Mangroves, found only in tropical and subtropical climates, are distinctive for their ability to survive in brackish water. PHOTO: NYTIMES

LAKSHMIPUR, India (NYTIMES) - The women adjusted their binoculars around their necks, secured their bright green saris and climbed onto a motorboat to begin their weekly patrol in the Sundarbans, one of the largest deltas in the world and an urgent case study on the effects of climate change.