Abstract
Plant species in Dothalugala Man and Biosphere (MAB) Reserve were recorded in twenty six 10 x 15 m2 experimental plots, aiming to reveal the total species richness and, the richness of endemic and threatened plant species in the canopy and the understory of Tropical Montane Cloud Forests (TMCFs) and, to find out the impacts of cardamom cultivation on the plant diversity of the study area. One hundred and forty nine plant species (77 tree, 47 shrub, 24 climber and one herbaceous species) belonging to 106 plant genera and 54 plant families have been found from the study area. The study area possesses a high percentage endemicity of plant species (49.6%) with the presence of 74 (38 tree, 29 shrub, 6 climber and one hebaceous) species endemic to Sri Lanka. Similarly, 45 out of all plant species (30.2% species) and 45 out of all endemic species (60.7%) in these forests were either globally or nationally threatened. The endemic and ‘Critically Endangered’ dipterocarp, Stemonoporus affinis was also found in the area. Cardamom cultivation in the area had caused a tremendous reduction in the floristic diversity (species richness) and the conservation value of TMCFs in Dothalugala MAB reserve. Therefore, the cardamom cultivation and other related disturbances within or adjacent to Dothalugala MAB Reserve should be arrested for the conservation of plant diversity in this fragile and environmentally sensitive ecosystem and, this will eventually contribute towards the conservation of biodiversity not only in Sri Lanka but also in the globe as a whole. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/cjsbs.v42i2.6609 Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sci.) 42(2): 55-70, 2013
Highlights
Sri Lanka abounds a rich plant diversity with 7000 indigenous flora (Abeywickrama, 1986), including 3156 flowering plants of which 894 are endemic to Sri Lanka (Wijesundara et al, 2012)
Hurlbert’s (1971) rarefaction method proved to be robust to compare the plant species richness among habitats as the method standardizes all samples to a common size
Endemic plant species The current study revealed a high endemicity of flowering plants at Dothalugala Man and Biosphere (MAB) Reserve (Appendix 1)
Summary
Sri Lanka abounds a rich plant diversity with 7000 indigenous flora (Abeywickrama, 1986), including 3156 flowering plants of which 894 are endemic to Sri Lanka (Wijesundara et al, 2012). This high endemism of plant species and preceding threats have led Sri Lanka together with the Western Ghats of peninsular India to be considered as a biodiversity hotspot (Myers et al, 2000). Endemic plants of Sri Lanka appear to be distributed unequally across plant families as well as over space. Five sixths of the Sri Lanka’s endemic plants are reported to be included among the hill flora (Trimen, 1885)
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