Greater tree community structure complexity in sacred forest compared to reserve forest land tenure systems in eastern India

Abstract

SummarySacred forests are small patches of forest that are preserved and protected from human exploitation. Although they are identified primarily for spiritual or religious purposes, their contribution to biodiversity conservation has been widely debated. Sacred sites are known to harbour greater biodiversity compared to exploited forests, but the patterns are not well known. We studied tree diversity in a remote forested location in eastern India where sacred forests and reserve forests used by people are present. Tree data from eight sacred forest sites and nine reserve forest sites showed that species richness was significantly greater in sacred forests; species diversity and evenness tended to be greater, but these were not statistically significant. Basal area (a measure of aboveground biomass) was significantly greater, mainly due to the greater density of large trees. There were significant departures from the theoretical expectation of stem size density distributions under pure asymmetric competition for both land tenures, which indicated that extraneous mortality increased death rates of large trees under both regimes, but sacred forests had a greater range of stem sizes. Our results suggest that sacred forests can contribute to biodiversity conservation by preserving greater tree diversity than forests subject to human use.

Towards a psychology of religion and the environment

“…That said, sacred environments have had numerous positive ecological benefits. In India, for example, tree biodiversity is better conserved in sacred groves than secular protected forests [48]; and species of freshwater fish disappearing in other regions, thrive in temple grounds [49]. The religious hunting taboos of the Mro in Bangladesh have contributed to the preservation of several species of fauna [50].…”

Sacred groves of Central India: Diversity status, carbon storage, and conservation strategies

“…They are usually patches with uncut vegetation that are protected under the cover of religious beliefs and taboos by the indigenous communities (Abdullah et al, 2022). Allocation of forest patches for some social, religious, and cultural significance is ingrained in many native cultures throughout the world (Rath et al, 2020). Although initially conserved for religious and cultural reasons, the environmental benefits of SGs are widely recognized (Ballullaya et al, 2019; Khan et al, 2008).…”

Woody Species Diversity, Composition, and Regeneration Status of Abbo Sacred Forest, Southern Ethiopia

“…Sacred forests are the remnant surviving forest patches that preserve indigenous and old-growth forest trees with cultural and/or religious importance to the local people [ 5 , 6 ]. Sacred forests are found in many countries all over the world and are particularly common in parts of Asia and Africa [ 7 ].…”

“…Despite the importance of sacred forests for global biodiversity conservation and local-level benefits, many sacred natural sites have continued to be overlooked by governments, conservation institutions, and broader civil society. Therefore, many sacred forests still have no legal protection and face threats from agricultural expansion and other land-use changes associated with population growth and economic development [ 6 , 16 ]. Understanding the floristic diversity, vegetation structure, and natural regeneration status of the species in sacred forests helps to obtain basic information for designing and implementing sound management and conservation strategies for sustainable utilization of the resource.…”