Academic and Professional Qualifications

ACADEMIC DISTINCTIONS & AWARDS

Selected key publications

U W.A. Vitharana, Darshani Kumaragamage, B.L.W.K. Balasooriya, Srimathie P. Indraratne, Doug Goltz. 2021. Phosphorus mobilization in unamended and magnesium sulfate-amended soil monoliths under simulated snowmelt flooding,Environmental Pollution, 287: 117619, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117619.

Hemamali, D.D.A.E., Vitharana, U.W.A., Balasooriya, B.L.W.K., Attanayake, C.P., Dandeniya, W.S. and Nimanthi, S.I., 2020. Impact of agricultural land use on soil organic carbon sequestration at sub-catchment scale. Tropical Agricultural Research, 31(1), pp.13–20.

Kulasinghe, H.P.G.T.N., Vitharana, U.W.A., Dharmakeerthi, R.S., Sirisena, D.N. and Rathnayake, W.M.U.K., 2020. Exploring the Yield Response of Paddy (Oryza sativa L.) under Varying Levels of Soil Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. Tropical Agricultural Research, 31(4), pp.01–12.

Vitharana. U.W.A., Mishra, U. and Mapa, R.B. 2019. National soil organic carbon estimates can improve global estimates. Geoderma. Vol 337, 55-64. 10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.09.005.

Rathnayaka R.A.A.S., Vitharana U.W.A. and Balasooriya B.L.W.K. 2018. Detailed mapping of soil texture of a paddy growing soil using multivariate geostatistical approaches. Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 29 (4): 300 – 312.

Jayasekara, M.J.P.T.M., Kadupitiya, H.K. and Vitharana, U.W.A. 2018. Mapping of Soil Erosion Hazard Zones of Sri Lanka, Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 29 (2): 135 – 146.

Rathnayake U.A.J., Weerasinghe, K.D.N., Vitharana U.W.A., Chandika K.K.J. 2018. Potential of Eppawala Rock Phosphate as a Phosphorous Fertilizer for Rice Cultivation in Acid Sulphate soils in Matara district of Sri Lanka. Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 29 (4): 293 – 299.

Vitharana. U.W.A., Mishra, U., Jastrow, J. D., Matamala, R.  and Fan, Z. 2017. Observational needs for estimating Alaskan soil carbonstocks under current and future climate. J Geophys Res Biogeosci. Vol 122, 2: 415-429.

Sanjeevani, U.K.P.S., Indraratne, S.P., Weerasooriya S.V.R., Vitharana, U.W.A.  and Kumaragamage, D.  2017. Identifying the sources and contamination status of potentially toxic trace elements in agricultural soils. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal. Vol 48, No.8, 865-877.

Rosemary, F., Vitharana, U.W.A. Indraratne, S. P. Weerasooriya, R. and Mishra, U. 2017. Exploring the Spatial Variability of Soil Properties in an Alfisol Soil Catena. Catena 150: 53-61.

Mishra, U., Drewniak, B., Jastrow, J.D., Matamala, R.M. and Vitharana U.W.A.  2017.  Spatial representation of organic carbon and active-layer thickness of high latitude soils in CMIP5 earth system models. Geoderma. 300: 55-63.

Sanjeevani, U.K.P.S., Indraratne, S.P., Weerasooriya, S.V.R. and Vitharana, U.W.A. 2015. Baseline Concentrations of Some Trace Elements in Tropical Alfisols of Sri Lanka. Geoderma Regional 4, 73-78.

Perera, R.A.C.J., Vitharana, U.W.A. and Nawarathne, N.R.A. 2015. Elucidation of spatial variability of salinity in soils in a rice - other field crops cropping system using proximal soil sensing. Tropical Agriculturist 165, 59-73.

Rathnayaka R.A.A.S. and Vitharana. U. W. A. 2016. Exploring the short-scale spatial variability of a Calcic Red Latosol using DUALEM-1S proximal soil sensor. Trop. Agric. Res. 27 (3) 241-252.

Sanjeevani, U.K.P.S, Indraratne, S.P., Weerasooriya S.V.R. and Vitharana, U.W.A. 2013. Baseline values of Cadmium and Zinc in Three Land Uses in a Selected Mapping Unit of the Dry-zone of Sri Lanka. Trop. Agric. Res. 25(1): 84-95.

Rosemary, F., Vitharana, U.W.A., Indraratne, S.P. and Weerasooriya, R. (2014). Concentrations of trace metals in selected land use in a dry zone soil characterization in Sri Lanka. Trop. Agric. Res. 25(4):512-522.

Sanjeevani, U.K.P.S., Indraratne, S.P., Weerasooriya, S.V.R. and Vitharana, U.W.A. 2012. Characterization of an Alfisol in the Dry-zone of Sri Lanka to understand the retention mechanisms of pollutants. Trop. Agric. Res. 24(3): 258-269.

Nayanaka, V.G.D, Vitharana U.W.A., and Mapa R.B. 2011.  Spatial Variability of Soil Texture, Organic Carbon and Cation Exchance capacity of a Reddish Brown Latasolic soil in a Slopy landscape. J. Soil Sci. Soc. Sri Lanka. vol 23: 21-30.

Nayanaka, V.G.D, Vitharana U.W.A. and Mapa R.B. 2010. Geostatistical analysis of soil proprieties to support spatial sampling in a paddy growing Alfisols. Trop. Agric. Res.  Vol 22: 34-44.

Simpson, D., Van Meirvenne M., Saey, T., Vermeersch, H., Bourgeois, J., Lehouck, A., Cockx, L., Vitharana, U.W.A. 2009. Evaluating the multiple coil configurations of the EM38DD and DUALEM-21S sensors to detect archaeological anomalies. Archaeol Prospect 16 :91-102.

Cockx, L., Van Meirvenne, M., Vitharana, U.W.A., Verbeke, L.P.C., Simpson, D., Saey, T.  and Van Coillie, F.M.B. 2009. Extracting topsoil information from EM38DD sensor data using a neural network approach. Soil Sci Soc Am J, 73 (6): 1-8.

Kardel, F.,  Wuyts, K., Babanezhad, M., Vitharana, U.W.A., Wuytack, T., Potters, G., Samson, R.  2009. Assessing urban habitat quality based on specific leaf area and stomatal characteristics of Plantago lanceolata L.  Environ Pollut, 158(3): 788-794.

Vitharana, U.W.A., Saey, T., Cockx, L., Simpson, D., Vermeersch, H. and Van Meirvenne, M. 2008. Upgrading a 1/20,000 soil map with an apparent electrical conductivity survey. Geoderma 148:107-112.

Vitharana, U.W.A., Van Meirvenne, M., Simpson, D., Cockx, L. and Hofman, G. 2008. Agronomic consequences of potential management zones delineated on the basis of EM38DD measurements. Near Surf Geophys. 6:289-296.

Vitharana, U.W.A., Van Meirvenne, M., Simpson, D., Cockx, L. and De Baerdemaeker, J.  2008. Key soil and topographic properties to delineate potential management classes for precision agriculture in the European loess area. Geoderma 143:206-215.

Saey, T., Simpson, D. , Vitharana, U.W.A., Vermeersch, H., Vermang, J. and Van Meirvenne, M. 2008. Reconstructing the paleotopography beneath the loess cover with the aid of an electromagnetic induction sensor. Catena 74:58-64.

Balasooriya, B.L.W.K., Samson, R., Mbikwa, F., Vitharana, U.W.A., Boeckx, P. and Van Meirvenne, M.  2009. Biomonitoring of urban habitat quality by anatomical and chemical leaf characteristics. Environ Exp Bot. 65:386-394.

Vitharana, U.W.A., Van Meirvenne, M., Cockx, L. and Bourgeois, J. 2006. Identifying potential management zones in a layered soil using multiple sources of ancillary information. Soil Use Manage. 22:405-413.

Awards, Scholarships/Grants

Research Excellence Award 2021, University of Peradeniya

SUSRED award of National Science Foundation,  in recognition of supervision of the Ph.D titled “Investigation of background concentrations and behavior of trace metals in a selected soil association of dry zone of Sri Lanka” by Dr. U.K.P.S. Sanjeevani  (2016)

Best Poster Award at the 20th World Congress of Soil Science, held in Jeju, Korea, 13th June (2014). A poster titled “Apparent Electrical Conductivity (ECa) based potential management zones for site-specific nutrient management in paddy soils of Sri Lanka”

Best Poster Award of geoENV 2010 (8th International Conference on Geostatistics for Environmental Application) Poster titled “Spatial Distribution of Plant Anatomical and Morphological Characteristics for Biomonitoring of Urban Habitat Quality”

Presidential Awards for Scientific Publication  (Six awards 2008, 2009 and 2010)

De Boodt-Maselis for the Eremology award for the academic year 2002-2003 to outstanding scholarly during the period of study (Postgraduate Program of Physical Land Resources) (2004)

Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships (QES) Advanced Scholars (QES-AS) program. Recipient and Member of Proposal Writing Team.

PhD scholarship, The Special Research Fund of the Ghent University, Belgium (2004-2008).

Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) scholarship, Belgium (2002-2004) to follow International Masters Program “Physical Land Resources”

Scholarship for most meritorious students in the faculty of Agriculture, by Chemical Industries Ceylon (CIC) Ltd.(1998)