A Landscape Approach to Biodiversity Conservation of Sacred Groves in the Western Ghats of India

Abstract

Although sacred groves are important for conservation in India, the landscape that surrounds them has a vital influence on biodiversity within them. Research has focused on tree diversity inside these forest patches. In a coffee-growing region of the Western Ghats, however, landscape outside sacred groves is also tree covered because planters have retained native trees to provide shade for coffee plants. We examined the diversity of trees, birds, and macrofungi at 58 sites-10 forest-reserve sites, 25 sacred groves, and 23 coffee plantations-in Kodagu district. We measured landscape composition and configuration around each site with a geographic information system. To identify factors associated with diversity we constructed multivariate models by using a decision-tree technique. The conventional measures of landscape fragmentation such as patch size did not influence species richness. Distance of sacred groves from the forest reserve had a weak influence. The measures of landscape structure (e.g., tree cover in the surroundings) and stand structure (e.g., variability in canopy height) contributed to the variation in species richness explained by multivariate models. We suggest that biodiversity present within sacred groves has been influenced by native tree cover in the surrounding landscape. To conserve this biodiversity the integrity of the tree-covered landscape matrix will need to be conserved.Resumen: Aunque los bosques sagrados son importantes para la conservación en India, el paisaje que los rodea tiene una influencia vital sobre su biodiversidad. La investigación se ha centrado en la diversidad dé arboles dentro de estos parches de bosque. Sin embargo, en una región cafetalera de los Ghats Occidentales, el paisaje también es arbolado porque los dueños han retenidoárboles nativos para que proporcionen sombra a las plantas de café. Examinamos la diversidad deárboles, aves y macro hongos en 58 sitios, incluyendo 10 sitios en reservas forestales, 25 bosques sagrados y 23 plantaciones de café en el distrito Kodagu. Medimos la composición y configuración del paisaje alrededor de cada sitio con un sistema de información geográfica. Construimos modelos multivariados con la técnica deárbol de decisiones para identificar factores asociados con la diversidad. Las medidas convencionales de la fragmentación del paisaje, como tamaño del parche, no influyeron sobre la riqueza de especies. La distancia entre bosques sagrados y las reservas forestales tuvo una influencia débil. Las medidas de la estructura del paisaje (e. g., cobertura deárboles en los alrededores) y estructura del bosque (e. g., variabilidad en la altura del dosel) contribuyeron a la variación en la riqueza de especies explicada por los modelos multivariados. Sugerimos que la biodiversidad presente en los bosques sagrados ha sido influenciada por la cobertura deárboles nativos en el paisaje circundante. Para conservar esta biodiversidad, será necesario conservar la integridad de la matriz del paisaje arbolado.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Sacred Groves and Conservation of Biodiversity in the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve of India

“…As a result of these restrictions, the biodiversity in such sacred groves are preserved over many generations, and still exist today. The sacred groves are the last home of some endangered species, as observed in Kodagu district of southern Indian state of Karnataka [24], and also are known to represent the only exiting climax vegetation communities in northeastern India [23]. Numbers of studies have supported the role of sacred grove in conservation of biodiversity across the different parts of India including West Bengal [25], Northeast India [26] and Eastern Ghats [12].…”

Tibetan Sacred Sites: Understanding the Traditional Management System and Its Role in Modern Conservation

“…Sacred sites have been under the protection of local people for their spiritual value for generations and might be the oldest forms of protected areas in human history (Dudley et al 2009). It has been shown that the traditional practice of sacred site worship may make significant contributions to protecting endangered species and conserving biodiversity (Decher 1997, Mgumia and Oba 2003, Bhagwat et al 2005a, 2005b, Bossart et al 2006, and few studies have documented the social mechanisms behind those traditional practices (Malhotra 2001, Tengö et al 2007. Recognizing the value of sacred sites in contemporary conservation systems is advocated by numerous scholars and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and has received increasing attention over the last two decades (Daniels et al 1993, Xu et al 2005, Bhagwat and Rutte 2006, Dudley et al 2006.…”

Bryophyte diversity in the Sacred Groves, with special reference to Vallikkattukavu of Kozhikode district in Western Ghats

“…Kerala is one of the state having maximum number of Sacred Groves. They are traditionally conserved as a part of natural worship and these practices have played an important role in protection of biodiversity (Bhagawat et al, 2005;Bhagawat & Rutte, 2006.). The sacred grove performs several ecological functions, which directly or indirectly helps to maintain ecosystem health of all other interacting landscape units.…”