Funday Times

Montane Ecosystems
Montane Forests
Tropical upper montane rain forests occupy areas above 1500 m. in the wet zone. This area is characterized by an average temperatureof less that 16 degrees in the coldest month of the year and annual average rainfall of about 200 mm without any regular dry season. Unlike lowland rainforests, montane forests consist of two tree layers: a canopy and a under storey reaching around 13 m only. Both these layers contain a dense growth of epiphytes.

The most important characteristic of this vegetation is that it protects the catchments of major rivers by minimizing soil erosion through the interception of rain drops and facilitating infiltration.

These eco-systems are an integral and essential part in the hill areas in preventing land slides, which tend to occur often in denuded and eroded slopes. Montane forest is also characterised by a high degree of endemism in both flora and fauna as in the case of lowland rain forests.

These forests are under continuous threat as a result of human settlements and agriculture due to increasing population pressure and most importantly, clearing for tea plantations. At present only around 3000 ha of these forests are intact although in tiny fragmented patches.

Information from Forest
Department
Coordinated by Duminda Sanjeewa Balasooriya

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