125 research outputs found
DISTRIBUTION OF INVASIVE PLANT Ulex europeus IN HORTON PLAINS NATIONAL PARK
One of the most sensitive problems facing the conservation and management of HortonPlains National Park is the spreading of Ule.r europeus (gorse), an invasive plant species.To effectively manage and control this species it is necessary to have a sound knowledge ofits distribution within this park.This study was carried out to find the extent and distribution of Ulex CUUiPl'llS in the parkand finally to prepare a map showing the extent and distribution. The percent coveragewas assessed using 2m x 2m quadrats. In each quadrat percentage cover of reproductivesand non-reproductivcs were measured.According to the results of this study, about 6ha of the area is covered by Ule .r curopeus.Total amount of the area which covers more than 80% of Ulex europeus is 2.4ha. The areawhich consists of less than 8OCYr, of Ulex europeus is 3.3Iha. The extent of reproductivcsand non rcproduciivcs are also presented in the paper. Findings on the distrihution patternor the species show that the area around the main gate and Farr Inn guest house is themost densely and continuously distributed area with more than 80% coverage of Ulexcuropcus. Except this there arc a few isolated patches on either side of the road and trailwith more than 80% coverage of Ulex europeus. The distribution of the Ulex europeusplants arc mainly restricted along the stream from Black bridge to Gem pit pool. Thedensity of the species gradually decreased from up stream to down stream hut it was higherin the areas where water is stagnated along the stream. It is interesting to note that therearc no plants of Utes europcus found inside the natural forest except at the margins of theforest.
FORAGING DISTANCE IN THE STINGLESS BEE Trigona thoracica
The foraging patterns of stingless bees are dependent on resource availability.Human alterations to natural areas will affect the condition of local habitats,and influence the bees' foraging behavior. In this study, we assessed thefamiliarity of Trigona thoracica with two distinct habitats. This studyinvestigates the familiarity of the stingless bee Trigona thoracica with twodistinct habitats. It has the dual purpose of comparing foraging distancebetween the intact forest and disturbed environments, and of evaluating theidea that bees create memory patterns for navigational purposes en route todestinations. We hypothesized that bees forage more frequently in thenatural environment than in the disturbed environment, and are thereforemore familiar with forested terrain. We also suspect that bees are able toform a visual memory in transport, and that they will integrate cues theyacquire in transition to guide themselves home from unfamiliar locations. Weselected a (medium-sized) colony of Trigona thoracica at the base of a Ficusmicrocarpa tree near the entrance to the Khao Chong Peninsular BotanicGardens. The nest was located in a relatively open area, adjacent to twodistinct environments: a densely wooded forest to the east and an altered,semi-natural environment along a highway to the west. One transect line wasplaced in each of these two areas, and three release points along the transectswere determined using GPS (East - Forest area: 350, 650, 1200m; West -Highway: 400, 800, 1200m).Outgoing bees were collected in plastic bags and tagged with paint markers,Collections ranging in size from sixteen to seventy bees were thentransported in an insect cage to designated release points either on foot or onmotorbike. At each location, two samples (covered and uncovered) werereleased at staggered times. The two transects were completed over thecourse of three days, with a total of twelve releases. On each day we hadsimilar sunny and dry weather conditions. On each day, the nest wasobserved from the first release to at least 1.25 hours after the last release; theactivity of marked bees (entering or exiting the hive) was recorded, as well asthe time of that activity. Percentage returns were calculated for each batch ofmarked bees released from each of the three releasing points on each transect,according to the recorded number of returns for each batch.There was no significant difference between the number of covered anduncovered bees that returned. This leads us to believe that the bees do notform memory when they are artificially transported, which may be due tofactors, which differ between artificial transport and normal flight behavior.Possible factors include the rate of movement, and the height of travel.Additionally, the mesh-and-plastic carrying cage may have skewed the bee'sexposure to sunlight and added an abnormal level of stress for the bee,altering the bee's ability to assess the solar pattern. These factors wouldcontribute to the bee's incapacity to use egocentric methods for homewardnavigation. We found that the bees are more familiar with the natural habitatthan the disturbed habitat. The forage distance was determined to be 3.676km in the forested area and 1.973 km along the highway
Corporate Water Stewardship through Water Neutrality: A Case Study on the First WaterneutralÂź Apparel Factory in Asia
âWater Neutralityâ is a novel concept first coined by the Water Footprint Network. âWater Neutralâ means that one reduces the water footprint of an activity as much as reasonably possible and offsets the negative externalities of the remaining water footprint. This does not indicate water usage being reduced to zero, but rather demonstrates that the negative economic, social and environmental externalities are reduced as much as possible, and that the remaining impacts are fully compensated. Compensation may be in the form of monetary contributions toward a more sustainable and equitable use of water within the hydrological system where the adverse impacts of the remaining âwater footprintâ are distributed. Linea Aqua, a subsidiary of the MAS holding, and one of the leading swimwear manufacturers in Asia, has taken a leading role in water stewardship to become Asiaâs First Water NeutralÂź Apparel Factory. Linea Aquaâs water foot print was calculated annually (2013-2016) according to the methodologies developed by Water Footprint Network to quantify the impact to the water cycle of the surrounding ecosystem. Mitigation measures were introduced to reduce the identified impacts. According to the Water Footprint assessments, the total factoryâs water intake has reduced by 5.9%. Daily water consumption per employee and per piece has reduced by 11.4% and 40.3% respectively when compared with the 2013 baseline. The factory has reduced the waste water discharge by 57%. Treated waste water reuse for flushing and gardening has increased by 39.8% when compared with the year 2014. Total 28% reduction of water intake was estimated with the installation of a Reverse Osmosis plant to recover waste water to reuse in cooling towers in the factory. Considering all the water savings, the total water recovery is 43.98% of the total water consumption. The balance saving of 32,990.12 m3/year has been achieved through the reasonable investment on pre- identified water replenishing projects on conservation or restoration of water quantity or quality within and outside of the affected water catchment. The overall reasonable investment for the replenish benefits as a function of cost share is Rs.14.00 million (2014- 2016).Keywords: Water Neutral, Water Footprint, Water stewardshi
Product Carbon Footprint of Wooden Products in Sri Lanka Special Reference to a Life Cycle of an Arm Chair
Forest and forest products have a vital role in mitigation of the global climate change. Themain objective of this study was to assess the carbon emissions in the manufacturing of woodproducts taking an example of the production of an arm chair using life cycle assessmentapproach (LCA) which provides a methodological framework for evaluating environmentalperformance over the life cycle of a product, process, or an activity.The product Carbon Footprint was assessed for a typical wooden arm chair manufactured inan average sawmill. Assessment boundary was cradle to grave. The system boundaryencompasses each product manufacturing process including material (logs, wood, resin,fuels) transport to each production facility. Transportation distances were reported in surveysand used to calculate product transported per kilogramâkilometers (kg-km). The embedded Cflux in harvested timber, GHG emissions and the flow of embedded CO2 stock during theprocessing were analysed. The cumulative system boundary includes all upstream flows ofenergy, fuel, and raw material for production. Energy consumed during transportationbetween the harvesting life-cycle stage and manufacturing accounts for actual distancesreported from each production region.The functional unit for the product was referenced to 1 m3 of the product. All input andoutput data within the cumulative system boundary were allocated to the functional unit ofproduct and co-products in accordance with International Organisation for Standardisation.The data represent average regional data from sample studies. Umberto for Carbon Softwarewas used for the analysis. The total life cycle consists of 08 stages, raw material and timberharvesting, timber depot operations, log conversions, wood preservation, timber seasoning,manufacturing, use phase, end of use/ final disposal.Based on the calculations, percentages of GHG emissions in each stage of life cycle were54% for raw material and timber harvesting, 4% for timber depot operations, 11% for logconversions, 5% wood preservation, 1% for timber seasoning, 12% for manufacturing and13% for use phase and end of use/final disposal. From the above results it is apparent that ascarbon emissions are greatest at the timber harvesting stage, measures should be taken tointroduce more efficient and effective machinery and methodologies to reduce the emissions.Keywords: Product carbon footprint, Wood products, Life cycle analysis, Climate chang
Species Composition and Diversity in two Selected Lowland Tropical Rainforests in Sri Lanka and their Relationships to Temperature and Precipitation
Tropical rainforests are characterised by high species diversity, which may be due to a range of factors such as climate, topography, soil properties and the level of disturbance, both natural and anthropogenic. This study focused on investigating the species composition, richness, diversity and their conservation status in lowland tropical rainforests at two selected locations in Sri Lanka and determining their relationships to temperature and precipitation. Two permanent one-hectare sampling plots each were established at the Kanneliya (KDN1 and KDN2) and Pitadeniya-Sinharaja (PTD1 and PTD2) Forest Reserves. All trees with dbhâ„10 cm were enumerated. A total of 3,303 trees were recorded, representing 158 species from 91 genera and 53 families, with a total basal area of 196.26 m2. Most abundant plant species were Alstonia macrophylla in KDN1 (11.7% of trees with dbhâ„10 cm), Syzygium grande in KDN2 (9.8%), Shorea affinis in PTD1 (15.8%) Mesua thwaitesii in PTD2 (17.5%). Cullenia rosayroana (7.2%) is the most abundant species within the whole study area. While 25 species were recorded in all four plots, 70 species were found in only one location. Genus Shorea (18.6%) is the most common including 12 different species and Dipterocarpaceae (21.9%) is the most common family including 19 species. KDN1 recorded 1,011 plants from 108 species, with 74.3% endemic, 12.8% native and 11.9% exotic species. Other study sites recorded only endemic (88% at KDN2, 83.7% at PTD1 and 82.3% at PTD2) and native species. In comparison to PTD, KDN recorded higher numbers of trees with dbhâ„10 cm (Chi-square p<0.0001), species (p<0.0001) and genera (p=0.0091). KDN also recorded a higher number of families but the difference was not significant (p=0.358). All indices of species diversity (Shannon index, H and Simpson index, D), evenness (J) and richness (R) are higher at KDN. However, only the difference in D was statistically-significant at p=0.05. Multiple regression analysis using the stepwise procedure showed that the number of trees with dbhâ„10 cm and the species number increased with increasing average annual air temperature (T) but decreased with annual total precipitation (P). On the other hand, the numbers of genera and families increased with decreasing P with T not having a significant influence. The two diversity indices, H and D, increased with decreasing P and increasing T. In contrast, increasing P decreased J and R whereas variation in T did not have a significant influence. These findings provide important insights in to dynamics plant diversity in response to environmental changes.Keywords: Species composition, Species diversity, Tropical rainforest
Assessment of tsunami damage on the .coastal vegetation in five selected districts in the coastal zone of Sri Lanka, after one and half years of tsunami
Tsunami, the ki lIer wave swept nearly two thirds of the coast of Sri Lanka on 26lh of December, 2004.About 40,000 people died and around 500,000 people were displaced, more than 119,000 housesdamaged either fully or partially. About 13 coastal districts were directly affected, the north and eastsuffered the brunt of the blow accounting for about 2/3 of deaths and 60% of displacements. In termsof ecological aspects, with the exception of few species, most of the vegetation suffered total orpartial death, lagoons, estuaries, coral reefs, sea grass beds, salt marshes and mangroves experiencedthe damage at varying levels. Th is study was conducted with the patronage of the Food and AgriculturalOrganisation of the UN to scientifically assess the response of the coastal ecosystems with specialreference to coastal forests to the Tsunami, almost one and half years of the incident.The study focused on 5 tsunami affected districts namely, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Hambantota andArnpara. In each district, approximately 6 sampling locations selected based on the topography mapsand ground information. In each sampling location, a transect which was 10m wide and upto 250minland was taken. The transect was divided into 50m blocks, the first one laid at the start of vegetationline of the beach. In each 50m section of the transect, all the plant species were enumerated. For theground vegetation, percentage ground cover was taken. Using an index, the level of damage wasevaluated for each plant. Composite soil samples were taken at each 50m segment and analysed forElectrical Conductivity, Soil Organic Carbon and major nutrients. Water samples were taken fromexisting wells located close by.Although most of the vegetation, except for few exceptions, suffered badly at the time of Tsunami,there was extensive regeneration on the coast at the time of our study. The species which sufferedthe tsunami damage most were Palmyrah palm (Borassus flab ellifer), Del (Artocarplls nobilis),Araliya tBorassus flabellifer), Puwak (Areca catechu), Banana (Musa sppv; Kitul (Caryota urens),Guava (Psidium guajava), Avacardo pears (Persea gratissimai, trees of Citrus family ie Oranges,Lemon, Lime (Citrus spp.) Alstonia, Teak (Tectona grandis) etc. Of these, most of the species hadregenerated to varying degrees, the most difficult ones being Araliya, Palmyrah, plants of citrus family,Kitul, Guava.With a view to find out the species which are more robust in the regeneration, percentage groundcover (in ground vegetation) and relative abundance (in tree/shrub vegetation) were taken in each 50m segment of a plot. The districts did not vary significantly in the biodiversity. However, the speciesabundance showed a significant variation especially between the districts ofthe western coast (Kalutara,Galle, Matara) with that of south and eastern coasts (Hambantota and Ampara). While Mudu bimthamburu (Ipomea pescaprae) was the most prominent ground cover in the western districts, Maharavana ravul (Spinifex spp.) was more prominent in both south and eastern districts. With regard tothe abundance of trees/shrubs, Wetakeiyya (Pandanus spi, Coconuts (Cocos nuciferai, Gam suriya(Thespesia spp.y, Mudilla (Barringtonia spp.i, Domba were most abundant. In the South and Easterndistricts, Maliththan (Woodfordiafruitocosa), Andara (Prosopisjuliflora), Palmyrah palm, Cashwnut (Anacardium occidentale) and Neem iAzadirachta indica), Indi, (Phoenix spp) Korakaha/Kayan (Memecylon angustifoliumi were prominent. In the South and South-eastern districts, Aththana(Datura mete/), Wal kochchi had spread into invasive levels while the regeneration of Ranawara(Cassia auriculata) also had increased.With regard to the physical parameters, soil carbon content showed a decrease with the increase indistance from the beach. The Electrical Conductivity (EC) also showed a decreasing trend with theincreasing distance from the beach in all the districts studied. In general, all the nutrients (Total N,Available P, Available K, Ca, Mg and Na) showed an increase upto about 50m compared to that ofnon tsunami levels and then decreased. The pH of the water samples taken in all the districts werebetween 7-8 indicating a neutral level while the EC values were higher than the standard of 4 milsemens.With regard to the establishment of Green Belt, the coastal area could be broadly categorised intonatural, rural and urban landscapes. For the natural landscapes like mangroves, sand dunes and coastalforests, facilitation/restoration of the natural vegetation is recommended. Selection of species shouldbe in line with the naturally occurring ones in the ecosystem. In total locations, planting a strip ofnatural littoral woodland and strand plants seaward of agricultural crops is suitable. For urban locations,patches of natural vegetation could be integrated as far as possible with the most suitable concept forthe area. There could be open grassed/sandy/paved parks or playgrounds or sports grounds of varioussizes, provided there is a substantial belt of trees on the seaward side, and in cyclone prone areas,wind shelter belts on all sides. In cyclone prone areas, wind shelter belts should be planted aroundcrops and settlements: the trees and shrubs used could be introduced species as well as indigenous/native (found naturally in Sri Lanka) and endemic (found naturally only in Sri Lanka) species.The design of the Green belt should inc lude both ground vegetation, shrubs and then trees. Based onthe study results, composition of the vegetation for both ground vegetation, shrub layer and the treelayer has been proposed for all the 5 districts. In the tree layer, there were two distinctions, one for thebioshield which is located at close proximity to the sea and then the trees outside the bioshield comprisingof more multipurpose ones serving both protection and production purposes. Further, general designswere recommended for the west coast and southeast and eastern coasts. Guidelines were also proposedfor rehabilitation of the mangrove areas and sand dunes.
Food Frequency Questionnaires and Overnight Urines Are Valid Indicators of Daidzein and Genistein Intake in U.S. Women Relative to Multiple 24-h Urine Samples
Data regarding convenient, valid methods for measuring U.S. isoflavone intake are limited. We evaluated a soy food questionnaire (SFQ), the Willett food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and overnight urine samples relative to excretion in 24-h urine samples. We also described intake among women in a high-risk program for breast or ovarian cancer. Between April 2002 and June 2003, 451 women aged 30 to 50 yr with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer completed the SFQ and FFQ. Of them, 27 provided four 24-h and overnight urine specimens. In these women, 24-h sample measures were correlated with SFQ estimates of daidzein (Spearman r = .48) and genistein (r = .54) intake, moderately correlated with the Willett FFQ (daidzein r = .38, genistein r = .33), and strongly correlated with overnight urine excretion (daidzein r = .84, genistein r = 0.93). Among all 451 SFQ respondents, mean (median) daidzein and genistein intakes were 2.8 (0.24) and 3.9 (0.30) mg/day. Primary sources of both were soymilk, soy nuts, and tofu.We conclude that targeted soy food questionnaires, comprehensive FFQs, and multiple overnight urines are all reasonable options for assessing isoflavone intake in epidemiologic studies
Natural Strain Variation and Antibody Neutralization of Dengue Serotype 3 Viruses
Dengue viruses (DENVs) are emerging, mosquito-borne flaviviruses which cause dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever. The DENV complex consists of 4 serotypes designated DENV1-DENV4. Following natural infection with DENV, individuals develop serotype specific, neutralizing antibody responses. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) have been used to map neutralizing epitopes on dengue and other flaviviruses. Most serotype-specific, neutralizing MAbs bind to the lateral ridge of domain III of E protein (EDIII). It has been widely assumed that the EDIII lateral ridge epitope is conserved within each DENV serotype and a good target for vaccines. Using phylogenetic methods, we compared the amino acid sequence of 175 E proteins representing the different genotypes of DENV3 and identified a panel of surface exposed amino acids, including residues in EDIII, that are highly variant across the four DENV3 genotypes. The variable amino acids include six residues at the lateral ridge of EDIII. We used a panel of DENV3 mouse MAbs to assess the functional significance of naturally occurring amino acid variation. From the panel of antibodies, we identified three neutralizing MAbs that bound to EDIII of DENV3. Recombinant proteins and naturally occurring variant viruses were used to map the binding sites of the three MAbs. The three MAbs bound to overlapping but distinct epitopes on EDIII. Our empirical studies clearly demonstrate that the antibody binding and neutralization capacity of two MAbs was strongly influenced by naturally occurring mutations in DENV3. Our data demonstrate that the lateral ridge âtype specificâ epitope is not conserved between strains of DENV3. This variability should be considered when designing and evaluating DENV vaccines, especially those targeting EDIII
Resource efficient cleaner production (RECP) as a potential tool for greening the hospitality industry in Sri Lanka
Environmental pollution, changing patterns of consumption and production and increased sustainable development concerns create new challenges for companies worldwide. The hospitality sector activities are also strongly linked to the three pillars of sustainable development: economic competitiveness, social importance and environmental impact. Integrated and new approaches for materials and energy management are required to follow sustainable economic and ecological objectives and to succeed in the global. The concept of cleaner production suit the ideal business environment to tackle the challenges of the changing global context and offers concrete solutions for increases efficiency and reduces risks to humans and the environment.The hotel sector is a very important sector in current Sri Lankan economy. However it was identified that the industry is one of the highest consumers of energy and natural resources. According to the Sustainable Energy Authority the total hotel  load is estimated to be about 4-5 % of the total demand of the national grid. The average energy cost of a typical hotel is around 25% of its total operational cost.Comprehensive assessments were conducted in selected hotels according to the UNIDO CleanerProduction (CP) methodology. The study showed that the significant environmental issues in the context of daily hotel operations includeWater consumption and wastewater generation, Solid waste management and Air quality (indoors and outdoors). Also through an energy audit it was found that the key energy consuming areas of hotels include lighting, air conditioning, cooking etc. Air conditioning accounts for 50% of total energy consumption in a hotel.There are various practical CP options for hotel sector to reduce its impact on the environment and achieve cost savings which is important for industry performance in a competitive business environment. This study helped to identify CP options that can be implemented in hotel sector in general. Most of the CP options identified can be implemented with relatively short payback period. The findings of the case studies showed that on average about 25% of the water consumption, 20% waste generation and 20 % electricity consumption can be reduce in the five hotels studies.Keywords: Sustainable tourism, Green Hotel, Cleaner Production, Industrial Ecolog
An assessment of vegetation and canopy structure of moderately exploited natural forest area in Yagirala forest reserve
Study assessed the vegetation composition and structure and the forest canopy structure in terms ofLeaf Area Index (LAI), Mean Leaf Angle (MLA) and canopy openness in different elevationalclasses of moderately exploited natural forest area which covers about 82% of total natural forestcover in Yagirala forest reserve, a tropical lowland rain forest selectively logged by State TimberCooperation in late 70's.Canopy architecture termed as angle distribution of foliage elements (Chen et al. 1992), can bequantified by the leaf area index (LAI) and mean leaf angle (MLA). In this study Hemisphericalphotographic method was used to characterize canopy architecture at three elevational classes (i.e.valley, mid-slope and ridge top). At each elevational class, hemispherical photos ofthe forest canopywere taken at each sampling point at a height of l m above the ground along transects up to 200m at50m intervals. Hemispherical photographs were analyzed using Hemiview 2.1 canopy analysis softwareA vegetation survey was carried out to determine floristic composition of dam inant species and fam i!ies,which contribute more to the forest canopy. The enumeration was carried out using 0.05 ha circularplots at three elevational classes, totally covering 0.6ha of the area. Individuals taller 1m were enumeratedand species, diameter at breast height (dbh) and total height measurements were recorded and relativebasal area, relative frequency, relative density and Importance Value Index (IVI), diameter classdistribution were estimated.Leaf area index (LAI) and mean leaf angle (MLA) did not show significant variation between threeelevational classes. LAlmean value of low elevation areas show high value of2.256 and mean valueof high elevation areas show low value of 2.087. Average MLA value for the moderately exploitedarea is 29.14. Canopy openness given in terms of visual sky fraction is also not significantly diferentbetween three elevational classes. The results give an estimation of homogeneity of canopy opennesswithin the moderately exproited natural forest.
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