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Sinharaja World Heritage Site is one of the least disturbed and biologically unique
lowland forest now remaining in Sri Lanka. Certain parts of the Sinharaja forest are
covered with Kekilla tDicranopteris linearis) fernlands and Pinus plantation. Four site of
Kekilla fern lands and four sites of Pinus (Pinus caribaea) were selected for the study.
Seedlings of four species of Syzygium (S.firmum Thw., S. makul Gaertn., S. aperculatum
(Roxb) Niedz, S. rubicundum Wight and Am). were established as field trials in Pinus
and Kekilla and their growth was observed for one and half years. The Kekilla site is
exposed to full sun while the Pinus understorey is exposed to partial shade light.
Performance of Syzygium seedling was measured by the number of leaves, the single leaf,
the total leaf area and survival rates at the end of one and half years. However, the
seedlings height was measured half yearly in the two habitats. Four soil samples were
collected from the each of the replicated sites of Kekilla and Pinus. Each soil sample
collected, contained five sub samples of soil from five different locations. Five soil sub
samples so collected were pooled and mixed in a polythene bag in order to represent a
replicated site.
Results indicated that there was a significant difference in the growth performance
measurements among the species in the two micro habitats Pinus and Kekilla.. Despite
higher nutrient availability in the Kekilla (Dicranapteris linearis) all the seedlings performed better under Pinus understorey as they are mostly shade tolerant species. The
final height increment for S firmum favoured the shaded light habitat of Pinus followed
by S. makul while full sunlight Kekilla habitat Soperculatum performed well. S
rubicundum showed poor growth performance in both sites.
It is recommended that in the buffer zone with Pinus monoculture can be successfully
converted into a broad leave forest type by using S firmum and S makul species which
increase the available food resource for the fauna species in the forest. In Kekilla femland
s.operculatum is recommended.
