Sri Lanka, though small in size, has a varied climate and topography which has resulted in a rich biodiversity, distributed within a wide range of ecosystems. Within this broad differentiation of climate types, there is a multitude of ecosystems.
Ecosystems in Sri Lanka
Ecosystems | Provisional extent (ha) |
---|---|
Forest and related ecosystems | |
• tropical wet lowland evergreen forest (includes lowland and mid elevation rain forests) | 124340.8 |
• tropical sub-montane forest | 65792.3 |
• tropical montane forest | 3099.5 |
• tropical moist monsoon forest | 221977 |
• tropical dry monsoon (mixed evergreen) forest | 1027544.1 |
• tropical thorn forest (Arid Zone) | NA |
• riverine dry forest | 18352.1 |
· grasslands (wet pathana, dry pathana, savannah, etc) | >75,000.0 |
Inland wetland ecosystems | |
• flood plains | NA |
• swamps | NA |
• lentic waters (tanks/reservoirs and ponds) | 169941 |
• river basins | 5924500 |
• wet villu grasslands | 12500 |
Coastal and marine ecosystems | |
• mangroves | 6080 |
• salt marshes | 23819 |
• sand dunes and beaches | 19394 |
• mud flats | 9754 |
• sea grass beds | NA |
• lagoons and estuaries | 129075 |
• coral reefs | 68000 |
Agricultural ecosystems | |
• paddy lands | 977561 |
• fruit cultivations | 85066 |
• small crop holdings or other field crops (pulses, sesame etc) | 130297 |
• vegetables (including, root and tuber crops) | 85, 663 |
• crop plantations (major export crops) | 716320 |
• minor export crops | 119862 |
• home gardens (cultivated) | 76483.2 |
• chena lands (slash and burn cultivation) | NA |