1. Mangrove Ecosystem of Sri Lanka By Pathum Weerawarna

5. Animals Arthropoda Mollusca Chordata Crustasea Gastropoda Bivalvia Scylla serrata (Kadol kakuluwa) Thalasssina anomala (Mud lobster) Geloina coaxans (Matti) Cerithidea cingulata (Uri) Actinopterygi Mud skipper Aves Red wttled lap-winged White brested water hen

6. Adaptations Adaptations of Animals Oysters attached to mangrove roots Burrowing habit eg-Mud skipper Mud skipper : Fins: to skip on land and water. Eyes: to see on land and water. Skin: additional respiratory surface Terrestrial crabs: Adapted to live on land for a long time

7. Plants Avicennia spp Bruguiera spp Rhizophora spp Acanthus spp Some Dominant plants

8. Adaptations of Plants Adaptations Physical stability -Prop roots -Stilt roots Salt tolerance -Salt Glands Anaerobic Sediment Pneumatophores -Pencil like -knee roots -Stumpy Pencil like Reproduction -Viviparity Hypocotyle ( Bruguiera )

10. Human Impact on Mangroves People get lots of benefits from aquatic and terrestrial components of Mangrove ecosystem. Mangroves Foods and beverages Firewood and timber Mats and Baskets Tannin Lime Agriculture Aquaculture Animal feed Medicine

11. Although mangroves are very useful to man they are fast disappearing. Major threats: -Destructive activities of fishermen. -Some large scale development projects -Aquaculture and building construction projects

12. References http://www.ramsar.org/wn/w.n.srilanka_maduganga.htm(2008.05.22) http://servesrilanka.blogspot.com/2005/04/mangrove-conservation.html(2008.05.22) Pinto,Leonard,Mangroves of SriLanka,(1995)