SEEDLING GROWTH OF FOUR SYZYGIUM SPECIES IN KEKILLA FERN LAND AND PINUS IN THE BUFFER ZONE OF SINHARAJA RAINFOREST

Abstract

Attached

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.