Regeneration status and population structure of tree species in sacred groves of Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh state, India
摘要
This study explores the regeneration status and population structure of selected tree species in eight sacred groves (SGs) of Jashpur district, Chhattisgarh, using 10 m x 10 m quadrats at each site. Regeneration status was classified as good, fair, poor, none, or new based on seedling and sapling densities. Results indicated diverse regeneration patterns i.e., Echkela SG showed good regeneration with the highest seedling density of 22,500 stems ha-1, Sardih SG exhibited better regeneration with the highest sapling density of 650 stems ha−1, while Konbira SG showed poor regeneration with 9,000 seedlings ha−1 and 120 saplings ha−1. The highest total stem density (23,620 stems ha−1) was found in Echkela SG, and the lowest (410 stems ha−1) in Gamhariya SG. Lotapani SG recorded the highest species richness (8 species), whereas Gamhariya, Echkela, Sarabkombo, and Bataikela had only two species each. Species-specific analysis revealed fair regeneration of Buchanania lanzan and Shorea robusta in Echkela; good regeneration of Terminalia bellerica in Sardih; and good regeneration of Haldina cordifolia in Konbira. Kersai SG exhibited good regeneration of Schleichera oleosa and S. robusta, while Madhuca indica in Bataikela showed no regeneration. The findings underline the ecological value of SGs and stress the urgency for conservation interventions to mitigate biotic pressures such as grazing, logging, and fuelwood extraction.