Diversity and distribution of epiphytic lichens in relation to different forest types in the Knuckles Mountain range - Sri Lanka. Gothamie Weerakoon* 1 , S. Somaratne 2 & S.C. Wijeyaratne 1 1 Department of Botany, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka, 2 Department of Botany, The Open University, Sri Lanka. Presented at International Forestry and Environment Symposium 2009 at Department of Forestry and Environment Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka from 18 – 19 December 2009 (Session 7 – Ecology)

1. Diversity and distribution of epiphytic lichens in relation to different forest types in the Knuckles Mountain range - Sri Lanka. Gothamie Weerakoon* 1 , S. Somaratne 2 & S.C. Wijeyaratne 1 1 Department of Botany, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka, 2 Department of Botany, The Open University, Sri Lanka.

4. Interactions… Archilochus colubris (Hummingbird) Uroplatus fimbriatus (Leaf-tailed Gecko) Triturus marmoratus (Marbled newt) To protect from predators Hyla versicolor winter pastures

9. Some of the lichen species found in sampled areas Usnea sp. Cladonia sp. Parmeliella nigrosinta Coenogonium linkii Megalaspora sp. Phaeographis sp. Parmelina sp. Parmotrema sp.

11. Putative parameters controlling the diversity and distribution of lichen communities Principal Component Analysis Component matrix components 1 2 altitude(m) -0.949 0.076 forest type 0.934 -0.137 DBH 0.687 -0.274 canopy 0.612 0.387 bpH 0.168 0.903 Total Variance Explained % of Variance Cumulative % PCA 1 50.701 50.701 PCA 2 23.518 74.219

12. Distribution of epiphytic lichen communities in different forest types Principal Component Analysis