Abstract This study was carried out about two years after a major landslide took place in Aranayake, Sri Lanka to evaluate geo-ecological status quo (spatial variation of vegetation and geo-environmental variables, and the correlations between them), and to identify spatially explicit landscape units (ecotopes). Sampling was done continuously based on a mesh covering visual landslide patch (disturbed area) and its surrounding (undisturbed area). When overlaid with the visual landslide patch, the contours of tree diversity, above ground herb dead biomass, and soil toughness (resistance to penetration) showed a good spatial match or a responsiveness. In contrast, herb diversity and landslide patch did not spatially match. As expected, soil physio-chemistry (soil moisture, organic content, soil toughness, etc.) of the disturbed and undisturbed areas showed significant differences. In contrast to many past studies the disturbed areas showed a better herb diversity, yet in agreement they were mostly non-native or invasive species. Detrended correspondence analyses revealed the fragmentation was more than a mere separation as disturbed and undisturbed; the disturbed area showed a further fragmentation based on the terrain as hilly and flat. Therefore, the single ecotope existed before the landslide, changed into three. The correlations between vegetative indices and geo-environmental variables in general, varied with the ecotope, elucidating the need of different management strategies. Soil toughness of disturbed areas was significantly lesser than the undisturbed. However, force required to uproot herbs were similar in disturbed and undisturbed areas, indicating adaptation and/or colonization of stress tolerant plants. While agreeing that the area is not suitable for human settlements, we propose to use the area for controlled agriculture, fire wood collection, tourism activities and biodiversity studies, instead of total abandonment. This study gave important baseline data on dynamics of biotic and abiotic factors of a landslide in a tropical environment. Further studies should be continued in the long run to evaluate succession of flora and to identify temporal trajectories of biotic and abiotic factors.

中文翻译：

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重大滑坡两年后生态破碎化：植被指数与地质环境因素的相关性

摘要 本研究是在斯里兰卡 Aranayake 发生重大滑坡大约两年后进行的，目的是评估地球生态现状（植被和地理环境变量的空间变化，以及它们之间的相关性），并确定空间显性景观单元（生态位）。基于覆盖可视滑坡斑块（受干扰区域）及其周围（不受干扰区域）的网格连续进行采样。当与视觉滑坡斑块重叠时，树木多样性、地上草本植物死亡生物量和土壤韧性（抗渗透性）的轮廓显示出良好的空间匹配或响应性。相比之下，草本多样性和滑坡斑块在空间上不匹配。正如预期的那样，土壤物理化学（土壤水分、有机物含量、土壤韧性等）) 的扰动区和未扰动区表现出显着差异。与过去的许多研究相比，受干扰地区显示出更好的草本多样性，但一致认为它们大多是非本地或入侵物种。去趋势对应分析表明，破碎不仅仅是一种被干扰和不受干扰的分离；受扰地区显示出基于丘陵和平坦地形的进一步破碎。因此，滑坡前存在的单一生态区，变为三个。植被指数与一般地理环境变量之间的相关性因生态环境而异，说明需要不同的管理策略。扰动区土壤韧性明显低于未扰动区。然而，在受干扰和未受干扰的地区，拔除草药所需的力是相似的，指示抗逆植物的适应和/或定植。在同意该地区不适合人类住区的同时，我们建议将该地区用于受控制的农业、薪柴收集、旅游活动和生物多样性研究，而不是完全废弃。这项研究为热带环境中滑坡的生物和非生物因素的动态提供了重要的基线数据。从长远来看，应该继续进行进一步的研究，以评估植物群的演替并确定生物和非生物因素的时间轨迹。这项研究为热带环境中滑坡的生物和非生物因素的动态提供了重要的基线数据。从长远来看，应该继续进行进一步的研究，以评估植物群的演替并确定生物和非生物因素的时间轨迹。这项研究为热带环境中滑坡的生物和非生物因素的动态提供了重要的基线数据。从长远来看，应该继续进行进一步的研究，以评估植物群的演替并确定生物和非生物因素的时间轨迹。