Assessing urban plant diversity: A case study at the open university of Sri Lanka
Paper Details
Assessing urban plant diversity: A case study at the open university of Sri Lanka
Abstract
This study explores the diversity of flowering trees within the Nawala premises of the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL). Situated in a highly urbanized area with a landfill marsh, the OUSL spans 133,216.3 m² and includes a variety of landscapes such as internal roads, buildings, lawns, gardens, and forested regions. Employing a multifaceted research approach, the study integrates both primary and secondary data collection methods. Primary data was obtained through extensive surveys conducted across various zones of university, focusing on the identification and classification of plant species using taxonomic keys. Additionally, consultations with university experts provided valuable historical insights into changes in plant diversity and their environmental implications over time. The study identified a total of 1,247 plants across six zones, revealing 156 species from 75 genera and 44 families. This included 6 endemics, 111 indigenous, and 39 exotic species. The Fabaceae family was the most represented, with 21 species, followed by Myrtaceae with 15 and Rubiaceae with 9. Notably, Mangifera indica was the most abundant species, with 92 individuals recorded. Data analysis using the Shannon diversity index yielded values of 4.40 for OUSL and 4.03 for zone D. These results demonstrate that OUSL supports significant plant diversity despite its urban context, positively contributing to environmental sustainability. The study advocates for enhanced conservation efforts and the promotion of native species to further bolster environmental friendliness, underscoring the role of educational institutions in advancing urban biodiversity conservation and sustainable practices.
Aronson MF, Lepczyk CA, Evans KL, Goddard MA, Lerman SB, MacIvor JS, Vargo T. 2017. Biodiversity in the city: Key challenges for urban green space management. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 15(4), 189–196.
Baldos LCL. 2015. A comparison of urban and peri-urban bee communities in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11252-024-01565-7.
Basile MA. 2023. Nature for learning: A systematic review of the impacts of campus green spaces on student learning. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9317879/.
Caldecott JO, Jenkins MD, Johnson T, Groombridge B. 1994. Priorities for conserving global species richness and endemism. In World Conservation Monitoring Center, Biodiversity Series No. 3.
Center for Biodiversity Outcomes. 2024, March 5. Center for Biodiversity Outcomes. https://globalfutures.asu.edu/center-for-biodiversity-outcomes.
Cohen S. 2019. The role of the university in environmental sustainability. State of the Planet, Columbia University. https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2023/05/02/qa-environmentally-sustainable-growth/.
Colding J, Barthel S. 2017. The role of university campuses in reconnecting humans to the biosphere. Sustainability 9(12), 2349. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9122349.
Environmental Policy of the Open University of Sri Lanka – OUSL Sustainability. (n.d.). Ou.Ac.Lk. Retrieved July 5, 2024, from https://sustainability.ou.ac.lk/environmental-policy/.
Evans N. 2018. Environmental education for sustainability in higher education. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 28, 1–6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666683921000195.
Gunatilleke IAUN, Gunatilleke CVS. 1990. Floristic richness in Sri Lanka: Its distribution and conservation. Conservation Biology 4(1), 21–31.
Gunawardena ERN, Jayasinghe P. 2002. Climate and hydrology of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Journal of Agricultural Science 39, 1–12.
Hooper DU, Chapin FS, Ewel JJ, Hector A, Inchausti P, Lavorel S, Lawton JH, Lodge DM, Loreau M, Naeem S, Schmid B, Setälä H, Symstad AJ, Vandermeer J, Wardle DA. 2005. Effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning: A consensus of current knowledge. Ecological Monographs 75(1), 3–35.
Madurapperuma BD, Kuruppuarchchi. 2016. Rehabilitation of a landfill site of lowland tropical landscape into an urban green space: A case study from the Open University of Sri Lanka. Gulf Organization for Research and Development, International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment 5, 400–410.
Magurran AE. 1988. Ecological diversity and its measurement. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
Miller JR. 2009. Biodiversity conservation and the extinction of experience. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 24(8), 405–410. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169534705001643.
Mori AS, Isbell F, Seidl R. 2018. Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning: The role of plant diversity in ecosystem services. Biodiversity and Conservation 27(10), 2671–2695.
Nyahongo JW. 2022. The role of education in biodiversity conservation: Can knowledge and understanding alter locals’ views and attitudes towards ecosystem services. Journal of Environmental Sustainability 11(2), 123–132.
Open University of Sri Lanka. (n.d.). About us. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://www.ou.ac.lk/home/index.php/about-us.
Pataki DE, Carreiro MM, Cherrier J, Grulke NE, Jennings V, Pincetl S, Pouyat RV, Whitlow TH, Zipperer WC. 2011. Neighbourhood green space and human health: Solving the chicken or the egg problem. Environmental Science & Technology 45(16), 7012–7019.
Punyawardena BVR. 2008. Identification of agro-ecological regions of Sri Lanka. Natural Resources Management Centre, Department of Agriculture, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
Purcell WM, Henriksen H, Spengler JD. 2019. Universities as the engine of transformational sustainability toward delivering the sustainable development goals: Living labs for sustainability. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 20(8), 1343–1357.
The National Red List. 2020. Conservation status of the flora of Sri Lanka. Biodiversity Secretariat, Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the National Herbarium, Department of National Botanic Gardens, Ministry of Tourism. Gunaratne Offset (Pvt) Ltd.
Tilman D, Reich PB, Knops JMH. 2006. Biodiversity and ecosystem stability in a decade-long grassland experiment. Nature 441, 629–632.
University and Sustainability. 2023, February 10. The role of students in caring for the planet. In-Domus. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652617323235.
Vlas JD, Jong JDV. 2008. Illustrated field guide to the flowers of Sri Lanka. Mark Booksellers and Distributors, Kandy.
Warigajeshta Mudiyanselage Dammika Nayanajith Warigajeshta, Mahendiran Arunshankar, 2024. Assessing urban plant diversity: A case study at the open university of Sri Lanka. J. Biodiv. Environ. Sci., 25(6), 163-173.
Copyright © 2024 by the Authors. This article is an open access article and distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license.