The Western Ghats Forest ecosystem is known for its abundance of flora and is impacted primarily by habitat degradation. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used in this study to assess the vegetation changes over time in three protected areas of Western Ghats, including Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, Eravikulam National Park, and Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, over a 15-year interval (1988-2003 and 2003-2018) using Landsat datasets and ArcGIS 10.6. The result shows that the vegetation in these three protected areas declined dramatically during a decade (1988-2003), perhaps due to anthropogenic activities, deforestation, forest fires, forest plantations, and fragmentation. Historical records confirm that the study areas have been previously subjected to frequent fires, which have deteriorated the forest. In certain locations, clear-felling of forests for plantation was also documented. Later, between 2003 and 2018, vegetation in these areas increased marginally, possibly due to the Government's conservation efforts in protected areas. Further conservation activities in protected area networks, including afforestation with indigenous flora and adequate legal protection, are recommended in this present study. Keywords: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), protected areas, remote sensing, vegetation, Western Ghats
Higher dosages of chemical fertilizers and other plant growth regulators increased the crop yield, but at the same time cause detrimental effects for human beings and environment. Usage of organic fertilizers has come forward to minimize the usage of synthetic fertilizers. A pot experiment was carried out in Crop farm, Eastern University, Sri Lanka in between February to July in 2019 to analyze the effect of vermicomposting on growth and yield of radish. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and four replicates. The experiment was comprised with treatments; planting radish in soil with synthetic fertilizers at recommended rate (T1), planting radish in soil mixed with vermicomposting in the rate 10 t/ha (T2), 8 t/ha (T3), 6 t/ha (T4) and 4 t/ha (T5). Variety Beeralu was used for the experiment. T4 gave maximum plant height and fresh weight of leaves at 2nd and 4th WAP. Number of leaves was maximum in T4 at 2nd WAP. Tuber length and fresh weight of tuberous root was superior in T4 at 2nd and 4th WAP. Dry weight of leaves was not significantly varied with different levels of vermicomposting while dry weight of tuberous roots gave higher values in T4 at 6th WAP which was not significantly differed with control. T4 gave superior total yield of radish/pot at each weekly interval. As most of the growth and yield parameters are superior in T4, the study concludes that, the better rate of vermicomposting that can be used to plant radish in sandy regosol is 6 t/ha for the better performance of radish. Keywords: Vermicomposting, organic fertilizers, synthetic fertilizers, tuberous root, base fertilizer
The purpose of this study was to assess biodiversity literacy, which includes the dimensions of biodiversity knowledge, attitudes, and behavior among Hawassa University undergraduate university students. The descriptive research method was used for the study. Results show that a majority of the students were unable to recognize fundamental concepts of biodiversity, which in turn may challenge sustainable biodiversity conservation in Ethiopia. In basic biodiversity tests, biology majors scored slightly higher than geography (mean score of 61 to 53 and standard deviation 10.7 to 9.01 respectively). In addition, the findings of the study indicate that there was a weak relationship between students’ level of knowledge and attitudes (r=40) and knowledge and environmental practices (r=24). Similarly, a study between attitudes and behaviors at p<0.05, indicated a moderate correlation of r=49. Analyses of gender effect reveal that female students’ environmental participatory behavior was higher than their male counterparts were. Results further pointed out that students living in the rural area scored significantly higher than the urban counterparts on environmentally responsible action. The mismatch between environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behaviors suggests, among others, a call for redressing of teaching methodologies that would help students to see their behavior more critically. Keywords: biodiversity, biodiversity knowledge, biodiversity attitude, biodiversity behavior, environmental education
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is considered as the fifth most important cereal crop in the world. It is well adapted to a range of environmental conditions. This study was based on twenty six sorghum germplasm accessions conserved at the seed gene bank of Plant Genetic Resource Center, Gannoruwa, Sri Lanka. The evaluation of the morphological diversity was based on 14 qualitative morphological traits outlined by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute. Qualitative data recorded from morphological traits were analyzed using PROC CLUSTER procedure of SAS software. The clustering pattern of studied sorghum accessions based on qualitative morphological markers comprised of seven major clusters. Clustering pattern based on the qualitative traits depicts the geographical origin of the studied accessions. This can be explained by the fact that qualitative traits are less influenced by the environment. In principle, qualitative data are expected to provide additional information on hierarchical units. Observation of a considerably high number of clusters consolidates that principle. There were 13 polymorphic qualitative morphological traits with respect to all the studied sorghum germplasm accessions. Cluster I, II, III, IV, V and VI had one or several features shared by all the member accessions those cannot be found in all the members of any other clusters. Also there were unique features restricted to cluster II, III, V and VI. This study reveals sufficient genetic relatedness of studied sorghum germplasm accessions which will meaningful in the conservation and breeding programs of the crops.
The Sinharaja Forest Reserve is located in the Southern as well as Sabaragamuwa provinces in the wet zone, between latitudes 6o21-6o26 N and longitudes 80o21-80o34 E is one of the biologically unique Tropical Forest in Sri Lanka. Although Sinharaja is considered a lowland rain forest, the Eastern part of the forest consists montane and sub-montane forests. Many scholars have already researched on reptiles in the lowland rain forests of Sri Lanka including Sinharaja, however, they have not significantly attended to the diversity of reptiles in the Eastern and Southern parts of the Sinharaja forest. Considering this gap, the research focuses on studying diversity of reptiles in diverse lowland rain forests, montane and sub-montane forests in the Southern and Eastern parts of Sinharaja. Giguruwa-Kosmulla and Pitadeniya sites in the Southern part, and Hadpanella and Morningside in the Eastern part are selected as study areas of the research. 16 line transects (as four from each site) and quadrate 16 samples (as four from each site) are used for primary data collecting. Lowland rain forests, montane and sub-montane forests are identified as biologically sensitive habitats of reptiles. High number of native reptile species are recorded in lowland rain forests than in montane and sub-montane forests. 36 reptile species are identified in Southern and Eastern parts of the Sinharaja forest and 19 species of them are endemic to Sri Lanka. Among them, 05 vulnerable species, 04 endangered species, 05 critically endangered species are recorded. Many threats have been found, however, among them issues of bio piracy loss of forest genetic resources and wildlife smuggling, illegal forest utilisation practices, gem mining, illegal forest encroachments and unethical tourism practices are major issues. Thus, state forest department and other responsible authorities must attend to minimize the effects of these negative human impact on these vulnerable areas to protect sensitive reptile species in their habitats in order to conserve their diversity.
250 timber species are being used by the timber industry in Sri Lanka and among them building constructors, furniture manufacturers and wood fabricators are the main consumers. Identification of the trees become very difficult once felled and processed and therefore macroscopic/ microscopic features and physical properties of timber become important. Timber identification is necessary for right use of timber and to check on fraud in timber trading as some timber traders deceive customers by mixing low value timber with high quality ones. Five timber species of Terminalia namely T. arjuna (Kumbuk), T. bellirica (Bulu), T. catappa (Kottamba), T. chebula (Aralu) and T. parviflora (Hampalanda) of the family of Combretaceae were studied anatomically in search of sufficient features to separate one Terminalia sp from the other. Due to the resemblance of wood structure of five Terminalia spp, examination of the transverse sections of wood with a hand lens (×25) does not provide adequate reliable information to differentiate one species from the other for identification. Hence Transverse section (T.S.), radial longitudinal section (R.L.T.) and tangential longitudinal section (T.L.S.) were obtained using the microtome for the anatomical examination. In this study, some important wood anatomical and non-anatomical features were studied according to IAWA (1989). It was found that all Terminalia spp had diffuse porous wood having vessels mainly solitary and occasionally in 2-3 of radial multiples. Mean vessel diameter and vessel diameter range were recorded respectively as 241μm and 172-331μm in T. arjuna, 169μm and 107204μm in T. bellirica, 240μm and 169-309μm in T. catappa, 115μm and 68-175μm in T. chebula and 124μm and 75-159μm in T. parviflora. Mean vessel frequency were observed as 3 per mm 2 in T. arjuna, 4 per mm 2 in T. bellirica, 3 per mm 2 in T. catappa, 6 per mm 2 in T. chebula and 5 per mm 2 in T. parviflora. Mean rays frequency, mean ray height and mean ray width were found respectively as 9 per mm, 206μm, 24μm in T. arjuna, 11 per mm, 283μm, 24μm in T. bellirica, 8 per mm, 280μm, 25μm in T. catappa, 13 per mm, 239μm, 31μm in T. chebula and 10 per mm, 235μm, 30 μm in T. parviflora. Ray cell arrangement is mostly uniseriate and occasionally biseriate in T. bellirica, T. parviflora and T. arjuna. Ray cell arrangement is mostly multiseriate and occasionally uniseriate in T. catappa while T. chebula has uniseriate ray cell arrangement. * Correspondence: nimalruwan@gmail.com
Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden (rose gum) is an introduced species to Sri Lanka from Australia. At present it has drawn attention of both public and private sectors due to the use as fuel, railway sleepers and sawn timber. This study focused on prediction of total height of E. grandis with age, which is an essential requirement in plantation management. Data were collected from 26 even-aged plantations, covering all favourable regions of Sri Lanka for the growth of E. grandis. At first theoretical equations were formulated with four possible transformations. Then parameters were estimated by fitting data at three different stages. R 2 values and standard residual distributions were used as preliminary evaluations. Initially it was tried to model height using tree age as the only explanatory variable. Both linear and exponential functions were used at this stage. The resultant models, however, were not successful for both functions due to low R 2 values. Therefore next attempt was made after partitioning the data into different site types using a simple site index. Three different site types were identified at this stage. Then linear and exponential functions were separately fitted to each site type to estimate parameters for different site types while keeping the same basic equation forms. This attempt was also not successful due to low R 2 values, large outliers (for some site types) or incompatibility of the resultant models with biological reality. After the above unsuccessful attempts, the last step was conducted by pooling the data again and incorporating a second explanatory variable, site index. Other than multiple linear functions, exponential and logistic functions were modified by adding the second explanatory variable at this stage. Based on R 2 and standard residuals, seven suitable models were selected. Then the estimated height values were fitted against an age series to test the distribution and compatibility with biological reality. Finally, after both qualitative and quantitative evaluations, the best model was selected to predict the height growth for E. grandis in Sri Lanka for all site types.
