**7.3 Causes and effects of the LULC changes**

There are many reasons of the frequent changes of LULC in the coastal Bangladesh. Two of those are:

	- The presence of the Bay of Bengal.
	- Lack of proper management of agricultural land and irrigation system
	- Lack of proper management and dredging of river reduce the current of the river, which in turn increases seawater intrusion both in surface water and groundwater gradually. As a result, salinity covers more area progressively.
	- Moreover, soil porosity is reducing in this area. Therefore, groundwater infiltration is lowering, which increases waterlogging in the area. As a result, both the soil and water salinity is increasing continuously. Three major reasons reducing soil porosity are:
		- i.The use of huge amount of polythene
		- ii.Shrimp cultivation: sometime shrimp cultivators are using salt in the shrimp cultivation pond to avoid some virus and other diseases. This salt creates an invisible layer in the soil.
		- iii.Some projects like tree plantation (eucalyptus tree, etc.). Leaves of those trees are not easily decomposable, which create a layer in the soil. Consequently, the porosity is reducing.
	- Due to poor management of the embankment and sluice gate that was built in the 1960s to the 1980s.
	- Some paddy fields were converted to shrimp cultivation ponds [31]. As a result, the salinity level of the surrounding paddy field of the shrimp cultivation pond increased, which lead to reduced agricultural production.

Frequent changes of LULC have a long-term effect on the paddy field and other vegetation, reducing productivity, biodiversity, and wild varieties.

## **7.4 How the ecological and socioeconomic condition of the area responded to those changes**

LULC in the coastal area of Bangladesh had been changed frequently since the 1960s. The major agricultural conversions were rice to shrimp and shrimp to rice cultivation. Even though both rice and shrimp cultivation create vital

**31**

*Frequent Change of Land-Use Pattern and Its Effect on Ecology and Ecosystem in the South-West…*

contributions to the GDP of Bangladesh, unregulated shrimp cultivation has had adverse ecological impacts in the area. Shrimp cultivated area like Tildanga *Union* of Dacope *Upazila* in Khulna District lost the ecological balance. Agricultural production along with trees and other vegetation had noticeably declined in the area. Furthermore, both the domestic and wild animals were reduced considerably [31]. This ecological imbalance has a direct and indirect effect on the mass economy and community health of the area. The circumstances are getting worse

On the contrary, Kamarkhola is a *union* with a similar situation as Tildanga. Therefore, most of the shrimp farmers changed their major livelihood to rice cultivation as both the ecology and economy of the area were destroyed visibly. As a result of shifting occupation, the ecology and the economy of the area got balanced within 10 years. Additionally, the sources of income are more diversified in

1.Designing a proper and scientific coastal zoning system. This will be ecologically and economically feasible to get optimum production to meet the country

2.Formulating a typology for each zone explaining its characteristics in detail.

3.Planning a cropping pattern of the area by analyzing the seasonal salinity situation for the betterment of the production, because soil salinity varies consid-

4.Searching an appropriate land-use system in the coastal area through the tech-

Naturally, LULC will change over the time for the seek of development. If LULC is altered totally and frequently, it will damage the ecology and ecosystem of the area. Consequently, the nature will be imbalanced, causing disaster for the area. Therefore, we should use the technology to design the proper land-use pattern considering the natural value of that area rather than going against the nature. Accordingly, both the nature and human being will get benefited from this technol-

ogy-based planning, and thus, the development will be sustainable.

Kamarkhola, at present, which may decrease the risk of livelihood [31].

**8. Policy recommendation and management approaches**

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92806*

There are some recommendations:

erably in each season.

nical support of RS-GIS.

day by day.

needs.

**9. Conclusions**

*Frequent Change of Land-Use Pattern and Its Effect on Ecology and Ecosystem in the South-West… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92806*

contributions to the GDP of Bangladesh, unregulated shrimp cultivation has had adverse ecological impacts in the area. Shrimp cultivated area like Tildanga *Union* of Dacope *Upazila* in Khulna District lost the ecological balance. Agricultural production along with trees and other vegetation had noticeably declined in the area. Furthermore, both the domestic and wild animals were reduced considerably [31]. This ecological imbalance has a direct and indirect effect on the mass economy and community health of the area. The circumstances are getting worse day by day.

On the contrary, Kamarkhola is a *union* with a similar situation as Tildanga. Therefore, most of the shrimp farmers changed their major livelihood to rice cultivation as both the ecology and economy of the area were destroyed visibly. As a result of shifting occupation, the ecology and the economy of the area got balanced within 10 years. Additionally, the sources of income are more diversified in Kamarkhola, at present, which may decrease the risk of livelihood [31].
