Sri Lankan Journal of Biology最新文献

{"title":"Pachyderm and petrichor: Searching for new ways to mitigate the human-elephant conflict","authors":"D. Gunawardana","doi":"10.4038/sljb.v9i2.172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljb.v9i2.172","url":null,"abstract":"Geosmin, a taste and odor (T & O) compound that has been hypothesized to occur in higher magnitudes in water bodies due to climate change, is a water quality parameter for human consumption, but an olfactory cue for elephants to migrate towards water holes. It is proposed here to culture bacteria capable of geosmin biodegradation for the development of a unitary, or a consortium of microbes, to lower the geosmin content in human settlement-proximal water holes, to discourage the encroachment of elephants to villages.This novel idea aims to protect both, the elephant population and the human footprint in harm’s way, furnishing a program to conserve elephants while ensuring that human lives are protected. The environmental and social impacts of this proposed nature-based solution will be centered on 1. Elephant conservation 2. Reduction of incidences of the human-elephant conflict, which together provide a natural solution to a dilemma that so far has lacked tangible, sustainable, and long-term, bio-centric remedies.This editorial projects to protect both humans and elephants in a climate-change-impacted dry zone of Sri Lanka, where there are an estimated >5000-6000 elephants, which makes up 10% of the Asian elephant population in 2% of the range, the highest density of Asian elephants in any country. In an increasingly water-impoverished landscape, encroaching on human settlements for water and food flares up the human-elephant conflict that claims hundreds of lives across the human-animal divide, in any given year.There is a quote by arguably the greatest artist that walked on this earth, Pablo Picasso, who coined this wonderful line “God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant and the cat. He has no real style, He just goes on trying other things”. We scientists too need to be like artists – “try other things” to save the opulence of biodiversity – those giraffes, pachyderms and big cats, threatened by habitat expansion and human encroachment, of which the elephant holds the pinnacle rung. This editorial is simply a wake-up call for the scientific community to try other things.","PeriodicalId":145536,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Biology","volume":"61 S280","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141683137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phytoplankton community structure in the dry zone reservoirs of Sri Lanka at the declining phase of the tropical monsoon","authors":"M. Gunawardana, Hitihami M.A.S.V, K. Atapaththu, Kelum Sanjaya, Yapa Mudiyanselage, Widana Gamage","doi":"10.4038/sljb.v9i2.90","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljb.v9i2.90","url":null,"abstract":"We studied the phytoplankton community structure and their relationship to the physicochemical properties of water by selecting five major freshwater reservoirs; Bandagiriya, Kattakaduwa, Lunugamvehera, Ridiyagama, and Tissa in the Southern dry zone of Sri Lanka during the declining phase of tropical monsoon rainfall (December 2019 to January 2020). Fifty-seven species, dominated by Cyanophyta (63%), followed by Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, and Euglenophyta were identified morphologically and through DNA sequencing. The majority of Cyanophyta were filamentous forms (62%) with approximately 88% being cyanotoxin producing species. The species composition of phytoplankton communities is reservoir specific. Microcystis was dominant in Lunugamvehera while the diatom Melosira was dominant in Ridiyagama, Kattakaduwa and Tissa. The lowest phytoplankton density and diversity were observed in Bandagiriya mainly due to high turbidity and total suspended solids which interfere with light penetration through the water column. Physicochemical properties of water were significantly different among reservoirs, leading to reservoir specific correlations between phytoplankton density and physicochemical properties of water which might have been driven by the inter-correlative effects of biotic and abiotic factors at the time of sampling. Therefore, the interactive effects might be responsible for the observed variations in phytoplankton community composition. Thus, the present study provides important information on the phytoplankton community structure at the onset of successional episodes in five tropical freshwater reservoirs in relation to their spatial variations in hydrological regimes and physicochemical properties. Such data would provide essential information for planning and implementation of reliable and efficient strategies for monitoring, sampling, forecasting, and managing algal blooms.","PeriodicalId":145536,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Biology","volume":"63 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141683007","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Green coffee and green tea as alternative medicines for the treatment of hyperglycemia","authors":"W. D. T. H. Wijesooriya, M. D. T. L. Gunathilaka","doi":"10.4038/sljb.v9i2.141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljb.v9i2.141","url":null,"abstract":"Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by the body's inability to regulate blood glucose levels effectively. An autoimmune disease known as type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system erroneously targets and kills beta cells in the islets of the pancreas. Insulin resistance, a condition in which the body's cells do not adequately respond to insulin, causes type 2 diabetes. As the available hypoglycemic drugs exhibit several side effects, it is important to search for natural remedies to treat hyperglycemia in diabetic patients. The unroasted coffee beans used to make green coffee are rich in chlorogenic acid, a polyphenol with antioxidant effects and several biological activities. According to previous studies, chlorogenic acid improves insulin sensitivity, glycemic management, and glucose metabolism. Similarly, green tea is rich in catechins, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which exhibits several biological properties. Numerous studies have revealed that EGCG may help to enhance insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion, and glucose management. However, more research is required to determine the molecular mechanisms by which these phytochemicals in green tea and green coffee ameliorate the development of hyperglycemia and improve insulin sensitivity.","PeriodicalId":145536,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Biology","volume":" 47","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141681167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Potential of incorporating Alpinia malaccensis crude extract into hand sanitizers","authors":"S. P. R. Wijewardhana, N. S. Weerakkody","doi":"10.4038/sljb.v9i1.116","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljb.v9i1.116","url":null,"abstract":"The commercial hand sanitizers are made from alcohol which might not have residual antibacterial activity because alcohol is highly volatile. This study was performed to determine the efficacy of hand sanitizer incorporated with Alpinia malaccensis crude extract. Different concentrations (5 mg/ml, 10 mg/ml and 50mg/ml) of A. malaccensis containing hand sanitizers were compared with that of World Health Organization (WHO) formulation and recommended commerciallyavailable hand sanitizers. Disk diffusion assay and synergistic antimicrobial activity test were used as in vitro methods to evaluate antimicrobial inhibition. Finger imprint method was conducted as in vivo method to evaluate the efficacy of hand sanitizer on resident microflora for 0, 2, 5, 10, and 15 minutes. Disk diffusion assay was tested against Staphylococcus aureus 113, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium. The commercial sanitizer (T4) showed a significantly (p˂0.05) smaller diameter inhibition zone 14.33±0.58 mm for S. aureus compared to other treatments, namely 5 mg/ml (T1), 10 mg/ml (T2) of A. malaccensis containing sanitizers and WHO formula (T3). There is a possibility to add A. malaccensis crude extract to enhance the efficacy of the commercial sanitizer. A significant synergistic antimicrobial inhibition 7.99±0.02 cfu/ml was recorded in 50 mg/ml+55% alcohol hand sanitizer (T2) compared to the control (T4). The finger imprint method did not show any significant differential reduction within the tested time. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers incorporated with herbal A. malaccensis could be used to enhance the efficacy of the available commercial sanitizers.","PeriodicalId":145536,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Biology","volume":"54 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140478480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing water quality and sustainable organic-phosphate fertilizer production through phytoremediation of cattle farm effluent using artificial wetlands","authors":"T. Kulangana, W. M. T. P. Ariyarathne, H. M. D. N. Priyantha, M. C. M. Iqbal","doi":"10.4038/sljb.v9i1.135","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljb.v9i1.135","url":null,"abstract":"Eutrophication, which results from the excessive introduction of phosphorus into water bodies, poses a critical ecological challenge, although it is not the exclusive factor driving this phenomenon. The indispensability of phosphate fertilizers for global food production, coupled with the gradual depletion of natural phosphate reserves, underscores the urgency of sustainable phosphorus management. This research investigated the efficacy of two aquatic plant species, Salvinia and Pistia, for phosphate removal from cattle farm effluent while also exploring their potential use as organic fertilizers. These two species have been extensively employed in phytoremediation studies, underscoring their established roles in environmental remediation processes. Additionally, the study measured alterations in water quality parameters within an artificial wetland (AW) designed for wastewater treatment. Cattle farm effluent was collected during the cleaning and washing of the animal farm. Macrophytes were collected within a 500m diameter area of the pond using the systematic random sampling technique. The selected macrophytes were grown in identical plastic tanks filled with cattle farm effluent. Following a 21-day growth period, the harvested plants were subjected to drying at 70°C and were then ground into smaller particles to be transformed into fertilizer. The collected water samples were analyzed for residual phosphate concentrations and other water quality indicators, including pH, temperature, conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) and dissolved oxygen percentage (DO%). Measurements of water quality indicators were replicated three times to report the average data and standard deviations. In this experimental setup, different water samples (AW I, AW II, AW III and AW IV) served as the experimental units, with corresponding dilution factors of 1:3 for AW I and AW III, and 1:2 for AW II and AW IV. The plant species involved in the study were Salvinia for AW I and AW II, and Pistia for AW III and AW IV. Statistical analysis employing Minitab 17 software enabled quantitative comparisons. Results demonstrated a consistent reduction in phosphate concentrations within the AWs over time, affirming their phosphate-removing potential. The phosphate removal efficiency of Salvinia was 37.87±6.50% and 35.69±1.32% for AW I and AW II, respectively. Similarly, for AW III and AW IV, Pistia demonstrated remarkable removal rates of 84.32±4.26% and 47.51±3.98%, respectively. Phosphate content in the fertilizers derived from Salvinia was 35.71±1.48 mg/kg and 29.44±0.91 mg/kg for AW I and AW II, respectively, while Pistia fertilizers from AW III and AW IV contained 38.00±2.29 mg/kg and 31.56±1.23 mg/kg, respectively. Furthermore, the investigation underscored the effectiveness of AWs as a potent phytoremediation technology for wastewater treatment, as evidenced by the water quality parameter analysis. This study not only highlights the promising potential of aquatic ","PeriodicalId":145536,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Biology","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140478700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro Anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidant and Cytogenotoxicity of Axinella sp., a Marine Sponge Extract","authors":"N. Ranatunga, K. A. P. P. Kuruppuarachchi, K. Gunathilake","doi":"10.4038/sljb.v8i2.107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljb.v8i2.107","url":null,"abstract":"Exploring the oceans for bioactive compounds is an incessant human desire. The present study investigates selected bioactivities; anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, cytotoxic, and genotoxic potential of Axinella sp. marine sponge crude extract (SCE). Sponge identification was based on morphology and skeletal analysis. The SCE was prepared by methanol/dichloromethane extraction and tested for zoo-chemicals, anti-inflammatory properties by protein denaturation, heat and hypertonicity-induced bovine erythrocyte membrane stability assays. Radical scavenging activity was tested against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH), 2,2′-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), nitric oxide (NO), and peroxide radicals. The IC50 was calculated for each assay. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were tested on Artemia salina and Allium cepa models, respectively. The LC50 and mitotic index (MI) were calculated where appropriate, while chromosomal aberrations were recorded in the A. cepa assay. The results indicated the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, unsaturated sterols, flavonoids, and saponins in SCE. Potent inhibitory activities on egg albumin denaturation were reported by SCE (IC50=39.55±3.21 μg/ml). Heat and hypertonicity induced bovine erythrocyte membrane stability was reported as IC50=44.64±0.56 μg/ml and IC50=35.7±.0.26 μg/ml, respectively. In comparison to reference drugs, the resulting scavenging activities were strong against NO (IC50=50.63±2.85 μg/ml) and more or less similar against DPPH (IC50=42.49±0.85 μg/ml). However, the potency of ABTS and peroxide radical scavenging activities was low in SCE (IC50=42.49±0.74 μg/ml and IC50=323.52±3.71 μg/ml, respectively). The SCE was toxic to A. salina nauplii (LC50=106.81 μg/ml) and A. cepa root cells (LC50=114.63 μg/ml) with a 7.2% chromosomal aberrations reported in the A. cepa genotoxicity assay. The potent anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, cytotoxic, and genotoxic effects of SCE proposes its feasibility as a potential drug lead, followed by further comprehensive research.","PeriodicalId":145536,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Biology","volume":"31 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115441331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Serial Guesstimates, Cereal Grasses, Statistical Guidance and Surreal Genetics","authors":"D. Gunawardana","doi":"10.4038/sljb.v8i2.121","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljb.v8i2.121","url":null,"abstract":"No abstract available","PeriodicalId":145536,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Biology","volume":"59 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132091222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Algal Research and its Potential for Industrial Applications: A Review","authors":"H. Kumarasinghe, T. Gunathilaka, R. Jayasooriya, K. Samarakoon","doi":"10.4038/sljb.v8i2.113","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljb.v8i2.113","url":null,"abstract":"Marine biotechnology is a broad field with a profound and global sociological footprint. Within that sociological macrocosm, marine algae act as an emerging field of research that is exemplified by the superabundance of natural sources to harvest bioactive compounds. Algae synthesize a comprehensive array of bioactive compounds including polysaccharides, polyphenols, sterols, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, proteins, essential fatty acids, enzymes, vitamins, and carotenoids. Many of these bioactive compounds are composed of significant biological properties such as antioxidant, ultra-violet protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-wrinkling, skin-whitening, anti-microbial, anti-thrombotic, and anti-cancer activities. With the discovery of novel bioactive compounds from marine algae, it as a collective performs the role of a conveyer belt of ingredients for industrial applications, namely the pharmaceutical industry, cosmeceutical industry, nutraceutical industry, energy industry, and functional food industry, etc. New generations have now focused their attention towards natural, safe, and highly available bioproducts as it downplays the risks linked to consumption while providing benefits. Considering the rising demand for natural bioproducts globally, marine algae turn into biological factories with vast economic potential. Therefore, this mini-review mainly focuses on the impact of algal research and its potential for industrial applications.","PeriodicalId":145536,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Biology","volume":"40 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117088533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Systematic implication of GC-MS analysis of secondary metabolites in Duranta erecta L. Forms in Nigeria","authors":"A. Sagaya, A. Abdulrahaman","doi":"10.4038/sljb.v8i1.110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljb.v8i1.110","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":145536,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Biology","volume":"41 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128480100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Plankton and macro-benthic invertebrate diversity of apodu Reservoir in Malete, Nigeria","authors":"S. O. Oladipo, F. Adeshola, D. Adelodun, G. Babafemi, A. O. Ajiboye","doi":"10.4038/sljb.v8i1.95","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljb.v8i1.95","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":145536,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Biology","volume":"70 ","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114097809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}