ECOSYSTEM OF SRILANKA: The Tropical Rain forest

Monday, August 10, 2009

The Tropical Rain forest

This ecosystem is located in the southwest part of the Sri Lanka. Normally called it as evergreen forest. The elevation extends from sea level to almost 1200 m and uniformly high temperature is the characteristic feature. (Mean Temperature 28o degrees) Mean annual rain fall is 2500 mm - 5000 mm or more during May to August. Relative humidity varies 75% to over 90%. These forest cover 100,000 ha or 8% land area of the wet zone.
The best known tropical rain forest is the Sinharaja forest (covers 11,300 ha) in Sri Lanka reserve, a world Heritage site. Other large reserves within this region are Kanneliya- Dediyagala - Nakiadeniya (11.900 ha) , Bambarabotuwa (5600 ha), Morapitiya - Runakanda (6900 ha) and Gilimale Eratna ( 5000 ha).
The forest shows marked stratification.
Dominance trees are
Dipoterocarpus zeylanicus ( hora)
Dipoterocarpus hispidus ( bu hora)
D. glandulosus ( gorana)
Shorea spp
Doon spp.

The endemic fauna too show high concentrations in the forest. Endemic Fishes, amphibian’s bird and mammals.

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ABOUT SRILANKA

Sri Lanka's position between 5 and 10 north latitude endows the country with a warm climate, moderated by ocean winds and considerable moisture. The mean temperature ranges from a low of 15.8 °C in Nuwara Eliya in the Central Highlands (where frost may occur for several days in the winter) to a high of 29° C in Trincomalee on the northeast coast (where temperatures may reach 37 °C). The average yearly temperature for the country as a whole ranges from 26 to 28 °C. Day and night temperatures may vary by 4 to 7. January is the coolest month, causing people, especially those in the highlands, to wear coats and sweaters. May, the hottest period, precedes the summer monsoon rains.
The rainfall pattern is influenced by the monsoon winds of the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal and is marked by four seasons. The first is from mid-May to October, when winds originate in the southwest, bringing moisture from the Indian Ocean. When these winds encounter the slopes of the Central Highlands, they unload heavy rains on the mountain slopes and the southwestern sector of the island. Some of the windward slopes receive up to 2500 mm of rain per month, but the leeward slopes in the east and northeast receive little rain. The second season occurs in October and November, the intermonsoonal months. During this season, periodic squalls occur and sometimes tropical cyclones bring overcast skies and rains to the southwest, northeast, and eastern parts of the island. During the third season, December to March, monsoon winds come from the northeast, bringing moisture from the Bay of Bengal. The northeastern slopes of the mountains may be inundated with up to 1250 mm of rain during these months. Another intermonsoonal period occurs from March until mid-May, with light, variable winds and evening thundershowers.
Humidity is typically higher in the southwest and mountainous areas and depends on the seasonal patterns of rainfall. At Colombo, for example, daytime humidity stays above 70 % all year, rising to almost 90 percent during the monsoon season in June. Anuradhapura experiences a daytime low of 60 % during the intermonsoonal month of March, but a high of 79 % during the November and December rains. In the highlands, Kandy's daytime humidity usually ranges between 70 and 79 %.

ECOSYSTEM OF SRILANKA

Monday, August 10, 2009

The Tropical Rain forest

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ABOUT SRILANKA