International Symposium on ICT for Environmental Sustainability (ICTES 2014)

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Acceptance of ICT-Enabled Services Among Bangladeshi Farmers
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014) Quarmal, S.B.
This paper is aimed at presenting a proposed work that focuses on the decision-making process regarding the acceptance of ICT-enabled services among Bangladeshi farmers. For this purpose, an Artificial Society Model (ASM hereafter), introduced by the authors, is being used. This psychology-oriented ASM of decision-making deals with knowledge-based decision-making process. It consists of a set of agents that represents groups of people who respond similarly to certain problem. The agents are characterized by the extent of knowledge that they have on the problem. The knowledge of an agent is expressed by a mathematical function. Thinking process of the agent is simulated by using a linkage model of cognitive psychology. A message is formed by the agent, based on the knowledge function and the conclusion (decision) of the agent on the given problem, which is also expressed mathematically, and is transferred to another agent and modifies the knowledge function of the agent that receives the message. As a result, the model enables to simulate dynamics of decision making processes in society. Such modeling helps us to understand various natural and social phenomena such as the issue discussed in this article, i.e. decision-making process regarding the acceptance of ICT-enabled services among Bangladeshi farmers.
An Adaptive Histogram Equalization Algorithm for Enhance Mammograms
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Amarasinghe, A.S.; Abeysooriya, D.P.
Breast cancer is one of the leading cancers in the female population and most of them are lethal; to save lives breast cancer should be identified in its early stage. In Sri Lanka 25% of the detected cancers are recognized as breast cancers in each successive year between 2000 to 2005. Mammography is the most successful method to diagnose breast cancers. Mostly mammograms are poor quality images, and doesn‘t provide any hard evidence to diagnose cancers although it has the accuracy of 80% - 90%. And this is where the mammogram enhancement is essentially needed. Among various image enhancement techniques, histogram equalization is the most convenient method to enhance images. But unfortunately many prevailing histogram equalization techniques are not suitable for mammogram enhancement, because they can‘t accurately separate noise from the image. Detecting cancers in a Mammogram is rather delicate process which needs fairly controlled image enhancement with noise reduction. The proposed histogram equalization technique can control the amount of enhancement and it intelligently separates the noise from the interested regions and enhances the suspicious areas. Many histogram equalization methods are available to enhance images. But the common problem with all these algorithms is they did not concern about the actual intensities of the pixels at all. In fact, this leads the whole image enhancement into failures by over enhancing the images. However, lack of controllability is the major obstacle to use histogram equalization in mammogram enhancement. Actual intensities of the pixels must be contributed to the process of enhancement to control the amount of enhancement and prevent destroying the valuable information. The proposed algorithm uses a set of candidate intensities to pick the most appropriate intensity for the enhancement just like a genetic algorithm. Newly taken mammograms were used to experiment the power of enhancement of the algorithm. The image samples were taken from the Karapitiya hospital, Galle, Sri Lanka, with the authorization from the Director there. The major concerns were how well the algorithm can reduce the noise and highlight the cancerous areas of the images. Obviously this enhancement must assist the observers to find hard evidence to detect cancers. Following shows a mammogram image before and after the enhancement.Identifying a breast cancer is a tough job and it needs years of practice and some sophisticated technology. But still 10% of breast cancers are missed by radiologists. This happens mainly due to noise of the images and complex overlying and underlying structures in the cancer images. Almost every Mammogram is a poor quality image which doesn‘t provide enough hard evidence to pursue and diagnose cancers. This research led to produce an image enhancing algorithm which can be used to enhance mammograms to detect early stage breast cancers to support and assist in medical treatments.
Adoption for ICT and E-Commerce Services in Hospitality Industry - Challenges and Opportunities
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Damunupola, D.A.K.A.
Over the last six decades, tourism has experienced continued expansion and diversification with the rapid growth of technological advancements. Effective and high-speed Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure and software applications are crucial for the development of hospitality industry as it offers great opportunity to increase customer value, enhance customer satisfaction and achieve business excellence and high profits. The Central Reservations Systems (CRS), Front-office information systems, booking information systems, hotel management information systems, Global Distribution Systems (GDS), property management systems and Destination Integrated Computerized Information Reservation Management Systems (DICIRMS) are some of the main information technologies that serve hospitality industry today. However, the development of ICT has also led to changes in demand and supply of the industry while offering personalized hospitality experiences for holiday makers. e – word of mouth publicity, online travel review sites and the social networking sites encourage travellers to share information and research on their dreamed travel destination. As a result, today tourists have become more demanding for ‗value for money and time‘ services. E-commerce has recorded a significant growth as a convenient way of buying and selling goods and services over the internet. Hospitality industry is one of those which is fully benefited from the e- commerce services. Hospitality industry ‗Information Technology Investments‘ are often made to improve performance. This study aims to examine the e-commerce usage and the implementation of ICT for hospitality industry. The findings of the research include number of factors which can be identified behind the immense growth of the ICT and e-commerce services usage. Further those would be beneficial for the hospitality industry policy makers and the stakeholders to design innovative, attractive tourist products to increase the guest satisfaction. The development of ICT and e-commerce offers competitive advantages such as, improved employee productivity and enhanced revenue generation, and also contributes to low labor-costs, cheap raw materials, improve the country‘s infrastructure, communication channels, legislation and so on. The revolution of ICT and e-commerce brought some challenges which influence at both microeconomic and macroeconomic environment levels. These include, lack of trust on online services, insecurity of personal information, lack of infrastructure and poor knowledge of its operation. The expansion of e-commerce services and demand will significantly change the labor market. Further high implementation cost, labor intensive certification process, lack of awareness, limited infrastructure facilities are some of the key barriers that delay adopting ICT and e-commerce services. ‗Broadband promoting Initiative‘, affordable prices, convenience, wide availability, instant connectivity and lifestyle etc also motivate people for online transactions. Hence it is essential to have legal policy where government and regulatory bodies are collaborating on a wider platform to ensure ecommerce law to protect the consumer. More over, awareness and training is needed for ICT at various levels of hospitality enterprises. Government policies and regulations, size of the establishment, financial capacity etc. are equally important factors affecting e -commerce adoption in hospitality industry.The Internet and the e –commerce has dramatically changed the entire hospitality industry while playing a vital role in promoting, integrating and building brand loyalty in tourism.
Application of Information and Communication Technology in Tourism Sector Development: The Case of Jaffna District
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Yoharajan, S.
Over the past decade, tourism has become the largest industry worldwide in terms of employment and share of global gross domestic product. In Sri Lanka, Tourism sector attracted a record one million tourists to the country for the first time in history in 2012. However, multiplicity of tourism sector agencies (Local Authorities, Provincial Councils and Line Ministry) has lead to fragmented and segmented system of plans, where each agency prepares a plan independently. Most decisions on development, even on local level activities, are made by bureaucrats. The main objective of this study was to examine the possibilities of community‘s involvement to develop the tourism sector with the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This paper investigates the practical usage of ICT for the benefit of sustainable tourism development. For this purpose, it mainly concentrates on web based systems and Geoinformatics. This research mainly focuses on Jaffna district which has a good blend of aspects in tourism. Thousands of international and local tourists are visiting Jaffna area every year. This study highlights the present status of tourism sector in this area and also point out few drawbacks. It also recommends some future initiatives for betterment of this sector. In this methodology, the traditional vertical planning process is transformed into a horizontal planning process, where local government and other planning entities work together and explore the possibilities of tourism sector planning with indigenous knowledge. Sustainable tourism development has a lot to benefit from applying ICT. In Jaffna, application of ICT and Geoinformatics in tourism sector is still immature. Collecting accurate and updated data (spatial and aspatial) necessitates proper coordination among all stakeholders. Disseminating useful information regarding places of interest, cultural events, religious festivals, etc. to worldwide audience through websites and social media is an important step to be done professionally. Tourism management which includes suitable site selection, destination management, natural resource management, infrastructure facilities, market analysis, manage tourists flow, tracking tourist vehicles and future planning activities have a lot to benefit from using Geoinformatics. This is also considered as a tool for measuring, monitoring and forecasting tourism impacts as well as decision making. This can also be used to identify environmentally sensitive areas which should not be disturbed by tourism.
Application of Mass Balance Modelling To Assess the Effects of Fish Stocking On the Energy Flow in a Reservoir Ecosystem
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Panikar, Preetha; Khan, M. Feroz; Sharma, A.P.
The impact of fish stock supplementation on the energy flow in Hemavathy reservoir ecosystem in Karnataka, South India was assessed using mass balance modeling. The mass balanced model structured around thirteen ecological groups which included the nonliving group, detritus. Hemavathy Reservoir with an area of about 9162 ha was constructed in 1981, on the river Hemavathy for irrigation purpose in Karnataka. The fish landings data of Hemavathy reservoir was collected and studied for three years from 1983 by earlier workers. During this period there was no systematic stocking of fish in this reservoir. Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute investigated this reservoir in 2002 to 2004 when regular stocking and harvesting regime had become an established management practice. Hence the present study was conducted to analyse the impact of fish stocking on the energy flow and ecosystem maturity of a reservoir ecosystem by comparing two scenarios; pre- and post- fish stocking regimes. The mass-balance models of the reservoir ecosystem were constructed for two periods, 1984 and 2003 using Ecopath with Ecosim software to compare the fluctuations that occurred within each of these years before systematic stocking and post-stocking period. Flow at the trophic level II largely involves the zooplankton (the dominant herbivore), bottom biota and the two groups of fishes the minor carps and the exotic carps. Though aquatic birds occupy the highest trophic levels in both phases, among fish groups Eels in the pre-stocking phase and murrels in post-stocking phase occupy top trophic levels. The pattern of energy flow through the network is described in terms of the number of trophic interactions of each group and the mean length of pathways (MLP) through the network. For top predators, the number of connections was high (78–233) and with a high number of steps (MLP = 3.69). In the middle of the trophic chain, the exotic carps and major carps were (MLP = 2.87 &2.27) and the groups at the bottom of the pyramid like zooplankton and bottom biota are characterized by low numbers of trophic interactions (2 & 3 respectively) and path lengths (2.0). The ecotrophic efficiency of the carps were low in post-stocking phase showing these groups were not heavily exploited by the fishermen but the increase in biomass due to stocking are evident. The resilience of reservoir ecosystem before stocking the reservoir and the impact on ecosystem after fish stocking were compared using various indices of ecosystem maturity. A decrease of the flow of the system from pre-stock to post-stock is evident (22.28%). The system overhead was higher by 0.29% in the post-stock phase indicating maturity. The ecosystem indices tested indicate that the reservoir during post-stock phase was in a more resilient state compared to the pre-stock phase. The maturity of the ecosystem showed an improvement which indicates a positive impact of stocking.
Combating with avalanche disasters using Google earth - a case study of Gyari sector avalanche in Pakistan
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Parvez, S hahid; Zafar, Zafar Iqbal; Imran, Hafiz Ali
Snow avalanches are highly lethal disasters due to their sudden occurrence and impacts. In Pakistan, a similar incident was occurred at Gyari Sector on 07 April 2012 at 2:00 a.m. killing 140 people. A study was conducted to monitor the major causes of such huge human losses, as well as to provide suggestions for future preventive measures. Pakistan, being Alpine glacier and Snowpack resource rich country, always requires proper monitoring, map ping and estimation of these avalanche prone areas for better planning and decision making. Environmental monitoring and mapping of all these very important areas of natural resources, can easily be addressed with advanced technologies of Remote Sensing a nd GIS. In the present study, free satellite images as well as DEM of Google Earth were utilized as the major data source to investigate Gyari Sector avalanche incident. Besides this, 3D Profiling utility of Google Earth was used for tracking potential ava lanche paths and their slopes. It was noted that the Gyari Sector infrastructure was established exactly in the line of an avalanche path. The path of this avalanche which had smashed out all the buildings, people, and other infrastructure, was thoroughly investigated using Google Earth utilities. The slope of this avalanche path was calculated to be 37.27 o , which falls under the maximum danger zone limit of avalanche occurrence. Alternate future options for installation of necessary infrastructure in the a djoining areas are also proposed in this study. Moreover, possible pre - emptive measures to retaining the existing site are also discussed. Remote Sensing and GIS techniques, in general, and Google Earth techniques, in particular, are found to be very usefu l in monitoring and mapping avalanche disasters as well as for their combatting efforts.
Does Mangrove Function as Sink or Source Of Phosphorus for Its Adjacent River? A Case Study in Mangrove Disturbed by Typhoon in Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Huong, Phạm Quynh; Uyen, Ho Phan Minh; Tran, Le Ngọc; Thuyen, Le Xuan; Triet, Tran
A vast area of mangrove in Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve was destroyed by a typhoon named Durian in December 2006. After the typhoon, trunks, branches and twigs were left on the spot. The decomposition of these materials was expected to affect the nutrient dynamics in the mangrove sediment and tidal creek. Therefore, this research was conducted to study the phosphorus dynamics in a tidal creek and test if this mangrove functions as a source or a sink of phosphorus for its adjacent river. The surface water and floating litter were taken during 24 hours on spring tide from a tidal creek connecting the mangrove and its adjacent river. The physicochemical properties of the creek water were measured directly in field. The content of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), total particulate phosphorus (TPP), and phosphorus (P) content in the floating litter were determined to calculate the amount of P exchanged between the mangrove and river. Map Info Professional was used to calculate the cross-section area of the creek and the data analysis was performed with SG Plus Centurion XVI. Most of the floating litter were twigs and small wood pieces from the mangrove (62% of the total weight of floating litter). The average amount of floating litter exported from the mangrove was 305.83 gh-1 . The average amount of P exported from the mangrove through the floating litter was 452.3 mgh-1 . SRP in the creek derived from the higher nutrient concentration pore-water from the mangrove sediment which came into the creek during the ebb. The amount of P entering the mangrove was 2013.56 gday-1 , while the amount of P exported from the mangrove was 2232.78 gday-1 . Due to the decomposition of trunks and branches remained on the mangrove floor after the typhoon, the disturbed mangrove functioned as a source of P for its adjacent river.
Dynamic Trends of Rainfall Extremes in Sri Lanka
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Sanjeewani, R.M.S.S.
Changes in extreme weather and climate events have significant impacts on environment and are among the most serious challenges to the society. Among them floods and droughts are crucial weather extremes. To date, these hazardous extremes are becoming more frequent. World Meteorological Organization (WMO) emphasizes the importance of the studies relevant to the above phenomena and motivates the countries by providing necessary indices and guidelines on analyzing these weather extremes. Sri Lanka is also undergoing these weather extremes and among them severe rainfall extreme events are one of the frequent weather hazards. These events cause vast damages to many sectors. Therefore, it is a timely important to identify the spatial and temporal dynamics of rainfall extremes over the country to examine the trends in frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events. This study was mainly based on ascertaining the dynamic trends of rainfall extremes across the country for the period of 1981 to 2010. Extreme rainfall events were identified using daily rainfall data collected from the Meteorological Department for the particular period. The RClimDex 1.0 package, designed by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI) was used in this analysis. WMO also recommended this package for analyzing extreme weather events providing guidelines in 2009. Ten rainfall extremes indices including frequency indicators and intensity indicators were utilized in identifying extreme events. Based on the main objective, trends of above mentioned two index types were analyzed using different techniques. Spatial and temporal trends were mapped using IDW interpolation technique in Geographical Information System. Box plots and basic statistics were used to analyze the spatial and temporal trends of rainfall extremes. Non parametric Mann Kendall test was used to detect the trends and their significance using XLStat software. Most of the extremes were concentrated in the southern eastern quarter of the country. There too higher influence was seen in Western Province including Colombo, Ratmalana. Likewise eastern regions including Trincomalee, Batticaloare were exposed to risk of the rainfall extremes. Inversely dry extremes occur in other dry zonal regions. But the impact is becoming lesser. Ratmalana is highlighted with significant increasing trends in most of the wet extremes excluding simple daily intensity index and consecutive wet days. Nuwara Eliya shows the decreasing trends of almost all the extreme indices. However, with the passage of time, decreasing trends of intensity indicators of Rathnapura were visible even though the trends were not significant. Rathnapura is the region which has mostly succumbed to the impact of rainfall extremes as most of annual maxima of extremes in Sri Lanka are recorded in Rathnapura. This impact seems to be shifting towards western province. These detections of trends of spatial and temporal patterns of rainfall extremes facilitate in decision making and planning related to disaster management and development in Sri Lanka.
E-Waste Generation and Management Practices in Jaffna and Nallur Divisional Secretariat Divisions, Sri Lanka – A Base Line Study
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Kayathiri, K.; Charles, E.Y.A.; Surendran, S.N.
The post-conflict development state of Jaffna District has resulted in increased e-waste generation and the problems associated with it. In this phase of development, Jaffna peninsula faces several environmental problems which need an urgent attention. This baseline study was conducted to estimate the magnitude and flow of e-waste generation and to understand the e-waste management practices in Jaffna district. It was conducted in the Jaffna and Nallur Divisional Secretariat Divisions in Jaffna District from February to August 2013 targeting households and corporate as key consumers. Using skip sampling method, random samples of two hundred households in each GN divisions were selected and interviewed. Six offices were selected to represent government, banks and telecom companies. Results of the household survey were compared with the usage of items reported in the 2004 – Consumer Finance and Socio-Economic Survey conducted by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The survey revealed that the usage of refrigerators has increased to 58% from 12.8% while the usage of washing machines has increased to 34% from 0.8%. The usage of televisions has increased to 98% from 43.9%. The survey at the corporate reveled that out of their total electrical and electronic equipments desktop computer shows high percentage (28%) of usage. Significantly greater percentage (22%) of LED/LCD screen monitors are used while the usage of CRT monitors is comparatively less (6%). A large number of (9%) air conditioners are in use. 80% of the households are keeping their e-waste at home and are reluctant to throw them as waste. Similarly all public offices keep e-waste until they are auctioned. Large enterprises send their e-waste to the head offices which are located in Colombo. There are no e-waste collection centers in Jaffna. Even though a large number of people can distinguish (70%) e-waste, 100% of households are not aware of what happens to the equipment they have discarded as general waste. Similarly the corporates are also unaware of it. The study also tried to estimate the increase of equipment usage through the electricity consumption. There is a high increase in electrical and electronic equipment usage in Jaffna district which will increase the e-waste dramatically. Also there is a severe lack of knowledge regarding e-waste. Establishing an e-waste collection centre in Jaffna district is an essential need. General public should be made aware of the negative impacts of uncontrolled disposal of e-waste.
An Effective Model for Successful ICT Professionals in Sri Lanka
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Pathiratne, Shamitha
Information technology industry has become one of the primary indicators of economic outlook in any country. People who work and study in this field are the significant factors that drive information technology. The Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Technology has the important mission to promote ICT in Sri Lanka. Therefore, ICT labor should have enough resources with high potential, knowledge and skills.This research focuses on how inner characteristics and personalities affect IT professionals in Sri Lanka. The objective of this study was to find out the whether the 13 Kings Model which deals with thinking preferences and Big 5 personality can be used to find out the strength of an IT professional. A self administered psychology questionnaire consisting of 130 closed questions was used in the present study where the sample size used was 495. The ICT work force can be divided into two groups as high skilled and low skilled. The number of low skilled is about 50% higher than the number of high skilled. The 9 IT jobs can be separated as 6 high skilled jobs and 3 low skilled jobs. Findings of the Study reveals that the 13 Kings Model is an effective career path model which can be used to determine thinking preferences and personality of IT professionals enabling the identification of their strengths, thus contributing to develop the intellectual capital of an organization. If the professional knows their strengths, they can find the suitable or preferred job which can consequently improve their performance and career path.
Environmental Flow Variation due to Mini-Hydro Diversion at Gurugoda Oya, Sri Lanka
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Munasinghe, D.S.N.; Najim, M.M.M.
Quantification of amounts of flows that could be diverted maintaining desired ecosystem conditions is difficult, and thus, water allocation among sectors including the environment, has emerged a growing concern in Sri Lanka. Therefore, this research focused on quantifying optimum flows that has to be maintained below the weir site of a mini-hydro power plant located at Morontota, Sri Lanka through Environmental Flow Assessment and to predict whether the flows of the Hungampola South/Morontota village section of Gurugoda Oya would be sufficient to sustain riverine biodiversity. The HEC-HMS 3.5 model was calibrated and validated for the Holombuwa catchment of the Gurugoda Oya basin. The GIS layers that were needed as input data for flow simulation were prepared using Arc GIS 10.0 and the calibrated and validated model was applied to the Alapalawela sub catchment located within the Holombuwa catchment, to generate flows for the past twenty three years (1991-2013). Simulated stream flows were characterized using thirty two different hydrological parameters. The Range of Variability Approach (RVA) targets to be maintained below the weir site were calculated using flows before hydropower diversions, and the rate of non-attainment of flows were determined for past scenarios (2011-2013). According to the RVA, Environmental Flow is not maintained at present in Gurugoda Oya below the weir. Mean rate of non-attainment of the flow of Gurugoda Oya after mini hydropower diversion is around 45% suggesting moderate level of hydrologic alteration due to impoundment. Rate of non-attainment of the indicators of hydrological alterations (IHA) group 1 parameters are in between 33% - 100%. Except for the magnitude and duration of rate of non-attainment of means of 90 day minima and all maxima values which attain a steady 0%, all other group 2 parameters vary between 33% - 67%. In the IHA group 3, timing of lower limit of annual extreme water condition could not be calculated because flow of Gurugoda Oya assumes the same minimal flow for several days, showing more than one annual minima. Annual maxima show a rate of nonattainment of 33%. Rate of non-attainment of the IHA group 4 and 5 both vary between 0% - 100%. Therefore, Hydropower diversions from Gurugoda Oya that deals with damming of the stream needs extensive analysis of environmental impacts due to changes in flow regimes. The RVA targets defined by this study could be of significance for ecosystem management and restorations plans, and could provide ecological operations for the weir.
Eutrophication Trends in Bolgoda North Lake, Sri Lanka
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Perera, B.D.C.; Wijeyaratne, M.J.S.; Dahanayaka, D.D.G.L.; Tonooka, H.; Minato, A.; Ozawa, S.
Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration in the Bolgoda North Lake (06.400 – 06. 480 N; 079. 550 -079. 580 E), which is a shallow brackish water body situated in the western coastal region of Sri Lanka, was determined through correlating Advanced Space-borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) optical sensor data with in-situ data measured from April 2013 to October 2013 in 05 sampling sites. ASTER band ratio of B1/B2 which gave the highest correlation with in-situ Chl-a data was used to generate 15 m resolution Chl-a distribution maps. Chl-a distribution maps generated using ASTER data indicated that most areas of Bolgoda North Lake were eutrophic. Some regions of the Weras Ganga which flows into the Lake showed very high Chl-a concentrations during April indicating hypereutrophic conditions while in June, September and October these areas indicated eutrophic conditions. Observations on land use pattern revealed that industrial zones border these areas. High Chl-a concentrations were also observed in the areas bordered by the lands with low income houses from which household waste as well as sewage are discharged directly to the lake. Chl-a distribution maps developed for 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2011 revealed that eutrophication of the Bolgoda North Lake has gradually increased in the recent past. This may possibly be due to the increase in the industrial effluents as a result of industrial development in the area and also due to increased population of low income groups that live in some areas bordering the lake.
Evaluation of the Spatial and Temporal Trends in Household Solid Waste Disposal in Sri Lanka Using Geo-Informatics and Statistical Tools
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Udayanga, N.W.B.A.L.; Kodituwakku, K.A.R.K.
Generation of solid waste in large quantities and their improper disposal associated with the accelerated economic and technological advancement and population growth have raised growing concerns throughout the world including Sri Lanka. The complication of the composition and the quantitative increase of household waste have become a major issue in Sri Lanka. Localized trends in solid waste disposal play a critical role in drafting of policies and management plans for effective management of solid waste. Thus, a statistics and geoinformatics based analysis of the recent trends in household solid waste disposal was carried out to identify the characteristic disposal methods of household solid waste of each district, and to evaluate both spatial and temporal trends in household solid waste disposal patterns in Sri Lanka in order to facilitate the effective management of solid waste. Commonly practiced household solid waste disposal methods and percentage contribution of each method in each district in 2006-2007, 2009-2010 and 2012-2013 were obtained from the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka. The data were then subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify the major characteristic household solid waste disposal methods and the temporal variation of the household solid waste disposal methods in each district, by using PRIMER V 5.2.9. software package. Characteristic disposal method(s) of household solid waste in each district during the study period were recognized based on the scores of the Principal Components and districts that exhibit similarities in the disposal methods were grouped into clusters. Spatial maps of above recognized clusters that exhibit similar characteristic disposal methods were prepared using Arc GIS 9.2 and the spatial and temporal variation of such clusters were analyzed to identify the recent trends in household solid waste disposal. Generation of solid waste in large quantities and their improper disposal associated with the accelerated economic and technological advancement and population growth have raised growing concerns throughout the world including Sri Lanka. The complication of the composition and the quantitative increase of household waste have become a major issue in Sri Lanka. Localized trends in solid waste disposal play a critical role in drafting of policies and management plans for effective management of solid waste. Thus, a statistics and geoinformatics based analysis of the recent trends in household solid waste disposal was carried out to identify the characteristic disposal methods of household solid waste of each district, and to evaluate both spatial and temporal trends in household solid waste disposal patterns in Sri Lanka in order to facilitate the effective management of solid waste. Commonly practiced household solid waste disposal methods and percentage contribution of each method in each district in 2006-2007, 2009-2010 and 2012-2013 were obtained from the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka. The data were then subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify the major characteristic household solid waste disposal methods and the temporal variation of the household solid waste disposal methods in each district, by using PRIMER V 5.2.9. software package. Characteristic disposal method(s) of household solid waste in each district during the study period were recognized based on the scores of the Principal Components and districts that exhibit similarities in the disposal methods were grouped into clusters. Spatial maps of above recognized clusters that exhibit similar characteristic disposal methods were prepared using Arc GIS 9.2 and the spatial and temporal variation of such clusters were analyzed to identify the recent trends in household solid waste disposal.
Evaluation of the trends in climate change with respect to severity and frequency of occurrence of wet and dry events of rainfall in Aththanagalu oya basin
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Udayanga, N.W.B.A.L.; Najim, M.M.M.
Socioeconomic aspects of life have changed due to alterations in the climatic patterns. Sri Lanka needs to pay more attention to the climate extremes as the available water resources are directly affected by these changes. Hence planning and management of water resources based on climatic patterns play a key role in sustainable development. Sustainable planning and management of water resources of Aththanagalu Oya that feeds many large and small scale multi-purpose water extraction schemes in Sri Lanka is vital in the event of climate change. Thus, an analysis of the shifts and trends of climatic patterns with respect to wet and dry events within the Aththanagalu Oya basin was carried out to evaluate the state and the extent of climate change using Standardized Precipitation Index(SPI). Daily rainfall data covering the period from January 1991 to February 2011 of Henarathgoda, Vincit, Chesterford, Kirindiwela, Nittambuwa and Pasyala rainfall gauging stations which are located within the Aththanagalu Oya catchment area were obtained from the Department of Meteorology, Sri Lanka. Two periodic intervals of years (1991-2000 and 2001-2011) were formulated and monthly accumulated rainfall for each month of the considered periods were used as the input to the SPI Model in Mat Lab R2007b (version 7.5). The events were ranked into five classes (normal, mild moderate, severe and extreme) based on the severity of each event and the variations in climate (with respect to SPI) were evaluated using Paired Chi-Square method. A decrease in dry events and an increase of the wet events in the climatic pattern of recent years (2001-2011) compared to the past (from 1991 to 2000) in Vincit, Kirindiwela, Nittambuwa and Pasyala could be observed in accordance with the SPI analysis while an opposite trend was observed in Henarathgoda and Chesterford. Unlike the predictions of many studies which expect significant alterations in climate patterns in the recent years than the past years, according to the SPI approach, only the wet events of Pasyala (a significant increasing trend of wetness) and the dry events of Vincit (a significant decreasing trend of dryness) indicate significant alterations in climatic patterns while the climatic variations indicated by the rest of the areas are statistically insignificant. Hence, a significant increase in wetness in Vincit and Pasyalain terms of both severity and frequency of occurrence with variations of rainfall seasonality could be predicted in accordance with the SPI.
Feasibility Study on the Wireless Mesh Network as an Alternative Wi-Fi Networking for Enterprises
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Matharage, D.S.S.; Padmasiri, M.K.D.
Wireless Mesh network architecture and its importance as a n alternative Wi-Fi networking, applications of mesh networks, and methods of implementing mesh networks are discussed in the present paper. CINEC play ground was selected as the test bed of this study. Results of the test cases which were carried out to determine link quality source routing, data throughput and multi-hop function of the mesh networks with the aid of laptops and external USB Wi-Fi dongles and future expansions of the wireless mesh networks with 802.11.s standard are also described.
Flow Modelling in Nillambe Oya, Sri Lanka
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Gunawardena, M.P.; Najim, M.M.M.
Flooding and flow changes in rivers and streams due to anthropogenic activities are the major problems worldwide as well as in Sri Lanka. To address these issues, proper monitoring of flow patterns and prediction of flow changes are necessary; However, daily monitoring and data collection is greatly time consuming and costly. Therefore, development and application of models for accurate simulation of flow variations will be a vital requirement for the management of these ecosystems. In order to address these concerns, a study was done with the objective of calibrating and validating a model based on climatic, landuse and flow data and to determine whether the calibrated model could be applied to predict flow variations. HEC-HMS 3.5 model which was developed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers was used to simulate flow variation of the Nillambe Oya catchment which is located within the central highlands of the mid and upcountry wet zone. During the period from May 2013 to September 2013, flow was measured in nine selected days. Rainfall data, other meteorological data and flow data for eight years (October 1991 to September 1999) were obtained from the Environment and Forest Division of the Mahaweli Authority and the Meteorology Department of Sri Lanka. Daily flow data for five years (October 1991 to September 1996) were used to calibrate the model and another set of flow data for five years (October 1994 to September 1999) were used to validate the model. The flow values that were measured in situ during May 2013 to September 2013 were statistically tested with flow values simulated by the model. Obtained residual plots and calculated percentage residuals of the calibration and validation produced results with high R squared values (above 0.65) and residual percentages within ±1SD and ±2SD above 85% and 95%, respectively. The properly calibrated and validated HEC-HMS 3.5 computer model can be reliably used to simulate flows of Nillambe Oya. Snyder unit hydrograph method, as the transformation method, simulates flows reliably in the study catchment, along with initial loss method. Therefore, HEC-HMS 3.5 model can reliably be used to estimate flow volumes that are available to Hydropower generation, drinking water supply and agricultural purposes while maintaining ecological harmony with the riverine ecosystem.
Green Space Planning Using GIS and Remote Sensing for City of Colombo, Sri Lanka
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Siriwardane, M. S. P. M.; Gunatilake, Jagath; Sivanantharajah, S.
The rapid growth of human population, their demands, and constructed environment have replaced the natural environment in a significant way. Therefore, people reconsider building up natural environment with artificial constructions. This study is focused on sustainable development of Urban Green Spaces (UGS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) technologies are very important for the study as they have powerful spatial scientific approaches. The present study area was Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) administrative area with three objectives. Identification and analyzing of existing green areas and their patterns was one objective. This was done through supervised image classification method using high resolution satellite images. After extracting the vegetation cover, central place theory was used to understand the existing patterns. The second objective was to analyze the green areas with the natural and human factors, such as, buildings, transportation networks, bare lands, urban heat hot spots, air pollution contaminations etc. These factors were weighted under existing urban regulations in Sri Lanka and developed a multi criteria model for analyzing the suitability of expanding green spaces. According to the results, the most suitable area is less than 1% of the total area. But 39% of the land is suitable for expanding green spaces while another 40% cannot be expanded. Moderate suitable area is around 20%. Using these results three dimensional models and accessibility models were developed to understand the applicability of green spaces in selected portions of land. Cartographic and web based GIS outputs were created to disseminate the results as the third objective to engage responsible parties for the planning operations. Urban planners, designers and decision makers can use the results as a decision support system with the comments submitted by the community. The applicability of GIS and Remote Sensing improves the decision making power for planning green spaces towards sustainable conservation processes in urban environment.
ICT for Sustainable Growth in the World
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Dassanayake, G.; Warnajith, N.; Minato, A.; Itaba, M.; Ozawa, S.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), including satellites, mobile phones or the Internet, play a key role in addressing the major challenges related with climate change and sustainable development. ICTs can play a significant role to improve the carbon footprint of cities by moving to a more intelligent use of energy. Climate change has risen rapidly up the agenda of international organizations, governments, communities, universities and industry sectors in the past decade, reflecting the growing impact of climatic manifestations at multiple levels with the potential to become a major disruptive factor in the achievement of economic growth and development over the next fifty years, climate change is playing an increasing role in processes of policy design, strategy implementation, livelihood maintenance and business practices around the world. This paper aims to raise awareness of the need to design and implement strategies for the ICT sector to better prepare for, respond and adjust to the impacts of short-term and long-term climatic manifestations. It gives an overview of the importance of adaptation for the ICT sector and of the challenges and opportunities resulting from this adaptation. It also describes the ICT sector's current response to climate change and gives a list of suggested adaptation actions. ICTs are fundamental for monitoring climate change, mitigating and adapting to its effects and assisting in the transition towards a green economy. By raising awareness of the role of ICTs, it is promoting transformative solutions that can ensure a sustainable future for all.
Impact of Global Warming on Landslides: A Case Stuydy in Walapane Divisional Secretary Division in NuwaraEliya District, Sri Lanka
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Weerasinghe, V. P.A.; Sirisena, Yashoba
Landslides are a great threat to human lives and environment, especially in the upland areas of Sri Lanka. Walapane Divisional Secretary‘s Division, has been identified as the highest landslide prone area of the Nuwara Eliya district. As an area with minute level of anthropogenic activities, its landslides are directly influenced by the climate and topography of the area. The aim of this study was to identify the effect of global warming on temperature and rainfall of the Walapane Divisional Secretary‘s Division area. Rainfall and temperature data were analyzed using Mann-Kendal test and regression analysis to detect the trends. The topography of the area was analyzed using GIS packages. Integration of climate and topography was also done using GIS. The study revealed that there is evidence of impacts of global warming in the study area. Both the annual and seasonal analysis showed a significantly increased temperature trend over the years. Annual and South-West monsoon rainfall revealed a declining trend while North-East monsoon rainfall revealed an increasing trend. To find out the effect of global warming on landslide occurrence in the study area, climatelandslide relationships were analyzed. Results revealed that landslides are highly triggered by the North-East monsoon. Most of the landslide events were observed to trigger after sudden, heavy, daily rainfall that prevailed for a short time period. Such rainfalls are observed to be consequences of global warming. Topographical characteristics such as slope, hill shading and aspects of the land slide locations which mainly govern the amount of water that could be received in those areas also determine the amount of water that could be retained. Landslide locations at higher elevations with moderate hill shading and aspect face to the North-East monsoon showed an increasing trend of rainfall during the past decades.
Inexpensive Sensor Network Solution for Environment Monitoring
(Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Warnajith, K.N.S.; Lakesh, S.H.P.K.; Minato, A.; Ozawa, S.
Sensor Networks are designed for specific applications which range from small-size healthcare systems to large scale environmental monitoring systems. The design of sustainable sensor networks is a very challenging issue. With the aid of rapid development of the modern technology, commercial equipments for monitoring environment factors have been introduced so frequently. However, the cost of these equipments becomes the main problem when developing a sensor network. Also, energy consumption of these equipment is another problem. In this paper, these factors were considered and a sensor network implementation which uses small low cost Linux board (Raspberry Pi) and low cost sensors was introduced. A small microcontroller was used as the interface between the sensor and the Linux Board and the functionality of this microcontroller was also discussed. This was tested for recording CO2 content, temperature and spectrum data. A practical method for continuous power supply for the developed system was also described and application in large scale environment was also proposed.