Threats to Native Plant Species Due to Widespread of Invasive Plants: study in Sinharaja Rainforest, Pitadeniya region

Abstract

The world heritage Sinharaja rain forest is located in southwestern wet zone of Sri Lanka. Its belongs to Galle and Matara districts. This forest is spread over in a area of 11187 hectrs. This forest is highly rich w of biodiversity of animals and plants. The Forest has a green coverage of 75 – 92 % and it consists with 2 species of native plant and creepers. (Forests preservation department, 2007). Being a threat to said n the invasive plants are growing this area in the Sinharaja forest in step by step. Invasive Plants are define of plants which could affect the growth of existence of natural forests in the environmental system or th varieties or scientific remedial value that plants possess with. Some of these plants were grown for so needs and some were grown naturally as a random incident. It’s being noticed that these invasive plant at higher place in Sinharaja forest. Pitadeniya Sinharaja forest area was selected to this study. The ma of this study is to identify threats arises to the environment system due to the growth of invasive plants in area while minor objectives are identify the different species of invasive plants and the factors results fo of invasive plants. In collecting data for the study, an area of 46km2 was examined using direct o Additionally through informal discussions and snap shots the data was collected at the researche secondary data collection was based on study related books, broachers, internet, notice boards disp preservation centre, and information from forest preservation department. For the data analyzing, charts prepared using MS excel and were used for the quantitative data evaluation and for the qualitati interviews and information collected through direct observation was presented and analyzed through maps, and snap shots. According to the research done at the pitadeniya area which is located to the south of the sinharaja rain forest, it was realized that the thick forest, river basin forest and gardens consid study, were severely affected with the growth of invasive plants. In the 48 km which was considered as of area more than 10% was covered with invasive plants. katakaluboovitiya, podisignomaran, kaha International Conference of Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka - 2017 Copyright © ICSUSL-Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka 2017 8 mainly visible invasive plants in that area. These plants mainly spread over the ground surface and it as 85.7% out of the total area selected for the research. The plant name as Gandapana which is consid of the dominant plant of invasive plants, were still not spread in the researched area but about 500m ahead from gardens towards the forest this Gandapana seems prominent and it could be realized the r plant could attempt to invade into the thick forest immediately.