http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/1259 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:48:11 GMT 2026-04-07T12:48:11Z http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/1697 The diversity of resident birds in the campus of the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka Chaminda Wijesundara, Charles Santiapillai The Peradeniya University Campus (80 ° 36 ' E, 7 ° 15 ' N) represents one of the areas rich in bird life, both in number and species. Of the 233 species of resident birds known from Sri Lanka, 83 have been recorded from the University. In the present study conducted from April to October 1999, it was found that at least 67 species were present. Weekly roadside counts of birds along a fixed route transect passing through the main habitat types in the campus (e.g. woodland, grassland, home garden, and pine forest) indicate that the commonest birds in the campus were the Common Mynah (Acridotheres tristis), Black Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos), Common Babbler (Turdoides affinis), White-rumped Swift (Apus affinis), and the Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis). The species richness and species evenness indices (Shannon Index and Shannon Evenness Index) indicate that the woodlands have the highest number of avian species (54 species, with a Shannon Index of 3.24), while grasslands though slightly low in avian species richness (52), were more diverse (with a Shannon Index of 3.26). The dominance indices (Berger-Parker Index and its reciprocal form) showed that grasslands have the lowest dominance (0.11) and hence the highest evenness (8.86) (and so more diverse). According to the similarity indices (Sorenson Quantitative), the woodland and grassland habitats were the most similar (0.99) in terms of avian species richness Mon, 01 Jan 2001 00:00:00 GMT http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/1697 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/1696 AC magnetic susceptibility measurements of Bi (Pb) – Sr – Ca- Cu- O superconductor in DC magnetic fields N. Pathmanathan, A.L. Thomas In this work a Bi based superconductor with the composition Bii.e -Pfeo.4 Srz Cai Cus Oy was prepared using sol-gel method and AC Magnetic Susceptibility measurements \'(T) and x"(T) were carried out on the sample in the temperature range from 4-2 K to 120 K in both zero and applied dc magnetic fields. The ac Hartshorn bridge was used to measure the ac susceptibility of the sample. From x '(T) data in zero field the onset superconducting transition temperature of the sample was found to be 107.5 K. A single drop in the x'(T) data suggests that the sample has only one superconducting phase which is identified as Bi-2223. A small kink was observed in the x'(T) at a temperature of 105.6 K due to the weak link coupling between the superconducting grains. The X"(T) data in zero dc field shows an intergrain peak at a temperature of 100 K indicating that the maximum energy dissipation and the penetration of the ac field and the shielding current into the center of the sample take place at this temperature. In the dc applied magnetic fileds the x'(T) and the \"(T) data show broad transitions and broad peaks respectively indicating that the magnetic fields suppressed superconductivity of the sample. The intergrain peaks in x"(T) were found to shift to low temperatures with incrasing dc magnetic fields. In low dc magnetic fields two drops were observed in \'(T) data which are attributed to the superconducting grains and the weak links in the sample. In high magnetic field x '(T) data shows only one single drop suggesting that the magnetic filed simultaneously penetrated into the superconducting grains and the weak links. The high magnetic fields also shifted the superconducting transition temperature of the sample to lower temperatures. Mon, 01 Jan 2001 00:00:00 GMT http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/1696 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/1694 A novel synthetic method for fungal melanin biosynthesis intermediate, 1, 3, 6, 8-tetrahydroxynapthalene M.K.B. Weerasooriya, E.Bardshiri A novel route was designed to synthesize 1,3,6,8-Tetrahydroxynaphthalene (T4HN), an intermediate of fungal melanin biosynthesis, using 3,5-dimethoxybenzoic acid as the starting material. The method is efficient and more convenient than the previously published methods and overall yield of the final product was 26% Mon, 01 Jan 2001 00:00:00 GMT http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/1694 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/1683 Fermentation rates and efficiency of fruit pulps from palmyrah containing different flabelliferin profiles Dilupi P Vendebona, Errol R.Jansz,; S.Chandrani Wijeyaratne, Nalaka Ileperum The potential use of Palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer L.) fruit pulp (PFP) which is largely a waste owing to its bitterness, was studied for alcoholic fermentation. The rate and efficiency of alcoholic fermentation of eight selected fruit pulps containing different flabelliferin profiles were studied.This showed that with one exception, the fruit pulps were suitable media for utilization in this way. Seven of the fruit pulps had fermentation efficiencies of more than eighty percent. Although rates of fermentation frequently slower than the control (sucrose in synthetic medium). The fruit pulp showing inhibitory properties contained more than ten flabelliferins (steroidal saponins) one of which, the previously identified anti-microbial flabelliferin (FB), was the dominant peak on a TLC densitometric scan (>50mg dlT1 PFP). Mon, 01 Jan 2001 00:00:00 GMT http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/1683 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z