Ramsar Sites of Northeastern India

Highly uneven transitional land between terrestrial and aquatic system where the area is saturated with or submerged under the water, that flow or remain static throughout year, such type of area are known as Wetlands. This area periodically skims by hydrophytes and the substrate predominantly undrained in hydric soil. Wetland ecosystem across our planet is crucial for biodiversity as they are home to 40% of world’s plants and animals. Wetlands serve as shelter, nesting sites, feeding grounds, nurseries, important stoppage for migratory birds, protect us from flood and act as giant filters easing pollution. In another word, wetlands are often described as ‘Kidney of the landscape’ (Mitsch & Gosselink 1986). They sheltered almost one-third of world’s endangered species. Wetland ecosystems include area of marsh, fen, peatland, fresh or brackish water also marine water with depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres that can trap and store Greenhouse Gases 55 times faster than tropical rainforests. Wetland soil is known to trap highest amount of soil carbon in the biosphere for nurturing biodiversity. A new concept of 2020 — ‘Irrecoverable carbon’, which means massive store of carbon in the ecosystem that take centuries to form and are vulnerable to release in the earth’s atmosphere due to anthropologic activities, if by chance they are lost, could not restored by 2050. Certain special ecosystem such the Amazonian canopy, the rich peatlands of the Congo Basin, the mangrove swamps of the Everglades and the old-growth forest of the Pacific Northwest are among the most efficient carbon sinks in the world but also most vulnerable ecosystem to restore.

The anoxic conditions of wetland which leading to slow decomposition and accumulation of organic matter, making them an important sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide and holding up approximately 40% soil carbon.

To protect this vital ecosystem an intergovernmental treaty known as ‘Ramsar Convention’ was adopted in the Ramsar city of Iran in 1971, to provide the framework for national and international cooperation for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands and its resources. Since then 172 UN members have become ‘Contracting Parties’ and 2,455 wetlands have given international importance under Ramsar Convention. India has been part of Ramsar Convention since 1st February, 1982 and now currently there are total 75 sites designated as Ramsar Sites with cover a surface area of 13,26,677 hectares.

Northeast India since ancient time has been considered as biodiversity rich as this region falls under the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot among the 36 biodiversity hotspot of the world. This region accounts for almost 5 percent of wetlands in the country with 7,731 wetlands and additional 11,736 smaller wetlands. Among 75 international recognised sites under Ramsar convention, four of them belong to Northeast India- Deepor beel in Assam, Loktak Lake in Manipur, Pala Wetland in Mizoram and Rudrasagar in Tripura.

Deepor Beel (Assam,India)

Photo Plate 1: Deepor Beel, Assam ( Photo: Pranjal Mahananda).

A riverine wetland in Kamrup district, located southwest of Guwahati, Assam and only Ramsar sites in Assam (2002). A permanent freshwater lake, which was a former channel of Brahmaputra river, hold lush greenery and sprinkling water body that serve as great biological importance and also essential as major storm water storage basin for the city of Guwahati. The lake is centre of attraction for orthinologists; wildlife biologist and environmentalist as it sustain over 200 species of birds including 70 species of migratory birds. This lake is staging sites on migratory flyways and also recognized as largest congregation of the aquatic birds in Assam, especially during winter seasons. Due to its avian fauna richness, Deepor beel is identify as one of the Important Bird Area (IBA) sites by Birdlife International. Deepor Beel is one of the refueling sites on the migratory flyway and some of the largest congregations of aquatic birds in Assam, particularly in winter. Apart from that this highly productive beel also support large number of terrestrial birds (Saikia P.K. 2005). Some globally threatened birds including Spotbilled Pelican (Pelicanus philippensis), Lesser and Greater adjutant stork (Leptoptilos javanicus and L.dubius) and Baer’s Pochard (Aythya baeri). The presence of 50 fish species, provide livelihood support for household residing in the fringe village of the wetland. Deepor beel serve as important source of water and food for animals in nearby Rani and Garbhanga Reserve forests, especially for the Endangered Asiatic Elephants (Elephas maximus). It is also home to endangered species such as leopard, fishing cats, tiger etc. It also harbors highest plankton diversity which is crucial as lowest producer of ecosystem. The outstanding hydrological biological and ecological cycles and its sustainable socio-economic cultural values with its ability to support rare, vulnerable and endangered species of plants and animals qualifies Deepor beel as International important wetland. But the continuation of degrading activities such as encroachment, habitat fragmentation and procuring of land for agriculture and residential use has created catastrophic effect on the natural habitat of flora and fauna of Deepor beel.

Loktak Lake (Manipur, Assam)

Photo Plate 2 : Loktak Lake, Manipur (Photo: Allen Sapam, SCS).

Loktak Lake is situated 48 km from Imphal city in Bishnupur district of state Manipur. The lake’s circular floating biomass rich in nutrients swamps which looks like beautiful miniature floating island covered with vegetation, known as Phumdis thrive across the lake sheltering animals as well as human. The Phumdis plays a great role in the ecological processes and functions that provide a biological sink to key nutrients and govern dynamic biological cycles of the lake. A unique sight of floating huts of fishermen living in the lake is known as Phumsang can be seen exclusively on Loktak Lake. The lake houses world’s only floating wildlife sanctuary Keibul Lamjao National Park which is the last refuge to highly endangered ungulate species Sangai deer (Cervus eldi eldi). Sangai deer were nearly extinct near 1950s, fortunately aggressive conservations efforts have increased their number more than 200 individuals. In 1990,Loktak Lake declared as Ramsar site as it was important ecosystem in ecological perspective, in support about 230 species of aquatic plants, 100 types of birds and 400 species of fauna like Barking deer, sambar, slow loris, Indian civet and many other small and large mammals. A multitude of factors has created great concern during last few decades due to invasion of foreign plant species, encroaching of park territory for farming practices, poaching and illegal fishing. Within the microphytes of the lake, more than 50% of the mineral nutrients of the wetland are locked, which help in reducing nutrient concentration of water thereby suppressing the algal growth. Plants within the accumulation of biomass acts as a filter for nutrients and other pollutants, hereby helps in purification of water.

Rudrasagar Lake (Tripura, India)

Photo Plate 3 : Rudrasagar Lake, Tripura (Photo : Salim Debbarma).

Rudrasagar Lake is one of the important International recognized Ramsar site. This National Lake №13 and also International Lake number 1572 located Melaghar block under Sonamura sub-division in the West side of Tripura state, India. This essential floodplain being a lowland sedimentation reservoir in the northeast hill is fed by three perennial streams, viz Noa-cherra, Durlavnarayan-cherra and Kamtali-cherra discharging within Gumti River basin, named as ‘New Karchi’.

Rudrasagar Lake is one major wetland of Tripura state with rich biological diversity which facilitates the natural breeding site of valuable indigenous endemic fishes such as Botia spp, Notopterus Chitala, Mystrus spp, Ompok pabda, Labea bata and freshwater Scampi. The lake comprises almost 52 species of indigenous and exotic fishes as three rivulets and Gumti River through Karchi River serve as recruiter of riverine fishes in the lake. Around 14 different species of aquatic microphytes are found in the lake; some of them are emergent, submerged, free-floating and rooted floating leaf types. Trape and Euryle ferox which are economically important plant species are also found abundantly in the shallower region of the lake. Phytoplankton form integral components of freshwater wetlands that significantly contribute towards succession of zooplankton and fish (Paynne, 1997). The lake also provide refuge to large number of both resident and migratory waterbird species such as herons, cormorants, coots, Large Whistling Teal, Hooded crane and variety of ducks and geese.

In 1952, Government rehabilitated a group of refugee fishermen near the lake area and granted fishing right in the Lake water. Later on, they formed a Co-operative Samabaya Samity was formed for overall development of the lake. Primarily use of its catchment area comprises of forest, agriculture and settlements, out of which almost 88% of the total area use in forest and agriculture. Since the entire forest area of Rudrasagar catchment falls under open category, so it’s highly degraded due to various anthropogenic factors such intensive jhuming as hill slope support good bamboo forests. Earlier in 1950s this wetland recorded more than 1,000 hectare but within a span of five decades it has reduced to one-tenth of its total area.

Pala wetland (Mizoram, India)

Photo Plate 4 : Pala Wetland, Manipur (Photo : MalsawmSz Chhunthang Sailung).

The Pala Tipo Lake, largest wetland of Mizoram state of Northeast India; surrounded by lush forest with rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. This recently designated as Ramsar site situated in the Phura village in the Siaha district in Mizoram. This wetland is home to at least seven mammals, 222 birds, 11 amphibians and 21 reptiles, along with many herbivores such as sambar deer (Cervus unicolor), wild pig (Sus scrofa) and Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), since it provide excellent habitat for low-lying marshy inhabitants. Primate species such as endangered Hoolock gibbon (Hoolock Hoolock), and Phayre’s leaf monkey (Trachypithecus phayrei) are found in this wetland forest. Pala wetland is paramount source of water utility such as fishing, irrigation and horticulture for the local villages especially Mara people, who has integrate connection with this wetland (rsis.ramsar.org). The catchment area covering 24 sq. Km is a reserve forest with locus at 274 metres above mean sea level altitude, comprises unique feature of fresh water lake believed to be formed due to tectonic activity .

In India, from the last four decades, 33% of the absolute natural wetlands have been lost due to over urbanization, farming development and contamination, as indicated by the Wetlands International South Asia (WISE). The rate of loss has been increasing, with the rate in the past century estimated to be 3.7 times greater than in previous centuries (Davidson, 2014). Impacts on the ecosystem services include decreased rates of carbon sequestration, reduced protection of coastal zones, increasing flood flows, more variable water supplies and loss of the habitat for fisheries (Fennessy & Lei, 2018).

Unfortunately, wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests due to our destructive anthropogenic activities and global warming, which made wetlands one of the most threatened habitats of the world. The failure to understand the consequences of exploitation of wetlands have further lead to its deterioration.