University of Sri Jayewardenepura: Journals & Proceedings
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Ocean Pollution and the Fishing Community
Get PDFThe ecosystem known as the ocean is a large body of saline water covering approximately 71% of the Earth's surface. The relationship between man and the ocean is deeply intertwined as the ocean provides resources for the survival of mankind. Among them, the fishing community and the ocean have a unique relationship. The reason for that is because livelihoods and trade routes have been created for the fishing community through this. With the development of human society, marine pollution has become a global problem today. Fishing also contributes to marine pollution. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the detrimental consequences of the ocean as they affect the fishing community. This research has been conducted using qualitative data analysis approach. The study area chosen for this study is the fishing harbour area of Dondra area. Both primary data and secondary data sources were used for data collection. In-depth interviews, participant observation and focus group discussions were used as primary data collection methods and thirteen individuals were selected as data contributors through simple random method. Reports, research papers, books and internet were used as secondary data. In this research, the types and sources of pollutants can be identified as the waste that the fishing community discharges into the ocean. The garbage that the fishing community dumps into the ocean can be used to identify the types and sources of pollution in this instance. Changes in water quality, sea erosion, and destruction of coral reefs have also affected the ocean system. Excessive growth of algae, bacteria and fungi has damaged the beauty of the coast. Also, the main findings that could be studied in this research are that the risk of health problems for humans and animals has increased through ocean pollution. Furthermore, due to the limited awareness and education in the fishing community, it can be recognized that the adverse effects on the ocean through them are high. Finally, it appears that the fishing community makes a significant contribution to ocean pollution through this study conducted in the vicinity of Dondra Port. Accordingly, fishermen have to face many problematic situations due to the amount of damage caused to the ocean compared to the rest of the community. The conclusion of this study is that if proper measures are not taken to reduce this, ocean pollution through the fishing community may increase further.
Keywords: Environmental, Fishing community, Health, Ocean pollution, Wast
Investigation into the Environmental Sustainability Actions Adapted by Small and Medium Enterprises of the Accommodation and Tour Operator Sectors of Sri Lanka
Get PDFTourism is a key driver of development for many countries, including Sri Lanka. In 2018, it generated USD 4.38 million in foreign exchange, contributed by 4.9 percent to the GDP, and generated over 380,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities. The contribution of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to this industry prevents economic leakages and increases the multiplier effect. The tourism industry also can destroy the very environment it depends on for sustenance, through heavy emissions from energy use and waste production. Research has highlighted the importance of the quality of the environment as a pull factor for destination profitability in the long run. The tourism transport-related emissions for Sri Lanka are high, the accommodation sector's GHG emissions at 3 percent is more than the global average of 1%, indicating major areas for improvement. With the accommodation sector's energy consumption predicted to surpass that of the industrial sector, the attention given to sustainable tourism practices by the SMEs that make up the industry must be investigated. In that context, this research aims to investigate the energy-saving and waste-reduction practices towards emission reduction, adopted by the Tour Operator (TO) and Accommodation Provider (AP) SMEs in the tourism industry of Sri Lanka. To do so, a qualitative methodology was adopted with a narrative inquiry over a virtual platform with 06 TOs and 17 APs identified through convenience sampling, and data analysis performed through thematic content analysis technique. Notable results for AP revealed that 12 APs consume electricity off the grid, with solar energy utilization still being limited to obtaining hot water for guest bathrooms for 5 APs, due to the high initial cost involved, and lack of adequate technical know-how in solar battery maintenance (3Aps in Tissamaharama). Poor government support towards renewable energy discouraged 17 APs from adopting the same. Energy use for TO is minimized through the use of hybrid along with conventional fossil-fuel-powered vehicles for tours. Single-use plastic items reintroduced during the COVID-19 pandemic for AP are gradually being replaced by reusable glass bottles, wooden/ metal cutlery, and paper/metal straws. All AP practice waste segregation, and the 3R concept (reduce, reuse, recycle). 4 TOs provide reusable metal bottles that are refilled during the tour using larger water cans and a handheld pump. As the sustainable practices of TO are currently optional, it is recommended to include sustainability criteria into registration process with the SLTDA. For AP it is recommended for the government to play a more active facilitating role in the renewable energy sector and to ensure the skills requirement for device maintenance is promptly met.
Keywords: Small and medium enterprises, Sustainable tourism development, Energy saving practices, Waste reduction
 
Volatile Profiling and Assessment of the Bio-Efficacy of Sandoricum koetjape Essential Oil as a Botanical Insect Repellent Against Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Get PDFInfestation caused by the ubiquitous cosmopolitan stored-grain insect pest, the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae, has become a globally significant problem owing to its heavy losses in post-harvest storage systems. Meanwhile, the escalating interest in the search for green alternatives to synthetic pesticides has become the impetus for the investigation, formulation, and evaluation of biorational pesticides that overcome the undesirable ecological and adverse human health impacts due to conventional pesticides. The major way these insect pests detect their substrates is through olfaction, and plant essential oils have been proven to result in promising repulsive properties by building repulsive odor barriers and thus acting as insect repellents. Therefore, the present study aimed at characterizing the volatile constituents of S. koetjape essential oil (SKEO) and evaluating the bio-efficacy of its’ insect repellent activity against S. oryzae. The essential oil was extracted from the wood of S. koetjape via hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus, and the chemical composition was characterized through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Test insect cultures were maintained under ambient thermo-hygrometric conditions of 29±2o C and 84±10% relative humidity. One-week-old coetaneous mixed-sex cohorts of adult S. oryzae were used in all experiments. The area preference bioassay was conducted to assess the repellency of SKEO by determining the 100% repellent concentration (RC100) of SKEO and 95% repellent concentration (RC95) of SKEO was calculated through a probit analysis. The GC-MS analysis resulted in nine compounds accounting for 68.6% of the wood essential oil of S. koetjape, with Spathulenol (43.7%), a tricyclic sesquiterpene alcohol, being the predominant compound. Other major volatile compounds present were sesquiterpenoids: Viridiflorene (8.8%), and Viridiflorol (3.4%); Caryophyllene (4.8%), a sesquiterpene; and Myristicin (2.5%), an aromatic ether. All these compounds possess insect repellent activity, as per mentioned in literature. In the area preference bioassay, 100% repellency was observed at the highest dose, which was 3.77 µL cm-2 after a six-hour exposure period, and the RC95 value was recorded as 3.65 µL cm-2. Thus, it can be concluded that the wood essential oil of Sandoricum koetjape can be utilized as a botanical insect repellent against S. oryzae, and in future studies, the volatile organic compounds identified can be utilized in the formulation of novel phytochemical bio-pesticides in stored-grain insect pest management.
Keywords: Sandoricum koetjape, Sitophilus oryzae, Essential oil, Repellency, Botanical insect repellent
 
Formulation and Characterization of Azolla pinnata and Effective Microorganisms-Based Organic Vermi-Liquid Fertilizer
No full textThe challenges of modern agriculture should be addressed using environmentally sound, economically viable and socially supportive techniques. This study aims to determine the effects of Azolla based vermi-liquid fertilizers enriched with Effective Microorganisms (EM) as an organic liquid fertilizer. Cattle manure, loamy soil, paddy straw, rice husk biochar and banana peels were used as bedding materials and applied into 5 L plastic cans as layers and the red earth worms (Eisenia fetida) were introduced. Water was added daily, maintaining 60% moisture level and from day-15 to day-45, the liquid was collected at 15-day intervals for physicochemical characterization. The treatments were arranged as T1: only vermicomposting bedding materials (VBM), T2: VBM + 1 part of Azolla, T3: VBM+1 part of Azolla+EM, T4: VBM+2 parts of Azolla, and T5: VBM+2 parts of Azolla+EM. The characterization of the collected liquid fertilizer (day 15, 30 and 45) was done by measuring pH, EC, available NO3--N, NH4+-N, P, K, extractable Ca, and Mg. The pH of all liquid fertilizers in every treatment decreased with time and was alkaline. The EC values in every treatment were high on day-15 with the highest observed value in T5 (7.45±0.42 mScm-1). Then, EC decreased without significant difference between EC values on day-30 and day-45 in all treatments. The NO3--N concentration increased with the time in every treatment while T1 showed the highest concentration on day-45 (351.45±69.54 ppm). However, the NH4+-N concentration was decreased with the time in all treatments except T5 obtaining the highest NH4+-N concentration on day-45. In T5, NH4+-N concentration decreased until day-30 and then increased again on day-45. The P concentration increased over time in every treatment, with T5 showing the highest concentration on day-45 (19.93±9.21 ppm). The K concentration showed significant difference (p<0.05) among all treatment in day-15 and T5 showed the highest (554.54±27.73 ppm) concentration. The Ca and Mg concentrations increased significantly (p<0.05) over time where T3 showing maximum concentration of 251.78±8.96 ppm of Ca and T5 showing maximum concentrations of 55±8.66 ppm of Mg on day-45. According to the results, the highest ammonium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium values were obtained in T5 with VBM, 2 parts of Azolla and EM on day-45 vermi-liquid fertilizer collection. Hence, this combination could be introduced as an effective vermi-liquid fertilizer.
Keywords: Azolla, Biochar, Earthworms, Effective microorganisms, Vermi-liqui
Evaluation of Potential Coastal Resources for Promotion of Ecotourism, Climate Resilience and Blue Economy Development in the Vadamarachchy East Region of Jaffna, Sri Lanka
Get PDFCoastal resources have a great potential for promotion of ecotourism and blue economic development, and they act as a natural defence playing a vital role in mitigating the impact of coastal hazards. These resources are important to conserve and reduce coastal disaster impacts, ensuring the human security, sustainability of livelihood and blue economy and strengthen climate resilience. The present study area is situated on the North-eastern coast of Jaffna District. The study attempted to evaluate the resource potentials for the promotion of ecotourism, climate change adaptation and blue economy development in the Vadamarachchy East area. The detail survey was conducted between 2016 to 2019. The Multi Criteria Decision Method (MCDM) and Criteria ranking method in GIS were used considering aspects of sand dunes, beaches, mangroves, birding sites, and cultural places for evaluating the potential status of ecotourism. The evaluation process for potential sites were conducted based on several criteria viz. tourist preferences, proximity to residential areas, tourist accommodation, distance from roads, scenic beauty, distribution, and available facilities. Risk analysis was performed to identify the hydro-climatic disaster risk areas using Semi structured questionnaire survey. Focus group discussions were conducted for identify the challenges in protecting the coastal resources. The final suitability map for ecotourism status was generated through Multi criteria analysis and vulnerable disaster risk areas were identified associated with sand dunes. The findings indicate that Vadamarachchy east area represents high potential based on sand dunes, bird diversity and cultural places. Casuarina forest of Manatkadu, Chundikulam estuary, beaches and blue economic resources are key features for ecotourism promotion. Sand dunes and casuarina forest are major protection barriers for resilience from hydro- climatic disaster. The study area from Vallipuram, and Manatkaddu to Chundikulam is associated with deep sea fishing for blue economic development. Unfortunately, at present, these areas are being threatened by climatic disasters due to unsustainable and illegal sand mining operations and lack of conservation and governance mechanism of vegetation. The study provided a set of recommendations to increase the effective use of ecotourism potentials, including sand dunes and coastal line vegetation because it can contribute to reducing negative effects of the climatic disaster and ensure the sustainable blue economy development. Hence, this study emphasized the multi stakeholder agencies’ participation for development planning, resource management which are required to reduce impact of climate change, increase adaptation, use the coastal resources for ecotourism promotion and blue economic development in sustainable manner.
Keywords: Blue economy, Climate adaptation, Ecotourism, Sand dunes, Vadamarachchy Eas
Comparative Analysis of Rainfall Data Sources in Agro-Ecological Zones of Sri Lanka: Expensive Meteorological Measurements vs Freely Available NASA Data
Get PDFRainfall information contributes significantly to weather-related research as it can be directly applied to many theories and models such as climate change, disaster management, environmental assessments. Therefore, the availability of long-term meteorological data and their accuracy are crucial. At the same time the access to these data from different sources have their own drawbacks. For example, meteorological department of Sri Lanka is responsible of collecting rainfall data. However, their data are very expensive, and their data are not available for all desired locations. On the other hand, the freely available satellite data sources have a question of reliability of the data although no missing data are found. Thus, a comparative assessment of rainfall data was carried out from two distinct sources: meteorological department of Sri Lanka and freely available National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) satellite-based data. The objective of this study was to compare and discern the distinctions in rainfall data obtained from these sources for the benefit of future usage of the data in various studies. The study was carried out in different agro-ecological Zones (wet, dry, and intermediate) of Sri Lanka for the period of 1981-2021. The stations were selected randomly to represent the zones. Identified missing values in the meteorological dataset were subsequently addressed using the mean imputation method. Statistical procedures were conducted on the non-normal rainfall data to identify similarities between the sources within individual agro-ecological zones. Results revealed that there is a statistically significant difference at 5% between the sources (NASA and meteorological measurements) in wet and intermediate zones. However, the comparison of the dry zone resulted in inconclusive decisions both at 5% and 1% significance levels. In conclusion, it is statistically advisable to use meteorological rainfall measurements over NASA data for the wet and intermediate zones.
Keywords: Rainfall, Agro-ecological zones, Meteorological data, NASA data, Non-normal dat
Climate Smart Tea (Camellia sinensis) Cultivation Practices in Rathnapura District
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Tea (Camellia sinensis) cultivation in Sri Lanka, which plays a key role in the nation's economy, is facing unprecedented challenges due to the impacts of climate change. Climatic changes led to adverse outcomes, including deteriorating soil conditions marked by erosion, hindered tea plant growth, reduced quality, yield and market value of the tea. For many small-scale tea farmers, tea cultivation is their primary source of income. Climate-related challenges make their livelihoods more vulnerable, with poverty, especially extreme rain led to high maintenance costs and some cultivators to abandon tea plucking, hindering maintain efforts due to insufficient facilities and high expenses. Therefore, mitigating climate challenges is important. Objectives of this study is to find out the effects of climate change on tea cultivation, identify awareness levels and explore climate smart mitigation practices employed in Ratnapura District. Primary data was collected using in- depth interviews and field observations. Secondary data was collected from Tea Research Institute (TRI) databases. The region faces challenges from climate change, with high rainfall, occasional temperature fluctuations, droughts, and flood events. Terracing techniques are utilized to create level surfaces, effectively controlling soil erosion by slowing the flow of rainwater down slopes, cover cropping with grasses and legumes being planted between tea rows to shield the soil from the erosive force of raindrops, efficient drainage systems, such as trenches and channels, redirect excess rainwater away from the fields, preventing waterlogging, shade management, through strategic tree planting, and the use of mulch, tea pruning practices, aid in protecting tea bushes from heavy rainfall, planting high rainfall resilience varieties and preserving soil structure. Tea cultivators lack awareness regarding climate-smart practices and have limited knowledge about TRI recommendations. The research findings important to empower local tea farmers with innovative adaptation, thereby enhancing the adaptive capacity of the tea industry.
Keywords: Climate smart, Tea cultivation, Climate changes, High rainfall, Innovative adaptatio
Comparative Analysis of Physiochemical Properties and In Vitro Antioxidant Potency Among Morphotypes of Centella asiatica Grown in Sri Lanka
Get PDFCentella asiatica commonly referred as Gotukola, is recognized for its extensive application in traditional medicine owing to its remarkable health benefits. This study investigated the differences in pH, ash content, moisture content, and in vitro antioxidant potential among three prevalent vine- type morphotypes of C. asiatica: Wel Gotukola, Meerigima Gotukola, and Yodha Gotukola, indigenous to Sri Lanka. C. asiatica plants of the same age (100 days) at their first harvestable matured stage, were randomly collected from domestic gardens in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka. Three replicates of each morphotype were sampled. Moisture and ash content were analysed using the standard AOAC method, and pH was measured using the potentiometric method. DPPH (2,2- Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging capacity assay was used to determine the antioxidant activity. To thoroughly compare antioxidant potential among morphotypes, the ANOVA test was utilized followed by post-hoc Tukey HSD tests. Following results were obtained for the average moisture content of Wel Gotukola (83.41%±1.16%), Yodha Gotukola (74.33%±2.23%), and Meerigama Gotukola (79.46%±1.89%), alongside average ash content of Wel Gotukola (11.60%±1.02%), Yodha Gotukola (13.12%±2.57%), and Meerigama Gotukola (12.17%±2.01%). Additionally, an average pH of Wel Gotukola (6.00±0.21), Yodha Gotukola (5.75±0.25), and Meerigama Gotukola (5.98±0.14) was observed. The antioxidant activity of C. asiatica extracts exhibited concentration dependent increases in radical scavenging capacity. Notably, the DPPH radical scavenging potency, denoted by the minimum IC50 value, exhibited significant variations across different Gotukola varieties (p<0.05): Wel Gotukola (6.4 ± 0.54 µg/mL), Yodha Gotukola (8.56±0.35 µg/mL), and Meerigama Gotukola (7.0±0.75 µg/mL). Post-hoc Tukey tests showed antioxidant activity was significantly higher in Wel Gotukola compared to that of Meerigama and Yodha Gotukola morphotypes (p<0.05). Furthermore, Wel Gotukola demonstrated the highest average pH, moisture content, and the lowest mineral content. Conversely, Yodha Gotukola exhibited the lowest pH, moisture content, and the highest ash content. These findings underscore the potential of chemical parameters in elucidating the distinctive attributes of the three Gotukola varieties. Specifically, the significantly higher antioxidant potential observed in Wel Gotukola suggests its potential as an optimal candidate for herbal product development. This study imparts valuable insights into optimizing the therapeutic efficacy of formulations based on the specific C. asiatica employed in such endeavours.
Keywords: Antioxidant activity, Centella asiatica, Morphotypes, Proximate analysi
Socioeconomic Sustainability of Chena Cultivation in the Forested Land of Hambantota District, Sri Lanka
Get PDFChena cultivation is one of the major agriculture systems and extensively practiced in rural areas of low country dry zone as their main livelihood. Generally, a slash-and-burn method is used to clear the land in the forested area where the land is prepared before the North-East monsoon starts. Short-duration, comparatively drought resistant crops such as grains, legumes, oil crops, and vegetables are commonly grown in Chena. However, scientific studies on Chena cultivation to assess socioeconomic status were limited in Sri Lanka. Therefore, this study attempted to assess the socioeconomic status of Chena farmers in the close proximity of forest lands in Southern part of Sri Lanka. Chena cultivation areas at Tissamaharama (8 Grama Niladhari divisions namely Gotabhayapura, Yodakandiya, Rathnelumwalayaya, Uddakandara, Viharamahadevipura, Ranakeliya, Wijayapura and Joolpallama) and Lunugamwehera (7 Grama Niladhari divisions namely Udamaththala, Padawgama, Pahalamaththala, Rabukwewa, new town-Lunugamwehera, new town-Weerawila and Keerthipura) Divisional Secretariats in Hambantota district was studied. 40 Chena farmers were purposively selected for the study. Primary data were collected from the farmers by using pre-tested structured questionnaire, personal interviews and field observations. Descriptive statistics and correlation tests were employed to analyse the data. Results revealed that farmers practiced four types of Chena such as Navadali Hena (clearing an untouched forest area), Ath Danduwa Hena (regrowth and cut), Mukulan Hena (consists of medium- sized trees) and Hen Kanaththa (land exist for survival). 98% of farmers are fully involved in chena cultivation in the study area. 32.5%, 22.5%, 20%, 12.5%, and 7.5% of farmers had 11-20, 21-30, 0-10, 31-40, and 41-50 years of experience, respectively in Chena cultivation. The result also revealed that 80% of the farmers were not a member of farmer`s societies and other organizations. A small number of farmers had received some relief from government such as fertilizer, agricultural extension services, 50% of subsidy seed, and 50% of subsidy loan. Chena farmers earned more than Rs.500,000.00 whereas the average income was Rs. 802,392.16 per annum. Further, 63% of the cost was contributed by labour followed next to land preparation (16%) and agrochemical (13%). Sweet melon, green gram, long beans, and tomato were recorded as major cultivated crops. Further, Chena areas were highly problematic by wildlife and cattle damage (87.5%), marketing issues (67.5%), legal (37.5%), drought (30%), and pest and diseases (27.5%). However, around 74% of respondents were willing to continue the Chena cultivation, because they have no other alternative livelihoods in this area. On the other hand, the majority (54%) were neutral or dissatisfied about their situation because they did not have land ownership. Introducing a registration procedure for land ownership, constructing the electrical fence to avoid wildlife damage, establishing a wildlife management unit to protect the wildlife habitat, and planning a proper irrigation method to secure the water supply throughout the year were the major suggestions to improve farming at a sustainable level of production and consumption.
Keywords: Forest land use, Chena cultivation, Dry Zone, Hambantot
Alternative Timber Applications for Sri Lankan House Construction during the Economic Crisis
Get PDFA crucial component of civilization, housing construction has evolved in a variety of ways based on new technology and materials. However, due to Sri Lanka's economic crisis, house building is now one of the most in-danger industries there. Subjectively, the cost of imported base building materials has grown due to the danger of inflation, and this increase is dependent on the US dollar exchange rate. The reason is that more than 50% of the building and raw materials are imported, and a rise in the US dollar value will raise the price of construction supplies. In order to find the best materials to reduce the cost of building a house based on imported materials, this study compares the life cycle quality of imported and local alternatives for imported materials made of timber. There are many various kinds of materials that have been utilized in house construction, but the focus of this study is on timber-based alternatives. The study is mainly focused on aluminum and glass as imported materials and timber as an alternative material. Based on life cycle cost analysis, these materials were compared using material costs and data gathered through interviews. Additionally, weighted analysis has been utilized to choose the optimum material based on consumer preferences, appearance and aesthetics, durability, and local availability of resources. Even though local materials are more affordable and score higher on other metrics, it was discovered that they may no longer be comparable to imported materials. People also rapidly switch back to imported materials when they are affordable after the economic crisis. It also found that local timber consumption increased during the economic crisis leading to deforestation.
Keywords: Alternative materials, Appearance, Durability of materials, Finishing materials, House construction, Life Cycle Cost Analysis, Timbe