Foreword; Acknowledgement; Contents; Abbreviations and Units; List of Figures; List of Tables; 1 Sunderbans: Physical Aspects and Configurations; 1.1 Physical Aspects; 1.2 Location and General Boundaries; 1.3 Reclamation of Sunderbans; 1.4 Zonation of Sunderbans; 1.5 Climate; 1.5.1 Cyclones; 1.5.2 Tides; 1.6 Waves; 1.7 Physiography and Configuration; 1.8 Biogenous Coast; 1.9 Pattern of Sedimentation; 1.10 Stratigraphy; 1.11 Geotectonic Settings; 1.11.1 Bengal Basin; 1.11.2 Bengal Delta; 1.11.3 Deltaic Flood Plain; 1.11.4 Lower Delta Plain; 1.12 Geomorphic Environments; 1.12.1 Coastal Zone

1.12.2 Sandy Beaches1.12.3 Islands; 1.13 Sunderbans: Its Uniqueness; 1.14 Summary; References; 2 River Systems and Tidal Courses; 2.1 River Networks; 2.1.1 Ichamati; 2.1.2 Kalindi- Raimangal -Haribhanga; 2.1.3 Bidyadhari; 2.1.4 Piyali; 2.1.5 Matla; 2.1.6 Bidya; 2.1.7 Guasuba; 2.1.8 Bangaduni; 2.1.9 Thakuran; 2.1.10 Mridangabhanga; 2.1.11 Gobadia; 2.1.12 Saptamukhi; 2.2 Morphodynamics of the Tidal Rivers; 2.3 Geomorphic Sandbodies; 2.4 Bedforms: Indicators of Hydrodynamics; 2.5 Riverine Geomorphic Environments; 2.5.1 River Banks (Natural Levees); 2.5.2 Point Bar; 2.5.3 Mid-channel Bar

2.5.4 Swash Platform2.5.5 River Mouth Bar; 2.6 Tidal Creek Systems; 2.6.1 Mud Ridges; 2.6.2 Mud Microdelta; 2.6.3 Mud Pellets and Mud Lumps; 2.6.4 Wood Clumps on Mudflats; 2.7 Embankments; 2.8 Summary; References; 3 Brackish Water; 3.1 Physico-chemical Properties; 3.1.1 pH; 3.1.2 Temperature; 3.1.2.1 Temperature Variations; 3.1.3 Dissolved Oxygen (DO); 3.1.4 Salinity; 3.1.4.1 Role of Salinity; 3.1.4.2 Impact of Salinity; 3.1.4.3 Trend of Salinity Decline; 3.1.5 Alkalinity; 3.1.6 Turbidity; 3.1.7 Carbon Dioxide; 3.2 Dissolved Nutrients; 3.3 Water Quality of Coastal Areas of Sunderbans

3.4 SummaryReferences; 4 Substrate Soils; 4.1 Soil Formation; 4.2 Soil Characteristics; 4.3 Soil Classifications; 4.4 Saline Soils; 4.5 Characteristics of the Saline Soils; 4.5.1 Saline Alkali Soils; 4.5.2 Non-saline Alkali Soils; 4.5.3 Degraded Alkali Soils; 4.5.4 Acid Sulphate Soils; 4.5.4.1 Characteristics of Acid Sulphate Soils; 4.6 Physico-chemical Properties of Soil; 4.6.1 Soil Reaction (pH); 4.6.2 Organic Carbon; 4.7 Soil Nutrients; 4.7.1 Nitrogen; 4.7.2 Phosphorus; 4.7.3 Potassium; 4.7.4 NPK of Sunderbans; 4.8 Micronutrients; 4.9 Metal Content and Metal Oxides of Soils

4.10 Soil Distribution4.10.1 Saline Soils; 4.10.2 Saline: Alkaline Soils; 4.10.3 Non-saline Alkali Soils; 4.10.4 Degraded Saline Alkali Soils; 4.11 Summary; References; 5 Coastal Morpho-Dynamics; 5.1 Coastal Environment; 5.2 Sediment Transport and Shoreline Progradation; 5.3 Bakkhali and Fraserganj Coastal Environments; 5.3.1 Beach Morphology; 5.3.2 Climate; 5.3.3 Tide; 5.4 Dunes; 5.4.1 Roles of Coastal Dunes; 5.5 Coastal Processes; 5.6 Tidal Shoals; 5.6.1 Bedforms; 5.7 Sediment Texture; 5.8 Composition of Beach Sediments; 5.9 Micro-paleontology; 5.10 Shoreline Recession; 5.11 Mud Balls