B. Abeyrathne, Nilanga Ranatunga, Sahani Chandrasiri, I. Madola
{"title":"Faunal Diversity and the Ecological Aspects of a Community-Based Fragmented Lowland Rainforest Patch in Western Province, Sri Lanka","authors":"B. Abeyrathne, Nilanga Ranatunga, Sahani Chandrasiri, I. Madola","doi":"10.32526/ennrj/22/20230220","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Wawekale Rainforest Reserve (WRR) is a primary lowland tropical rainforest area in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, established with diversity, but disturbed by human activities such as rubber cultivation, logging, poaching, chemical release, and the collection of firewood. Visual Encounter Surveys (VES) were conducted for 100 hours in the year 2022, which covered wide habitat distribution. The herpetofaunal diversity was measured in the WRR which can indicate broader ecological shifts, environmental changes, or habitat degradation. Water quality was measured in the WRR area to determine the ecosystem health and human impact. The study reports 171 species in 73 families, including two Critically Endangered (1.17%), six Endangered (3.51%), 16 Vulnerable (9.36%), and 14 Near Threatened (8.19%) species according to the IUCN Red List. The study area showed 51 endemic faunal species in Sri Lanka, which represented 29.83% of endemism. Based on the observations conducted on the herpetofauna diversity, the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H) was calculated and the overall herpetofauna (H’H) showed high diversity within the forest premises. The water quality of the forest fragment had an influence from anthropogenic activities such as removing forest cover, bathing, washing vehicles, and releasing agro-chemical compounds resulting in high water temperature, basic pH level, high electrical conductivity, and high total dissolved solid conditions. The WRR, designated under protection, exhibits the need for immediate remedial actions to mitigate human-induced pollution and deforestation, emphasizing the critical importance of implementing proactive conservation measures to sustain ecological integrity and preserve biodiversity.","PeriodicalId":11784,"journal":{"name":"Environment and Natural Resources Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Environment and Natural Resources Journal","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.32526/ennrj/22/20230220","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"Environmental Science","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Wawekale Rainforest Reserve (WRR) is a primary lowland tropical rainforest area in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, established with diversity, but disturbed by human activities such as rubber cultivation, logging, poaching, chemical release, and the collection of firewood. Visual Encounter Surveys (VES) were conducted for 100 hours in the year 2022, which covered wide habitat distribution. The herpetofaunal diversity was measured in the WRR which can indicate broader ecological shifts, environmental changes, or habitat degradation. Water quality was measured in the WRR area to determine the ecosystem health and human impact. The study reports 171 species in 73 families, including two Critically Endangered (1.17%), six Endangered (3.51%), 16 Vulnerable (9.36%), and 14 Near Threatened (8.19%) species according to the IUCN Red List. The study area showed 51 endemic faunal species in Sri Lanka, which represented 29.83% of endemism. Based on the observations conducted on the herpetofauna diversity, the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H) was calculated and the overall herpetofauna (H’H) showed high diversity within the forest premises. The water quality of the forest fragment had an influence from anthropogenic activities such as removing forest cover, bathing, washing vehicles, and releasing agro-chemical compounds resulting in high water temperature, basic pH level, high electrical conductivity, and high total dissolved solid conditions. The WRR, designated under protection, exhibits the need for immediate remedial actions to mitigate human-induced pollution and deforestation, emphasizing the critical importance of implementing proactive conservation measures to sustain ecological integrity and preserve biodiversity.
期刊介绍:
The Environment and Natural Resources Journal is a peer-reviewed journal, which provides insight scientific knowledge into the diverse dimensions of integrated environmental and natural resource management. The journal aims to provide a platform for exchange and distribution of the knowledge and cutting-edge research in the fields of environmental science and natural resource management to academicians, scientists and researchers. The journal accepts a varied array of manuscripts on all aspects of environmental science and natural resource management. The journal scope covers the integration of multidisciplinary sciences for prevention, control, treatment, environmental clean-up and restoration. The study of the existing or emerging problems of environment and natural resources in the region of Southeast Asia and the creation of novel knowledge and/or recommendations of mitigation measures for sustainable development policies are emphasized. The subject areas are diverse, but specific topics of interest include: -Biodiversity -Climate change -Detection and monitoring of polluted sources e.g., industry, mining -Disaster e.g., forest fire, flooding, earthquake, tsunami, or tidal wave -Ecological/Environmental modelling -Emerging contaminants/hazardous wastes investigation and remediation -Environmental dynamics e.g., coastal erosion, sea level rise -Environmental assessment tools, policy and management e.g., GIS, remote sensing, Environmental -Management System (EMS) -Environmental pollution and other novel solutions to pollution -Remediation technology of contaminated environments -Transboundary pollution -Waste and wastewater treatments and disposal technology