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Tree diversity and community composition in sacred forests are superior than the other community forests in a human-dominated landscape of Meghalaya

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Abstract

Tree diversity and community composition in six sacred forests (SF) of Meghalaya were compared with those of six adjacent community forests (CF) to understand how protection provided to sacred forests by the communities impacts their diversity and community characteristics. The SFs harboured a greater number of tree species (187) compared to the CFs (56). Tree density in the SFs ranged from 750 trees ha−1 (MKSF) to 1470 trees ha−1 (MTSF) while in CFs, it was 875 trees ha−1 (ILCF) to 1236 trees ha1 (NBCF). Among the SFs, the highest basal area was recorded in MNSF (56.89 m2 ha−1) and least in NBSF (40.75 m2 ha−1), while among the CFs tree basal area ranged from 23.7 m2 ha−1 in MKCF to 36.0 m2 ha−1 in MNCF. The canopy cover in SFs ranged from 73.3 to 86.2% while in CFs it ranged from 54.3 to 70.8%. Species rank abundance distribution (RAD) curve or dominance-diversity curve showed high equitability and low dominance in all the six SFs while the RAD curve showed high dominance and low equitability in all the six CFs. The dominance-diversity curve in the SFs followed a log-normal distribution whereas the CFs exhibited a broken stick distribution pattern. Among the CFs, Pinus kesiya was the dominant tree species in five out of six study sites. The dominant species were different for different SFs, which were Microtropis discolour (ILSF), Citrus latipes (MNSF), Castanopsis tribuloides (MTSF), Castanopsis armata (NBSF), Myrica esculenta (NKSF) and Taxus wallichiana (MKSF). SFs were characterized by high diversity and low dominance as seen in old-growth forests. Shannon’s diversity index (H′) in the SFs ranged from 2.06 to 4.28 indicating high tree diversity, while in CFs it was 0.76–2.61 reflecting relatively lower diversity. Simpson’s dominance index for trees was higher in CFs (0.09–0.73) than the SFs (0.02–0.26).

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India for the financial support under the All India Coordinated research project on Sacred grove ecosystem services assessment in Meghalaya (F.No. 22/11/2011-SG/RE). The first and second authors are grateful for the National Fellowship for Higher Education (NFHE) of ST Students from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India (F1-17.1/2016-17/NFST-2015-17-ST-MEG-4208). The support received from Kur Lyngdoh Mawnai, Sirdar of Mawnai village, Lyngdoh of Nongkrem, Bah Kharbuli Lyngdoh, the Raij Mukhla, Dolloi, Pattor, Raij Nongbah, Raij Ialong and Raij Muthlong to carry out the research work in their sacred forests and the adjacent community forests is gratefully acknowledged. Without their permission and support, this work would not have been possible.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Advanced Studies in Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, 793022, India

    Blessing R. Suchiang, Ibadahun M. Nonghuloo, Saralyn Kharbhih, Prem P. Singh, Raghuvar Tiwary, Dibyendu Adhikari, Papiya Ramanujam & Saroj K. Barik

  2. Department of Basic Sciences and Social Sciences, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, 793022, India

    Krishna Upadhaya

  3. CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, 226001, India

    Saroj K. Barik

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  1. Blessing R. Suchiang
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Correspondence to Saroj K. Barik.

Appendix

Appendix

See Tables 5 and 6.

Table 5 Tree species density and IVI values in the six undisturbed sacred forest stands
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Table 6 Tree species density and IVI values  in the six disturbed community forest stands
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Suchiang, B.R., Nonghuloo, I.M., Kharbhih, S. et al. Tree diversity and community composition in sacred forests are superior than the other community forests in a human-dominated landscape of Meghalaya. Trop Ecol 61, 84–105 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42965-020-00066-w

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