This book chronicles the decades-long work of studying, analyzing, and reversing the environmental pressures that threatened India's Chilika Lagoon, the largest brackish-water lagoon in the region, and the second largest in the world. Designated as one of India's first Ramsar Sites in 1981, Chilika Lagoon continued to degrade for a decade longer. Then, the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) was established to gather information and devise a restoration plan that benefits the ecosystems of the lagoon, with sensitivity to the needs and livelihoods of local communities.

Preface.- Introduction.- An overview of the restoration and management of Chilika Lagoon: successful application of the Ramsar wise use guidelines.- Ecological characterization of Chilika: defining strategies and management needs for wise use.- Ecosystem services: implications for managing Chilika.- Sedimentologic, chemical, and isotopic constraints on the Anthropogenic influence on Chilika Lake, India.- Modelling of hydrodynamics and salinity characteristics in Chilika Lagoon.- Assessment of runoff and sediment yield from selected watersheds in the Western Catchment of the Chilika Lagoon.- Long-term analysis of water quality in Chilika Lagoon and application of bio-optical models for cyclone impact assessment.- Spatio-temporal variation in physicochemical parameters of water in the Chilika lagoon.- Geomorphology, land use/land cover and sedimentary environments of the Chilika Basin.- Spatiotemporal Assessment of phytoplankton communities in the Chilika lagoon.- Fish and fisheries of Chilika: post-restoration scenario.- Avifauna of Chilika, Odisha: assessment of spatial and temporal changes.- Biodiversity of benthic fauna in Chilika lagoon.- Microbial ecology of Chilika Lagoon.- Survey, characterization, ecology, and management of macrophytes in Chilika lagoon.- Index.