This Symposium organized by the National Man and the Biosphere Committee of the National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka will have the participation of scientists, researchers and representatives from Sri Lankan Universities, Government Organizations and Private Research Institutions.

The National Man and the Biosphere Committee of the National Science Foundation has identified the need to provide a platform to re-examine the biogeographic issues of Sri Lanka’s biota.

Biogeographic patterns of Sri Lanka's natural biota, determined by their distribution within and outside our protected area system, would be immensely helpful to provide evidence-based advice for biodiversity-conservation prioritized development programmes in Sri Lanka. This is in line with proposals currently being developed by the United Nations as detailed under its Sustainable Development Goals.

The Symposium will include two main themes, “Patterns and Processes of Diversification and Distribution of a Selected Faunal or Floral Group or Groups” and “Small Populations and Conservation Perspectives.”

This symposium is expected to provide a baseline on our current knowledge on the biogeography of Sri Lanka and to identify gaps that need to be addressed in the future to offer biogeographic underpinning for conservation planning in the face of rapid decline in Sri Lanka’s biodiversity in a changing climate.