that potential domestic timber sources are very limited, and are inadequate to meet the needs to construct temporary and permanents buildings and rebuild local fishing fleets. Greenomics Indonesia and WWF (2005) recommended that imported, sustainably produced timber could be supplied free as in-kind assistance by donor states, with its value being deducted from the total aid commitment made. This measure would greatly reduce the possibility of opportunistic illegal logging of natural forests.
• The reconstruction process is likely to provide opportunities to better integrate environmental protection and management with economic development in the region. The protection and restoration of mangroves and wetlands might be used to improve coastal protection, by producing 'soft coastlines' better able (than those areas where these habitats are converted to urban or agricultural land) to absorb some of impact of any future tsunami events and to more generally help prevent damage from other natural events such as cyclones.

K Sivakumar The Nicobar Megapode is endemic to the Nicobar Islands where it favours coastal forests Zoom In

Summary

This preliminary analysis shows that 27 globally threatened birds species regularly occur in the regions and habitats of Asia potentially affected by the tsunami. There are three Endemic Bird Areas and two Secondary Areas in this part of Asia, and a number of Important Bird Areas might have been affected.

Despite the wealth of biodiversity in the region affected by the tsunami, this preliminary assessment indicates that few (if any) threatened species are likely to have been seriously affected by its direct effects, and no extinctions are predicted as a result of the tsunami. However, surveys are needed to confirm the situation, particularly in the Nicobar Islands.

It is likely that many coastal wetlands will have been affected by the large inflow of salt-water and wreckage during the tsunami, with longer-term effects including changes in their hydrology caused by changes to coastlines and damage to sea-defences. The impact on these areas will need to be assessed with the use of satellite imagery and field visits.

Forest habitats, particularly important forest areas on small islands in the Nicobar Islands and off Sumatra are likely to have been initially unaffected, but some areas could suffer die off as a result of saltwater intrusion.

In the longer term, the reconstruction process might have significant impacts on biodiversity, particularly if communities of people are to be resettled in forested areas inland. It is important that the environmental impacts of new developments are properly assessed.

The reconstruction process is likely to provide opportunities to better integrate environmental protection and management with economic development in the region, including the opportunity to conserve and restore coastal habitats such as mangrove as coastal defences.