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.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
S.E. Aksamit F.D. Irving (1984) ArticleTitlePrescribed burning for lowland black spruce regeneration in Northern Minnesota Can. J. Forest Res. 14 107–113
P.S. Ashton P. Hall (1992) ArticleTitleComparisons of structure among mixed dipterocarp forests of north-western Borneo J. Ecol. 80 459–481 Occurrence Handle10.2307/2260691
T. Atzet R.H. Waring (1970) ArticleTitleSelective filtering of light by coniferous forests and minimum light energy requirements for regeneration Can. J. Bot. 48 2163–2167 Occurrence Handle10.1139/b70-312
N.P. Baduni C.M. Sharma (2001) ArticleTitlePopulation structure and community analysis on different aspects of Sal savanna forest type in outer Garhwal Himalaya Indian Forester 127 IssueID9 1001–1011
T.N.S. Bankoti Uma Melkania A.K. Saxena (1986) ArticleTitleVegetation analysis, an altitudinal gradient in Kumaun Himalaya Indian J. Ecol. 13 211–221
S.K. Barik P. Rao R.S. Tripathi H.N. Pandey (1996) ArticleTitleDynamics of tree seedling population in a humid subtropical forest of northeast India as related to disturbances Can. J. Forest Res. 26 584–589 Occurrence Handle10.1139/x26-067
B.S. Bhandari (2003) ArticleTitleBlue pine (Pinus wallichiana) forest stands of Garhwal Himalaya: composition, population structure and diversity J. Trop. Forest Sci. 15 IssueID1 26–36
P. Bhuyan M.L. Khan R.S. Tripathi (2002) ArticleTitleRegeneration 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 IssueID11 1391–1394
P. Bhuyan M.L. Khan R.S. Tripathi (2003) ArticleTitleTree diversity and population structure in undisturbed and human-impacted stands of tropical wet evergreen forest in Arunachal PradeshEastern Himalayas India Biodivers. Conserv. 12 IssueID8 1753–1773 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1023619017786
L.R. Boring C.D. Monk W.T. Swank (1981) ArticleTitleEarly regeneration of a clear cut southern Appalachian forest Ecology 62 1244–1253 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL3MXmtF2gsbc%3D Occurrence Handle10.2307/1937289
F.H. Bormann G.E. Likens (1979) Pattern and Process in a Forested Ecosystem Springer-Verlag New York, USA
M. Cao J.H. Zhang Z. Feng J. Deng X. Deng (1996) ArticleTitleTree species composition of a seasonal rain forest in Xishuangbanna, South West China Trop. Ecol. 37 IssueID2 183–192
W.H. Emmingham R.H. Waring (1977) ArticleTitleAn index of photosynthesis for comparing forest in Western Oregon Can. J. Forest Res. 7 165–174
J.M. Espelta M. Riba J. Retana (1995) ArticleTitlePatterns of seedling recruitment in host – Mediterranean Quercus ilex forests influenced by canopy development J. Veg. Sci. 6 465–472 Occurrence Handle10.2307/3236344
C.V.S. Gunatilleke N. Weerasekera I.A.U.N. Gunatilake H.S. Kathriarachchi (2001) The role of dipterocarps, their population structures and spatial distributions in the forest dynamics plot a Sinharaja, Sri Lanka K.N. Ganeshaiah R. Uma Shaanker K.S. Bawa (Eds) Tropical Ecosystem: StructureDiversity, and Human WelfareProceedings of the International Conference on Tropical Ecosystems Oxford & IBH Publishing New Delhi 591–594
P. Jaccard (1912) ArticleTitleThe distribution of the flora of the alpine zone New Phytol. 11 48–50 Occurrence Handle10.1111/j.1469-8137.1912.tb05611.x
T. Jayasingham S. Vivekanantharaja (1994) ArticleTitleVegetation survey of the Wasgomuvaoya National Park Sri Lanka: analysis of the Wasgomuvaoya forest Vegetatio 113 1–8 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00045458
T. Jeffre J.M. Veillon (1990) ArticleTitleEtude floristique et structure de deux forests denses humides sur roches ultrabasiques en Nouvelle-Caledonie Bulletin de la Museum Nationale Histoire Naturalle, Paris 12 IssueIDB 243–273
R.H. Jones R.R. Sharitz P.M. Dixon D.S. Segal R.L. Schneider (1994) ArticleTitleWoody plant regeneration in four floodplain forests Ecol. Monogr. 64 345–367 Occurrence Handle10.2307/2937166
M.L. Khan R.S. Tripathi (1989) ArticleTitleEffects of stump diameterstump height and sprout density on the sprout growth of four tree species in burnt and unburnt forest plots Acta Oecol. 10 IssueID4 303–316
M.L. Khan J.P.N. Rai R.S. Tripathi (1986) ArticleTitleRegeneration and survival of tree seedlings and sprouts in tropical deciduous and sub-tropical forests of Meghalaya, India Forest Ecol. Manag. 14 293–304 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0378-1127(86)90175-1
M.L. Khan J.P.N. Rai R.S. Tripathi (1987) ArticleTitlePopulation structure of some tree species in disturbed and protected sub-tropical forests of north-east India Acta Oecol–Oec. Appl. 8 IssueID3 247–255
A.D. Khumbongmayum M.L. Khan R.S. Tripathi (2004) ArticleTitleSacred groves of Manipur: ideal centres for biodiversity conservation Curr. Sci. 87 IssueID4 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).
R. Kumar A.K. Singh S.G. Abbas (1994) ArticleTitleChange in population structure of some dominant tree species of dry Peninsular Sal Forest Indian Forester 120 343–348
D. Lieberman M. Li (1992) ArticleTitleSeedling recruitment patterns in a tropical dry forest in Ghana J. Veg. Sci. 3 375–382 Occurrence Handle10.2307/3235763
D. Lieberman M. Lieberman G.S. Hartshorn R. Peralta (1985) ArticleTitleGrowth rates and age-size relationships of tropical wet forest trees in Costa Rica J. Trop. Ecol. 1 97–109
N. Manokaran J.V. LaFrankie SuffixJr. (1990) ArticleTitleStand structure of Pasoh Forest reservea lowland rain forest in peninsular Malaysia J. Trop. Forest Sci. 3 14–24
M. Maram Kuba M.L. Khan (1998) ArticleTitleRegeneration status of trees in various categories of forests in Manipur J. Hill Res. 11 IssueID2 178–182
P.I. Marks (1974) ArticleTitleThe role of pine cherry (Prunus pensylvania L.) in the maintenance of stability in northern hardwood ecosystems Ecol. Monogr. 44 73–88 Occurrence Handle10.2307/1942319
B.P. Mishra R.S. Tripathi O.P. Tripathi H.N. Pandey (2003) ArticleTitleEffects of disturbance on the regeneration of four dominant and economically important woody species in a broad-leaved subtropical humid forest of Meghalayanorth east India Curr. Sci. 84 IssueID11 1449–1453
D. Minore (1998) ArticleTitleEffects of light intensity and temperature on the growth of Douglasfir and incense-cedar seedlings Forest Sci. 34 215–233
N.M. Nadkarni T.J. Matelson W.A. Haber (1995) ArticleTitleStructural characteristics and floristic composition of a neotopical cloud forest. Monteverde, Costa Rica J. Trop. Ecol. 11 481–495
D. Newbery E.J.F. McC Y.F. Campbell Ridsdale Lee CF M.J. Still (1992) ArticleTitlePrimary lowland dipterocarp forest at Danum valley. Sabah. Malayisa: Structurerelative abundance and family composition Proc. Trans. Roy. Soc. London 335 341–356
K. Paijmans (1970) ArticleTitleAn analysis of four tropical rain forest sites in New Guinea J. Ecol. 58 77–101 Occurrence Handle10.2307/2258170
P.K. Pande J.D.S. Negi S.C. Sharma (2002) ArticleTitlePlant species diversity, composition, gradient analysis and regeneration behaviour of some tree species in a moist temperate western Himalayan forest ecosystem Indian Forester 128 IssueID8 869–886
N. Parthasarathy (2001) ArticleTitleChanges in forest composition and structure in three sites of tropical evergreen forest around Sengaltheri, Western Ghats Curr. Sci. 80 IssueID3 389–393
N. Parthasarathy R. Karthikeyan (1997) ArticleTitleBiodiversity and population density of woody species in a tropical evergreen forest in Courtallum reserve, Western Ghats, India Trop. Ecol. 38 IssueID2 297–306
J.P. Pascal R. Pelissier (1996) ArticleTitleStructure and floristic composition of tropical evergreen forest in southern India J. Trop. Ecol. 12 95–218
J.S. Perira T.T. Kozlwski (1977) ArticleTitleWater relations and drought resistance of young Pinus banksiana and Pinus resinosa plantation trees Can. J. Forest Res. 7 132–137
M.P. Pritts J.E. Hancock (1983) ArticleTitleThe effect of population structure on growth patterns of the weedy goldenrod Solidago pauciflos culose Can. J. Bot. 61 1955–1958
P.B. Rao (1988) ArticleTitleEffects of environmental factors on germination and seedling growth in Querscus floribunda and Cupressus torulosatree species of central Himalaya Ann. Bot. 61 531–540
P.B. Rao S.K. Barik H.N. Pandey R.S. Tripathi (1990) ArticleTitleCommunity composition and tree population structure in a sub-tropical broad-leaved forest along a disturbance gradient Vegetatio 88 151–162 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00044832
A.K. Saxena J.S. Singh (1984) ArticleTitleTree population structure of certain Himalayan forest associations and implications concerning their future composition Vegetatio 58 61–69 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00044928
A.K. Saxena S.P. Singh J.S. Singh (1984) ArticleTitlePopulation structure of forest of Kumaon Himalaya: implications for management J. Environ. Manag. 19 307–324
P.J. Schulte P.E. Marshall (1983) ArticleTitleGrowth and water relations of black locust and Pine seedlings exposed to controlled water-stress Can. J. Forest Res. 13 334–338 Occurrence Handle10.1139/x83-047
V. Sood Monik Bhatia (1991) ArticleTitlePopulation structure and regeneration status of tree species in forests around Shimla, Himachal Pradesh Van Vigyan 29 IssueID4 223–229
C. Srinivas (1992) Plant Biomass, Net Primary Productivity and Nutrient Cycling in Oak Quercus serrata Thumb. Forests of Manipur 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.
M.D. Swaine J.B. Hall (1988) ArticleTitleThe mosaic theory of forest regeneration and the determination of forest composition in Ghana J. Trop. Ecol. 4 253–269 Occurrence Handle10.1017/S0266467400002819
M.D. Swaine D. Lieberman J.B. Hall (1990) ArticleTitleStructure and dynamics in a tropical dry forest in Ghana Vegetatio 88 31–51 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00032601
R.S. Tripathi M.L. Khan (1990) ArticleTitleEffects 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
Shankar Uma (2001) ArticleTitleA 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
T.T. Veblen D.H. Ashton F.J. Schlegel (1979) ArticleTitleTree regeneration strategies in lowland Nothofagus dominated forest in South-Central Chile J. Biogeogr. 6 329–340 Occurrence Handle10.2307/3038085
C.W. Welden S.W. Hewett S.P. Hubbell R.B. Foster (1991) ArticleTitleSapling survival, growth and recruitment: relationship to canopy height in a neotropical forest Ecology 72 35–50 Occurrence Handle10.2307/1938900
P.S. Yadava E.J. Singh K.A.S. Soreishang (1991) Tree population structure of sub-tropical forests of Manipur, North Eastern India and implications for their regeneration G.S. Rajwar (Eds) Advances in Himalayan ecology Today and Tomorrows Printers & Publishers New Delhi 13–23
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Devi Khumbongmayum, A., Khan, M.L. & Tripathi, R.S. Biodiversity Conservation in Sacred Groves of Manipur, Northeast India: Population Structure and Regeneration Status of Woody Species. Biodivers Conserv 15, 2439–2456 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-6901-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-6901-0