Prof. Mayuri R. Wijesinghe

Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences
University of Colombo
Colombo 00300
Sri Lanka

Office: Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences – Room No. 201
Work Phone: +9411-215 8394
Work Fax: +9411-215 8394
Email: mayuri@sci.cmb.ac.lk

Academic & Professional Qualifications

My research focuses on two aspects of applied ecology – Conservation Biology and Ecotoxicology.
Under Conservation Biology I focus on assessing the impacts of forest loss, fragmentation and disturbance of different faunal taxa through the study of key ecological concepts such as species-area relationships, niche partitioning and specialization, thermo-sensitivity, population dynamics and behavior, which allows us to understand differential susceptibility of species to habitat change. Previous studies have demonstrated the differential susceptibility of endemics and non-endemics.
Under ecotoxicology I have assessed the levels of aquatic pollutants and researched on how pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticides and herbicides induce lethal and sublethal damage in a variety of species. Sublethal impacts cover histological toxicity, haematotoxicity, genotoxicity and alterations in activity and behavior affecting individual fitness. Ramifications of organism level changes on populations, species and ecosystems are also predicted based on the findings. Many of the findings in both Conservation Biology and Ecotoxicology have provided information useful for formulating and implementing conservation actions for our faunal species.