Question

What is a biosphere reserve? Describe its three zones, and name one biosphere reserve in India together with the protected areas it includes.

The Sundarbans, in the delta of the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers, is the largest mangrove forest in the world. Mangrove trees grow in salty, muddy water and their tangled roots protect the coast from cyclones and storm waves. The area is home to the Royal Bengal tiger, the estuarine crocodile, many fish and birds. The Indian part is protected as a national park, a tiger reserve and a biosphere reserve, and it is also a World Heritage Site. However, rising sea level, cutting of mangroves, over-fishing and pollution threaten this ecosystem.