Abstract
Sacred groves are forest patches conserved by the local people intertwined with their socio-cultural and religious practice. These groves harbour rich biodiversity and play a significant role in the conservation of biodiversity. Population structure and regeneration status of woody species were studied during 2001–2002 in the four sacred groves of Manipur, a state in north east India. A total of 96 woody species was recorded from the four groves, the highest being Konthoujam Lairembi sacred grove (55 species) and lowest in Heingang Marjing sacred grove having 42 species. The density-diameter distribution of woody species in the four groves showed highest stand density and species richness in the lowest girth class (30–60 cm) and decreased in the succeeding girth classes. Overall population structure of the groves based on the number of tree seedlings, saplings and adults, displayed a greater proportion of seedlings followed by saplings and adults while for the selected tree species it varied seasonally and recruitment of species increased during rainy season attaining peak during June. Regeneration status of the four sacred groves based on strength of different age groups in their population showed good regeneration. High occurrence of ‘additional species’ to the groves may be due to the invasion through dispersal from other areas. Possibly, the prevailing favourable microenvironmental conditions contributed to their establishment and growth in the groves. Absence of seedlings and saplings of some of the species in the groves may be due to their poor seed germination and establishment of seedlings in the forest.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Aksamit S.E. and Irving F.D. 1984. Prescribed burning for lowland black spruce regeneration in Northern Minnesota. Can. J. Forest Res. 14: 107–113.
Ashton P.S. and Hall P. 1992. Comparisons of structure among mixed dipterocarp forests of northwestern Borneo. J. Ecol. 80: 459–481.
Atzet T. and Waring R.H. 1970. Selective filtering of light by coniferous forests and minimum light energy requirements for regeneration. Can. J. Bot. 48: 2163–2167.
Baduni N.P. and Sharma C.M. 2001. Population structure and community analysis on different aspects of Sal savanna forest type in outer Garhwal Himalaya. Indian Forester 127(9): 1001–1011.
Bankoti T.N.S., Melkania Uma and Saxena A.K. 1986. Vegetation analysis, an altitudinal gradient in Kumaun Himalaya. Indian J. Ecol. 13: 211–221.
Barik S.K., Rao P., Tripathi R.S. and Pandey H.N. 1996. Dynamics of tree seedling population in a humid subtropical forest of northeast India as related to disturbances. Can. J. Forest Res. 26: 584–589.
Bhandari B.S. 2003. Blue pine (Pinus wallichiana) forest stands of Garhwal Himalaya: composition, population structure and diversity. J. Trop. Forest Sci. 15(1): 26–36.
Bhuyan P., Khan M.L. and Tripathi R.S. 2002. Regeneration status and population structure of Rudraksh (Elaeocarpus ganitrus Roxb.) in relation to cultural disturbances in tropical wet evergreen forest of Arunachal Pradesh. Curr. Sci. 83(11): 1391–1394.
Bhuyan P., Khan M.L. and Tripathi R.S. 2003. Tree diversity and population structure in undisturbed and human-impacted stands of tropical wet evergreen forest in Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalayas India. Biodivers. Conserv. 12(8): 1753–1773.
Boring L.R., Monk C.D. and Swank W.T. 1981. Early regeneration of a clear cut southern Appalachian forest. Ecology 62: 1244–1253.
Bormann F.H. and Likens G.E. 1979. Pattern and Process in a Forested Ecosystem. Springer-Verlag, New York, USA.
Cao M., Zhang J.H., Feng Z., Deng J. and Deng X. 1996. Tree species composition of a seasonal rain forest in Xishuangbanna, South West China. Trop. Ecol. 37(2): 183–192.
Emmingham W.H. and Waring R.H. 1977. An index of photosynthesis for comparing forest in Western Oregon. Can. J. Forest Res. 7: 165–174.
Espelta J.M., Riba M. and Retana J. 1995. Patterns of seedling recruitment in host — Mediterranean Quercus ilex forests influenced by canopy development. J. Veg. Sci. 6: 465–472.
Gunatilleke C.V.S., Weerasekera N., Gunatilake I.A.U.N. and Kathriarachchi H.S. 2001. The role of dipterocarps, their population structures and spatial distributions in the forest dynamics plot a Sinharaja, Sri Lanka. In: Ganeshaiah K.N., Uma Shaanker R. and Bawa K.S. (eds), Tropical Ecosystem: Structure, Diversity, and Human Welfare, Proceedings of the International Conference on Tropical Ecosystems. Oxford & IBH Publishing, New Delhi, pp. 591–594.
Jaccard P. 1912. The distribution of the flora of the alpine zone. New Phytol. 11: 48–50.
Jayasingham T. and Vivekanantharaja S. 1994. Vegetation survey of the Wasgomuvaoya National Park Sri Lanka: analysis of the Wasgomuvaoya forest. Vegetatio 113: 1–8.
Jeffre T. and Veillon J.M. 1990. Etude floristique et structure de deux forests denses humides sur roches ultrabasiques en Nouvelle-Caledonie. Bulletin de la Museum Nationale Histoire Naturalle, Paris 12(B): 243–273.
Jones R.H., Sharitz R.R., Dixon P.M., Segal D.S. and Schneider R.L. 1994. Woody plant regeneration in four floodplain forests. Ecol. Monogr. 64: 345–367.
Khan M.L. and Tripathi R.S. 1989. Effects of stump diameter, stump height and sprout density on the sprout growth of four tree species in burnt and unburnt forest plots. Acta Oecol. 10(4): 303–316.
Khan M.L., Rai J.P.N. and Tripathi R.S. 1986. Regeneration and survival of tree seedlings and sprouts in tropical deciduous and sub-tropical forests of Meghalaya, India. Forest Ecol. Manag. 14: 293–304.
Khan M.L., Rai J.P.N. and Tripathi R.S. 1987. Population structure of some tree species in disturbed and protected sub-tropical forests of north-east India. Acta Oecol-Oec. Appl. 8(3): 247–255.
Khumbongmayum A.D., Khan M.L. and Tripathi R.S. 2004. Sacred groves of Manipur: ideal centres for biodiversity conservation. Curr. Sci. 87(4): 430–433.
Khumbongmayum A.D., Khan M.L. and Tripathi R.S. Sacred groves of Manipur, northeast India: biodiversity value, status and strategies for their conservation. Biodivers. Conserv. (In press).
Kumar R., Singh A.K. and Abbas S.G. 1994. Change in population structure of some dominant tree species of dry Peninsular Sal Forest. Indian Forester 120: 343–348.
Lieberman D. and Li M. 1992. Seedling recruitment patterns in a tropical dry forest in Ghana. J. Veg. Sci. 3: 375–382.
Lieberman D., Lieberman M., Hartshorn G.S. and Peralta R. 1985. Growth rates and age-size relationships of tropical wet forest trees in Costa Rica. J. Trop. Ecol. 1: 97–109.
Manokaran N. and LaFrankie J.V.Jr. 1990. Stand structure of Pasoh Forest reserve, a lowland rain forest in peninsular Malaysia. J. Trop. Forest Sci. 3: 14–24.
Maram Kuba M. and Khan M.L. 1998. Regeneration status of trees in various categories of forests in Manipur. J. Hill Res. 11(2): 178–182.
Marks P.I. 1974. The role of pine cherry (Prunus pensylvania L.) in the maintenance of stability in northern hardwood ecosystems. Ecol. Monogr. 44: 73–88.
Mishra B.P., Tripathi R.S., Tripathi O.P. and Pandey H.N. 2003. Effects of disturbance on the regeneration of four dominant and economically important woody species in a broad-leaved subtropical humid forest of Meghalaya, north east India. Curr. Sci. 84(11): 1449–1453.
Minore D. 1998. Effects of light intensity and temperature on the growth of Douglasfir and incensecedar seedlings. Forest Sci. 34: 215–233.
Nadkarni N.M., Matelson T.J. and Haber W.A. 1995. Structural characteristics and floristic composition of a neotopical cloud forest. Monteverde, Costa Rica. J. Trop. Ecol. 11: 481–495.
Newbery D., McC E.J.F., Campbell Y.F., Lee CF Ridsdale and Still M.J. 1992. Primary lowland dipterocarp forest at Danum valley. Sabah. Malayisa: Structure, relative abundance and family composition. Proc. Trans. Roy. Soc. London 335: 341–356.
Paijmans K. 1970. An analysis of four tropical rain forest sites in New Guinea. J. Ecol. 58: 77–101.
Pande P.K., Negi J.D.S. and Sharma S.C. 2002. Plant species diversity, composition, gradient analysis and regeneration behaviour of some tree species in a moist temperate western Himalayan forest ecosystem. Indian Forester 128(8): 869–886.
Parthasarathy N. 2001. Changes in forest composition and structure in three sites of tropical evergreen forest around Sengaltheri, Western Ghats. Curr. Sci. 80(3): 389–393.
Parthasarathy N. and Karthikeyan R. 1997. Biodiversity and population density of woody species in a tropical evergreen forest in Courtallum reserve, Western Ghats, India. Trop. Ecol. 38(2): 297–306.
Pascal J.P. and Pelissier R. 1996. Structure and floristic composition of tropical evergreen forest in southern India. J. Trop. Ecol. 12: 95–218.
Perira J.S. and Kozlwski T.T. 1977. Water relations and drought resistance of young Pinus banksiana and Pinus resinosa plantation trees. Can. J. Forest Res. 7: 132–137.
Pritts M.P. and Hancock J.E. 1983. The effect of population structure on growth patterns of the weedy goldenrod Solidago pauciflos culose. Can. J. Bot. 61: 1955–1958.
Rao P.B. 1988. Effects of environmental factors on germination and seedling growth in Querscus floribunda and Cupressus torulosa, tree species of central Himalaya. Ann. Bot. 61: 531–540.
Rao P.B., Barik S.K., Pandey H.N. and Tripathi R.S. 1990. Community composition and tree population structure in a sub-tropical broad-leaved forest along a disturbance gradient. Vegetatio 88: 151–162.
Saxena A.K. and Singh J.S. 1984. Tree population structure of certain Himalayan forest associations and implications concerning their future composition. Vegetatio 58: 61–69.
Saxena A.K., Singh S.P. and Singh J.S. 1984. Population structure of forest of Kumaon Himalaya: implications for management. J. Environ. Manag. 19: 307–324.
Schulte P.J. and Marshall P.E. 1983. Growth and water relations of black locust and Pine seedlings exposed to controlled water-stress. Can. J. Forest Res. 13: 334–338.
Sood V. and Bhatia Monik 1991. Population structure and regeneration status of tree species in forests around Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. Van Vigyan 29(4): 223–229.
Srinivas C. 1992. Plant Biomass, Net Primary Productivity and Nutrient Cycling in Oak Quercus serrata Thumb. Forests of Manipur. Ph. D. thesis, Manipur University, Manipur, India.
Sukumar R., Suresh H.S., Dattaraja H.S. and Joshi N.V. 1994. In: Dallmeier F. and Comiskey J.A. (eds), Forest Biodiversity Research-Monitoring and Modeling, Conceptual Background to Old World Case Studies. Parthenon publishing, 1 pp.529–540.
Swaine M.D. and Hall J.B. 1988. The mosaic theory of forest regeneration and the determination of forest composition in Ghana. J. Trop. Ecol. 4: 253–269.
Swaine M.D., Lieberman D. and Hall J.B. 1990. Structure and dynamics in a tropical dry forest in Ghana. Vegetatio 88: 31–51.
Tripathi R.S. and Khan M.L. 1990. Effects of seed weight and microsite characteristics on germination and seedlings fitness in two species of Quercus in a subtropical wet hill forest. Oikos 57: 289–296.
Uma Shankar 2001. A case study of high tree diversity in a sal (Shorea robusta)-Dominated lowland forest of Eastern Himalaya: Floristic composition, regeneration and conservation. Curr. Sci. 81: 776–786.
Veblen T.T., Ashton D.H. and Schlegel F.J. 1979. Tree regeneration strategies in lowland Nothofagus dominated forest in South-Central Chile. J. Biogeogr. 6: 329–340.
Welden C.W., Hewett S.W., Hubbell S.P. and Foster R.B. 1991. Sapling survival, growth and recruitment: relationship to canopy height in a neotropical forest. Ecology 72: 35–50.
Yadava P.S., Singh E.J. and Soreishang K.A.S. 1991. Tree population structure of sub-tropical forests of Manipur, North Eastern India and implications for their regeneration. In: Rajwar G.S. (ed.), Advances in Himalayan ecology. Today and Tomorrows Printers & Publishers, New Delhi, pp. 13–23.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2006 Springer
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Khumbongmayum, A.D., Khan, M.L., Tripathi, R.S. (2006). Biodiversity conservation in sacred groves of Manipur, northeast India: population structure and regeneration status of woody species. In: Hawksworth, D.L., Bull, A.T. (eds) Human Exploitation and Biodiversity Conservation. Topics in Biodiversity and Conservation, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5283-5_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5283-5_7
Received:
Accepted:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-5282-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-5283-5
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)