Abstract:
There is now a growing body of evidence that climate change is likely to
cause adverse impacts on biodiversity worldwide. Sri Lanka, a tropical
island supporting exceptionally high levels of biodiversity and
endemism, would be particularly vulnerable, with varying impacts on
species and habitats. There is a dearth of information locally on direct
impacts of climate change on species. But circumstantial evidence from
Sri Lanka and elsewhere suggests that a rise in global temperature is
likely to alter life history traits, retard growth, alter rates of
development, and cause physiological malfunctioning in both plants and
animals leading to range reductions and shifts in distribution. Global
warming would also hinder processes such as nutrient cycling which are
critical for functioning of many natural ecosystems. Climate change will
also bring about numerous other biophysical changes affecting Sri Lanka
such as increased frequency of flooding and prolonged drought, which
will be especially detrimental to species inhabiting ephemeral aquatic
habitats and those in the dry and arid zones where water is limiting.
Global warming and sea level rise combined will affect intertidal habitats
(e.g. mangroves) and marine ecosystems (e.g. coral reefs) which are
important in the context of the island’s biodiversity. The depletion and
fragmentation of the country’s natural forest cover coupled with overexploitation has already placed many of the country’s species at the
brink of extinction. Climate change would exacerbate the situation. This
paper deals with the potential impacts of climate change on components
of biodiversity in Sri Lanka, citing local examples. Activities that could
build resilience of species and habitats, facilitating adaptation and
tolerance, are also discussed.
