Annual Sessions of Institute of Biology, 2006

Annual Sessons at Auditorium of the National Institute of Education, Maharagama  

Biology for eco-friendly development

Dr. Hiran S Amarasekera
Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda
President , Insititue of Biology, 1996- 1997

Sri Lanka is in the process of achieving rapid development in line with the other industrialist nations. The theme, “biology for eco-friendly development” was selected to stress the importance of achieving this development by formulating correct strategies to provide goods and services to satisfy the highly competitive, rapidly expanding market demand on the one hand and protecting natural ecosystems on the other. We are fortunate to have kind sponsorship from the Ministry of Forestry and Environment which will broaden our capabilities to serve Sri Lankan population at large in communicating this message of Biology for eco-friendly development. 

Developing country like Sri Lanka, on average, is far behind the other developed nations in welfare of rural population, equity and national economic development. Hence we must concentrate on eco-friendly utilization of natural resources to enhance welfare of rural population and national economic development with due attention to equity.  This development should be accompanied with conserving renewable resources such as soil, water and forest resources, controlling pollution, reducing waste and developing eco-friendly technologies.

Biology is the scientific study of living things. From the traditional division into zoology and botany, biosciences have developed which span their limits.  Disciplines such as micorbiology, biotechnology, forestry, horticulture, agriculture, fisheries, oceanography, marine biology, biochemistry, palaeontology and medicine have a strong basis in biology.  Biology has the potential to help solve many of the current problems, a number of which stem from overpopulation and the strain that our sheer numbers place on ecological systems. Because of the population growth, human beings are now exhausting the limited resources that support the life on our small planet.

Biologists have identified and defined these valuable resources as bio-diversity. Biological diversity or Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms: the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, the genes they contain, and the ecosystems they form. This living wealth is the product of hundreds of millions of years of evolutionary history. Humanity derives all of its food and many medicines and industrial products from the wild and domesticated components of biological diversity. Biotic resources also  provide many ecological services. As Sri Lanka has been identified as one of the biodiverstiy hot spots in the world it is essential to contribute to the conservation and management efforts of these biological resources.

Several biologists are now involved in forestry. Forestry sector has economic linkages to the energy sector by providing bio-energy (fuelwood) and protection of catchment areas serving hydropower generation. Forestry also contribute indirectly to agriculture sector by conserving soil and water. It provides industry sector with the much needed supply of wood and other forest based raw materials.  Although, official statistics indicate that forestry sector provides 1.4% to the GNP (in 1993), the true contribution to the economy by this sector is much greater.  Forestry also provides other tangible and intangible benefits.

In the area of biotechnology, biologists are now applying discoveries in biology to eco-friendly production of useful organisms and their products. It centers on development of enzyme technology in industry and medicine, and of gene manipulation, often utilized in plant and animal breeding.  Together, these constitute biomolecular engineering.  Branches include fermentation technology, waste technology and renewable resources technology, such as the use of lignocellulose to generate more usable energy sources.  Micro-organisms, and their traditional involvement in brewing, baking and cheese/ yogurt industries is also affected by the technology.

Sri Lankan biologists have contributed immensely in conserving natural resources, particularly natural wet-zone forests.  Botanists and zoologists have conducted detailed studies on the biodiversity of Sri Lanka, which helped the world community to understand the biological importance of this island. However only very limited amount of research have been conducted on management and sustainable utilization in forestry and in many other natural resource disciplines. Also we are experiencing the pressure from certain environmentalists who are lobbying on extreme preservation measures thus hindering development activities.  The issues such as carbon dioxide emissions, stratospheric ozone depletion, the disposal of toxic wastes, although important to Sri Lanka are not our own priorities.  We should be more concerned on problems such as soil erosion, the depletion of wood supplies to the industry, inadequate and poor water supply, and bad sanitation. Our limited research resources among biologists and other disciplines should be channeled towards addressing these pressing concerns, rather than towards “global modeling”. In this area, as biologists and scientists we have a major role in educating young students, NGO community and the general public at large. 

It is essential to concentrate our efforts on dissemination and development of knowledge in the fields of management and eco-friendly utilization of biological resources to achieve the economic development.

Presidential Address, at the Theme Seminar on Biology for Eco-friendly development at the Seventeenth Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka, 1997

Structure of School Biology Education in Sri Lanka

C. M. R. Anthony
Director, National Institue of Education, Maharagama
President, Institute of Biology, 2004-2005

In many countries including Sri Lanka, there is usually a single centralized curriculum designed for children alike with a view to avoid discrimination and provide equality of opportunity. Within this curriculum, biology is rarely taught as a distinct subject at the primary (grades 1-5) and lower secondary (grades 6-9) levels. Instead, it is usually offered as a part of environmental or nature study at the former (environment related activities in Sri Lanka), and as integrated science at the latter stage. It is only at the higher secondary (grades10-13) stage that we find biology as a well-established school curricular discipline in most educational systems with public and institutional support. Science as part of general education has always been viewed as a subject of life-long utility in school curricula. Recently, the trend in many countries has been to switch to environmental studies with curricular content based mainly on three clusters: living things, matter and energy, and earth and universe.

Proposed curriculum reforms to be implemented in 2007 provide opportunity for the children reaching grade 10 to take Biology as a subject. Biology, by virtue of its usefulness in everyday life and in socio-cultural change, forms an integral component of almost all school science courses.

Biodiversity as a unit in GCE Advanced Level curriculum

Biodiversity has been introduced as a separate course unit for Biology subject for GCE AL curriculum.
This was a replacement for Plant and Animal diversity in the earlier curricula of Botany and Zoology.
This unit focuses on the following topics:
What is Biodiversity
Classification and Nomenclature
Why study biodiversity?
Evolution of biodiversity      
Extinction of biodiversity
Conservation of biodiversity (in-situ and ex-situ conservation)
Role of taxonomists

Message of the chief guest of the 2003 Annual Sessions of IOB

Rohan Pethiyagoda 27 September 2003

Adviser/ Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources

23rd ANNUAL SESSIONS -2003, INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGY

SRI LANKA

MESSAGE OF THE CHIEF GUEST

I am deeply honoured by the invitation extended to me by the Council of the Institute of Biology to be present at its 2003 Annual Sessions. As an engineer by training, it is perhaps unusual that in my own case, the study of biology has grown from a boyhood hobby to a full-time obsession. Despite my status as an ‘outsider’ among professional biologists, I have been greatly touched by the readiness with which they have welcomed me into their ranks.

In the two decades since the Institute was established, biology has developed from being largely an academic ‘pure’ science into an industrial mainstay: the biological sciences today represent greater market capitalization than the computer sciences. The prestigious Nature group of journals for example, devotes four of its eight periodicals purely to the ‘new biology’— Cell Biology, Structural Biology, Genetics and Biotechnology. The Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology has, during the past several decades, been awarded increasingly not to medical researchers but to cell and molecular biologists.

The challenge before professional biologists in Sri Lanka today is developing institutional capacity in the front-line biological sciences while reinforcing the foundations of traditional biology. It is time not just to change the national perception that all biologists are either ‘botanists’ or ‘zoologists’, but also to demonstrate that inasmuch as the past half-century belonged to the electronics industry, the next must belong to the genomics and proteomics industry. These are enormous challenges that demand visionary thinking and courageous initiatives, to both of which challenges I am sure the Institute and its members are equal.

At the same time, biologists face increasing challenges in fields of immediate and urgent relevance to Sri Lanka. Conservation biology is taught and researched, but hardly practised; likewise, opportunities in traditional fields such as ecology, systematics, behavioural science and bioinformatics need to be developed and exploited fully in the national interest by the community of biologists.

I extend to the Council and members of the Institute my sincere good wishes on their nineteenth year of service to the nation and to biology. Be assured that the future belongs to you.

Rohan Pethiyagoda 27 September 2003

Adviser/ Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources
"Sampathpaya", Battaramulla, Sri Lanka.

Issues Faced by the Wood Working Industry in Sri Lanka

Presently major part of the wood working industry is owned by private sector. Many studies carried out in the past have revealed, that most of the wood based industries were based on traditional technology, using out dated equipment. It was further revealed that most  of the personnel engaged in the industries were inadequately trained and did not have the technical competence to perform  relevant activities. This has resulted in  high losses in conversion, in this industry. It is also necessary to have more value addition for various products. The industry has been in the state of underdevelopment for over a period of 20 years and as a result have lost touch with the new trends in the industry, new technology etc. It is interesting to note that there is no single state agency responsible for providing the necessary support, skills; both technical and managerial for upgrading the wood working industry in the country. Various agencies are dealing with aspects relating to wood working industry, but is not geared towards providing most of the support required for developing the industry. 

Moratuwa is considered as the prime location for the wood working industry in the country. However, the industry has been on the decline over the past two decades which has had serious impact on the economic setting of the area and on the livelihood of the people dependent on the industry. It is estimated that there are over 10,000 people employed in the wood working industry in Moratuwa alone. The wood working industry in Moratuwa consists mainly of furniture. In order to be competitive in the domestic as well as in the international market the industry has to produce outputs of high quality, including superior finish and good designing. However, the industry lacks the know how and skills for quality production, the necessary technology or equipment for such production and also to produce designs to cater for the current market demand.

Much discussion have taken place over the years where the need for upgrading the wood working industry has been emphasized, but very little initiatives have been made while the industry is slowly being destroyed. This situating cannot continue any further.

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Dr Hiran Amarasekera