Sundarbans mangrove forest

Source: Modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2024) / Google Earth Engine

Sundarbans is a mangrove area in the delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers in the Bay of Bengal. It is the largest mangrove forest in the world. The bright red appearing Sundarbans mangrove forests span ca. 150 km east to west!

This false color image uses a combination of near infrared, red and green bands of the Sentinel-2 satellite. This combination of bands is most commonly used to assess plant activities and health, as plants reflect strongly near infrared light while absorbing mainly the red light for their photosynthesis. Since they strongly reflect near infrared light, plant-covered land appears deep red. Cities and exposed ground are gray or tan, and water appears blue or black.

The image reveals the intricate beauty of these mangrove forests. From the towering mangroves to the hidden waterways, this fragile ecosystem teems with life. Researchers from the University of Zürich are involved in studying the rehabilitation of managed mangrove ecosystems using remote sensing data.