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Protecting Mangrove ecosystem in Srilanka
One of the major living recourse in Sri Lanka is mangroves .Mangroves are trees and shrubs that
grow in saline coastal habitats in the tropics and subtropics. The word is used in at least three senses,
most broadly to refer to the habitat and entire plant assemblage or mangal for which the terms
mangrove swamp and mangrove forest are also used, to refer to all trees and large shrubs in the
mangal, and narrowly to refer to the mangrove family of plants, the Rhizophoraceae, or even more
specifically just to mangrove trees of the genus Rhizophora.
Mangrove plants near Batticaloa Lagoon
The major habitat is subject to varying salinity of the water, muddy substrate that lack oxygen, heavy
sediment load, river discharge and tidal movement.
Mangrove plants near Kannankudah
Kannankudah Maha Vidyalayam is located near by mangrove ecosystem which
is
obviously available in lagoon with surrounded by water with marsh and salty land.less
air penetration with some aquatic animal specially crabs, oyster,shrimps and snakes
also were observed by our students.
The vegetation in mangrove swamp are dominated by salt tolerance species which has special
adaptation to enable them to withstand peculiar condition of the habitat. Some them have stilt root,
others have special breathing root called pneumatophores. In some species the seed germinates
whilst still attached to the parent tree, and the plantlets that get detached, drop into the water and
eventually get fixed to the soil. The leaves are thick and leathery. Among the common species are
Rhizophora mucronata, Sonneratia acidia, ect. Mangroves are extremely varied. The giant closed
forest of red mangrove and black mangrove in parts of Brazil,Columbia, Equador and Venezula
grove to height of 40 to 50 m. In more arid coasts, mangroves my be open community of short,
stunted shrubs, often consisting of discrete and widely separated clumps. The mangrove forest is a
major habitat for some animal species which are gain more support for their existence such as
feeding, breeding, protecting ect.
Mangroves in Sri Lanka
The total area of mangrove vegetation in Sri Lanka is about 10000 hectares. This type of vegetation
is found near the mouths of river and fringing estuaries and lagoons. The largest areas are found in
Puttalam, Negmbo, Mannar, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Jaffna. Kalpitiya lagoon region consist
about 4000 ha mangrove forest. Twenty mangrove species were identified in Sri Lanka.
Pneumatophores penetrate the sand surrounding a mangrove tree.
Red mangrove seeds germinate while still on the parent tree
A red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle
Above and below water view at the edge of the mangal
Family
Acanthaceae, Avicenniaceae or
Verbenaceae
Genus, number of species
Common name
Avicennia, 9
Black mangrove
Combretaceae
Conocarpus, 1; Laguncularia, 11;
Lumnitzera, 2
Buttonwood, White
mangrove
Arecaceae
Nypa, 1
Mangrove palm
Rhizophoraceae
Bruguiera, 6; Ceriops, 2; Kandelia, Red mangrove
(family allocation disputed)
1; Rhizophora, 8
Lythraceae
Sonneratia, 5
Mangrove apple
Methods and materials
We visited to pitipana lagoon located at Negambo to identify the mangrove flora and fauna. We
watched the flora by using naked eye and hand lance. The flora has specific characters to tolerate to
the environment. Many mangroves flora have been identified during the visit.
Identification of some mangrove flora.
Acanthus ilicifolius – shrub
I)
Erect, scarcely branched, stout,
cylindrical plant with sevaral
stem.
II)
Leaves lobe ending in spine.
Rhizophora mucornata
A modarate sized evergreen, much branchged
tree, with the very dark grey conspicuously
grid – cracked bark. Sapwood light red,
heartwood dark red.
Very large leaves opposite, simple, broad,
eliptic, mucornate, entire glabrous.
Inflorescences di- to triu- chotomously
branched cymes from axils of leaves 2 to 8 or
12 yellowish – white.
Bruguiera gymnorhiza
A straight stemmed, tall tree, hight 10 to
12 m, bark grey to almost black, rough,
fissured or cracked deep in checked pattern.
The wood is redish brown.
Buttresed; Knee roots very prominent, large
lenticels on buttresses.
Flowers large, solitary, drooping, brown,
Excoecaria agallocha
Shrub or tree, deciduous,tree with abundant
white extremly acid latex.
Spreading surface root
Inflorescence terminal or axilary yellow
flower.
Capsule deeply 3 lobed fruit.
Lumnitzera recemosa
A shrub or small tree. Evergreen
Small knee shaped roots
Leaves usually scattered along the branchlets
rounded apex
Flower white small sessile and axillary
racemes
Other species,identified at the site are bellow
Sonneratia spp.
Trees with tall,negative geotrophic,stout, pneumatophores. Leave opposite.Large flowres with
numers stamens. Large,somewhat globose fruits.
Eg. Sonneratia alba
Sonneratia apetala
Sonneratia caseolaris
Avicennia spp
Trees or shrubs with abundant, thin, pencil like,erect, some time banching,pneumatophores.Leaves
opposite; flowers yellowor orange, small. Two species were observed.
Avicennia marina
Avicennia officinalis
Adaptation on mangroves flora to tolarate the drastic condition of the environment
1. Drop roots, prop roots, & silt root
- Rhizophora spp
- Support the tree.
2. Pneumatophores root
- Sonneratia spp.
Avicennia spp.
- absorb oxygen from environment
3. Knee roots
- Bruguera spp
- areation of the whole root.
4. Shiny leaves
- all mangrove flora
- conserve water
5. Salt excretion
- Acanthus, Aegiceras, - excrete excess salt
Avicennia spp.
(seen as white powder on leaves)
- Bruguiera, Ceriops - help to grow in saline water by
Rhizophpro spp.
Developing
6. Viviparity
Drop roots
Shiny leaves
Pneumatophores root
Knee root
White Powder on leaves
Viviparity
Mangrove Fauna
Mangroves provide a wide variety of habitat suitable for various animal species.These animals are
divided by the needs of their existence in mangrove forest. According to this three type are
identyfied as follows 1.lives in entire live 2. that spend only one or more stages of its repective life
cycle 3. temporarily for feeding.
Geloina coaxans and
Cerithidea cinguilata
Crastacians
Grapsid Crab, Fiddier, SeyllaGrapsid Crab, Fiddier, Seyllarata, Portunus pelayicus,
Thalassina anomala, Panaeus inicus.
Molasca
Geloina coaxans, Telescopium telsecopium, Cerithidea cingulata, Littorina scsbra,
Saccorstrea/Crassostrea Species
Reptiles
Periopthalmus.
Birds
Butorides striaus javanicus, Egretta Species, Gulls & Terns, Sand piper, Kingfishers,Cormorants
Fishes
Mugilidsd, carangids, cichlids, siganids, latids, gobiids. Over 150 species of fish have been rcorded
in mangrove forest.
Tetrapod fauna
Migrants or occasional visitors.
Mammals
Mangrove mammalian fanua are mainly visitors.Elephants,water buffalo, wild pig, sported deere ect.
Importance of mangroves
1. Mangroves provide better place for fishes and shellfish for their reproduction and shelter.
2. Provide a better liv ing for fisherman.
3. provide timber to build the cottage of fisherman
4. Tanins obtained from mangroves trees to stain fishing net
5. Bottle coake are producted from Pneumatophores root. ect.
http://www.coastal.gov.lk/mangrove%20e.pdf
Coastal green belt in Batticaloa
district: Is Casuarina a success?
Rathivathana murugathas ([email protected] )
2
What is coastal green “belt”?
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Natural coastal vegetation – variety of plant
communities, different degrees in abundance,
dynamics and values
Many functional values: Act as a barrier –
wind, salt spray, soil erosion, natural calamities
Increase scenic value Shade and recreation
Support: socio economic condition of coastal
communities
Natural and artificial/man-made barriers
3
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Natural coastal vegetation in Batticaloa: coastal
forest, mangroves, low-shrubs and creepers
If artificial: multipurpose investment in terms
of stabilizing a fragile and unconsolidated beach
front.
Post tsunami:
Tremendously increased the need of coastal
protection Increased attempts to coastal greenbelt
activities Appreciated by various levels of
stakeholders
Rathivathana murugathas ([email protected] )
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Is it really a matter when comparing green
“belt” with natural coastal vegetation?
Green belt:
What is in our mind...?
Why not be seriously considered after the cyclone
in 1978...like that of tsunami?
Is it worthwhile to have it...? or
Wasting time, money and effort...
Rathivathana murugathas ([email protected] )
5
Field approaches
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Field visits: coastal areas of Batticaloa district
Ecological information: quantitative
Social information: qualitative
Information: positive and negative aspects
6
Quantitative information
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Overall extent of Casuarina plantation in
Batticaloa district: 400 ha between Periyakallar
and Pasikudah/kalkudah
“Mandru”: 300 ha and Forest department: 100
ha
40-50 km Casuarina belt: planted in 65 km of
Batticaloa coast (70% of coastline of
Batticaloa district)
Contiguous in some places and discrete in
others
210 ha (about 52%) planted after tsunami
7
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Casuarina belt starts at 50-75m from mean high
tide level
Width: between 50-400m
Density of plantation: 1600 plants/ha by Forest
department and 3000 plants/ha by “Mandru”
8
Kaluwanchikudy
Navalady
Punnaikudah
9
Issues
(a) 50-60% : succeeded...
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Protects crops: salt spray & burning effect
Protects crops: wind
Protects: household metal & electrical items
from corosion
Scenic beauty
10
(b) 40-50% of Casuarina plantation: Poor growth,
damaged/disturbed
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Construction
Betel plantation

Security camps
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Firewood
Fencing
11
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Garbage dumping
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Burning
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Sand mining
12
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Less awareness – among different stakeholders
Inadequate protection
Management failures
Financial problem
Administrative failures
Inadequate co-ordination between
implementing agencies
Unreliable short-term benefits: local people who
involved
13
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Inapt management:
Poor access to and scenic view of the sea
Thick belt – snake bites, sexual abuses, hiding
place for thieves and drug users.
More social issues
14
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Monoculture
Does not permit ground growth – low
biodiversity
Fire prone
More ecological issues
Distance between belt….
Thick ground litter….
15
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Is coastal belt necessary? Yes... but...we have to
think
The concept of green belt
Natural phenomena
Natural defence mechanism – difficult to stick
to one component (mosquito net, house
fence/brick wall)
Whole system of dynamics
Social acceptance
Technical aspects-species, density, width, gap
When comparing natural
vegetation to that of Casuarina
green belt…
16
?

Focussing unpredictable future natural
catastrophes...
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How far existing Casuarina belt act as a
protecting barrier in future...
Existing eco-social problems...
Long term sustainability...
Assessing positive and negative
impacts…
Whether is it worthwhile
to establish such a green
belt…?
17
Needs a proper planning
If necessary...
Natural defense
Social acceptance
Natural phenomena
Technical aspects
Ecosystem dynamics
Economics
Concept Coastal green belt
Resilience
Best of luck
For a better sustainable coastal
protection in future…!
Rathivathana Murugathas ([email protected] )
Bt/Methodist Central college Batticaloa,Srilanka
19
Onthachchimadam

 Periyakallar
 Kaluwanchikudy
 Koddaikallar
 Kaluthavalai
 Kurukkalmadam
 Mankadu
 Tettathivui
 Kirankulam
 Thalankudah
 Puthukudiyiruppu
 Arayampathy
 Kattankudy
 Kallady
 Navalady
 Kokkuvil
 Thalavai /Punnaikudah
Arumugathankudiyiruppu
 Kaluvankerni
 Kiran
 Kalkudah / Pasikudah
 Kayankerni
 Mankerni
 Vaharai
 Kathiraveli
Palameenmadu 
Sathurukkondan 
 Savukkady
 Santhiveli
Batticaloa 
Pettalai 
 Nasivanthivu
 Elephant Point
Pandithivumunai
 Palchchenai
 Sallithivumunai
 Panichchankerni
 Sallithivu
 Mavadiodai
Conclusion
Mangroves in Sri Lanka is the wealth of our nation.It provides many resources to us in many
ways.Mangroves flora is protecting plants from tidal waves and it is habitat for some
animals.Recentaly Human activities interfiear the mangrve forest environment all over the world
including Sri Lanka. There fore measurer msut be taken to protect the mangrove forest in our
country by the government of Sri Lanka, NGOs and environmental welvishers.
References
1.Man and Environment
By Central Environmental Authority
2. Mangrove Flora of Sri Lank
By Padma K de & Mangala de Silva
3. Era nila chirappu (Tamil book)
By Central Environmental Authority
4. Inter net - wikipedia
FIELD REPORT
MANGROVE FLORA AND FAUNA
AT PITTIPANA – NEGAMBO
2008
S.D.MURALITHARAN
PGIS/EN/M.Sc./ENS/07/10
Site map of Pitipana - Negambo