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Vol. 6 No. 1 (2022): APRIL

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Impact of Climate Change and Variability on Spatiotemporal Variation of Forest Cover; World Heritage Sinharaja Rainforest, Sri Lanka

https://doi.org/10.24259/fs.v6i1.18271
Jayanga T. Samarasinghe
Department of Earth Environmental and Resource Sciences, University of Texas, El Paso, USA
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8491-0092
Miyuru B. Gunathilake
Hydrology and Aquatic Environment, Division of Environment and Natural Resources, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy and Research, Ås, Norway
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7052-1942
Randika K. Makubura
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, Malabe, Sri Lanka
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6030-1567
Shanika M.A. Arachchi
Department of Applied Computing, Faculty of Computing and Technology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3128-1947
Upaka Rathnayake
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, Malabe, Sri Lanka
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7341-9078

Corresponding Author(s) : Upaka Rathnayake

upakasanjeewa@gmail.com

Forest and Society, Vol. 6 No. 1 (2022): APRIL

Abstract

Rainforests are continuously threatened by various anthropogenic activities. In addition, the ever-changing climate severely impacts the world’s rainforest cover. The consequences of these are paid back to human at a higher cost. Nevertheless, little or no significant attention was broadly given to this critical environmental issue. The World Heritage Sinharaja Rainforest in Sri Lanka is originating news on its forest cover due to human activities and changing climates. The scientific analysis is yet to be presented on the related issues. Therefore, this paper presents a comprehensive study on the possible impact on the Sinharaja Rainforest due to changing climate. Landsat images with measured rainfall data for 30 years were assessed and the relationships are presented. Results showcased that the built-up areas have drastically been increased over the last decade in the vicinity and the declared forest area. The authorities found the issues are serious and a sensitive task to negotiate in conserving the forest. The rainfall around the forest area has not shown significant trends over the years. Therefore, the health of forest cover was not severely impacted. Nevertheless, six cleared-up areas were found inside the Singaraja Rainforest under no human interactions. This can be due to a possible influence from the changing climate. This was justified by the temporal variation of Land Surface Temperature (LST) assessments over these six cleared-up areas. Therefore, the World Heritage rainforest is threatened due to human activities and under the changing climate change. Hence, the conservation of the Sinharaja Rainforest would be challenging in the future.

Keywords

Climate change and variability forest cover Landsat rainfall Land Surface Temperature (LST) Sinharaja rainforest
Samarasinghe, J. T. ., Gunathilake, M. B. ., Makubura, R. K. ., Arachchi, S. M. ., & Rathnayake, U. (2022). Impact of Climate Change and Variability on Spatiotemporal Variation of Forest Cover; World Heritage Sinharaja Rainforest, Sri Lanka. Forest and Society, 6(1), 355-377. https://doi.org/10.24259/fs.v6i1.18271
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