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Reproductive Biology and Population Genetics of Some Canopy- and Understorey-Dominant Tree Species of Sri Lanka: Implications for Conservation Management in a Fragmented Landscape

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Treetops at Risk

Abstract

Fragmentation of the continuous tropical forest-scape into isolated remnant forest patches among seas of human influenced alternative landscapes is a widespread pantropical phenomenon compounded by the emerging impacts of global climate change events (Loo et al. 2011). Sri Lanka, with exceptionally rich biodiversity, particularly in its aseasonal south-western sector, is no exception to this alarming trend, acknowledged as such by declaring the island together with Western Ghats of India as one of 34 global hotspots of biodiversity (Mittermeier et al. 2004).

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Acknowledgements 

This chapter is based on research carried out by a number of colleagues whose contributions to enhance our understanding on reproductive biology and Population genetics of Sri Lankan forest tree species are gratefully acknowledged. Thanks are due to Profs. Peter Ashton, Kamaljith Bawa, Mark Ashton and Richard Saunders for generating funds to carry out research and provide training. The facilities provided by the University of Peradeniya, Forest Department and the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka are also appreciated.

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  1. University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

    Nimal Gunatilleke & Savitri Gunatilleke

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  1. Nimal Gunatilleke
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  2. Savitri Gunatilleke
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Correspondence to Nimal Gunatilleke .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Nature Research Center, North Carolina State University, 11 W. Jones Street, Raleigh, 27601, North Carolina, USA

    Margaret Lowman

  2. the Environment, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and, Royal Enclave, Srirampura, Jakkur Post, Bangalore, 560 064, India

    Soubadra Devy

  3. the Environment, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and, Royal Enclave, Srirampura, Jakkur Post, Bangalore, 560 064, India

    T. Ganesh

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Gunatilleke, N., Gunatilleke, S. (2013). Reproductive Biology and Population Genetics of Some Canopy- and Understorey-Dominant Tree Species of Sri Lanka: Implications for Conservation Management in a Fragmented Landscape. In: Lowman, M., Devy, S., Ganesh, T. (eds) Treetops at Risk. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7161-5_26

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