Analyses of Plant Diversity in a Sacred Grove of Pudukkottai District, Tamil
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© 2018 IJRAR December 2018, Volume 5, Issue 4 www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138) Analyses of plant diversity in a sacred grove of Puddukottai District, Tamil Nadu, India Dhanasekar S1*, Muthukumar B2*, Soosairaj S3* 1. GUEST LECTURER, PG & RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY, ARIGNAR ANNA GOVT. ARTS COLLEGE, MUSIRI, TAMILNADU, INDIA. 2. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, PG & RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY, NATIONAL COLLEGE, TIRUCHIRAPPALLI, TAMILNADU, INDIA 3. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR,. PG & RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY, ST JOSEPH’S COLLEGE, TIRUCHIRAPPALLI, TAMILNADU, INDIA ABSTRACT Assessment on the plant diversity in Kanadukathaan sacred grove near Naratharmalai in the Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu, India, was carried out during 2015 – 2016. In the study, a total of 113 plant species were recorded belonged to 100 genera distributed among 54 families, in which 2 families are vascular cryptogams (Pteridophyta) and 1 family was non – vascular cryptogams (Bryophyta) and all other families are Angiosperms. Fabaceae (10 species) is a dominant family followed by Rubiaceae (8 species), Euphorbiaceae (6 species) and 4 species each from Malvaceae and Poaceae. The diversity indices namely Shannon – Weiner index, Simpson index, evenness index, etc., were analysed. Among the total species, two species were in vulnerable condition in regard to red data book. KEY WORDS: Sacred groves, Cryptogams, Angiosperms, Diversity indices, RED data book INTRODUCTION this area is shrinking at the rate of 11.3 million hectares per year (FAO,1999). Classification is an essential process in our daily lives and a necessary tool for our survival. For example we Many parts of the globe are constantly losing need to know which plants, animals and fungi are useful and organisms through pollution, loss of natural habitats and are poisonous or dangerous (Kushwah and Kumar, 2000). As environmental degradation due to human over population. defined at the Rio-convention (1992), Biological diversity The conservation of biodiversity is a vast undertaking (Biodiversity) means “the variability among living organisms requiring the globalisation of existing knowledge and new from all sources including inter alia, terrestrial, marine and information on the monitoring and management of other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of biodiversity on an unprecedented scale (Smith et al., 1993). which they are part” .This includes diversity within species, between species and ecosystems. The different ways in which human influence affect biodiversity at all its different levels are considered beneath India is rich in biodiversity at ecosystems and five headings: species level and ranks sixth among 12 mega biodiversity countries in world. Out of 1.7 million globally described i. Agriculture, forestry and fisheries and the species, India possesses 49,219 species of flora and 81,251 over harvesting of resources. species of fauna. This represents about 7% of world species ii. Habitat destruction, conversion, (Kotwal,1997).Forests are very complex and genetic fragmentation and degradation. composition in their relation with biotic environment iii. Introduction of exotic or invasive or (Fanta,1998).Forests still cover about 25% of the world but organisms and diseases. IJRAR1944443 International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR) www.ijrar.org 433 © 2018 IJRAR December 2018, Volume 5, Issue 4 www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138) iv. Pollution of soil, water and atmosphere. are the tracts of virgin forest that were left untouched by v. Global change. local inhabitants, sometime women are not allowed enter them, harbour rich biodiversity and are protected by the local The degradation of tropical forests and destruction people due to their beliefs and taboos that the idols reside in of habitat due to anthropogenic activities are the major them (Gadgil and Vartak,1975; Khiewtam and causes of decline in the global biodiversity. Therefore in Ramakrishnan,1989). many areas the reconstruction of a disturbed ecosystem is being taken upon a priority basis, both for biodiversity In India over 13,720 sacred groves have been conservation and for maintaining landscape productivity enlisted that exist across diverse topography and climatic (Solbrig, 1991). conditions from down south to north however, the actual number is thought to be much larger than that (Chandra The indigenous communities still practice some Prakash Kala, 2011). cultural linkages between social and biophysical ecosystems. They have not co-evolved with surrounding environmental The sacred groves of Tamilnadu are a part of the conditions but also they have maintained it in a diverse and local folklore and religion. Every village may have a grove, a productive state on the basis of traditional practices and protected area associate with local folk deities of obscure beliefs (Chandra Prakash Kala, 2011). origin. Amman or the mother goddess enshrined in one of her many synonymatic forms as Kali, Mari, Pidari, Ellaikali, SACRED GROVES etc. in fulfilment of prayers for a good harvest or good health. The people of the village make votive offerings of Many traditional conservation practices of terracotta horses, bulls or elephants to Ayyanar, the mythical indigenous people in many parts of the world such as watchman of the village whose statue is also consecrated in protection of small forest patches by dedicating them to the the groves. local deity, also contributed to the conservation and protection of biodiversity such forests patches called sacred Sacred groves are important, not only because they groves. Sacred groves are tracts of virgin forest harbouring are sacred, but values of for reaching importance are implicit rich biodiversity, protected by the local people based on their them. The scientific economical social and spiritual values in indigenous cultural and religious beliefs and taboos. Sacred them will have to explicit. The vegetation in undisturbed groves are patches of natural vegetation surviving in the man groves is luxuriant and comprises several stories of trees modified landscapes (Jayapalet al., 2014). mixed with shrubs, lianas and herbs. The soil is rich in humus and covered with thick litter (AnishBabuet al., 2014). Such traditional practices have been invariably operating in different parts of India (Anthwalet al., 2006). Sacred groves IJRAR1944443 International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR) www.ijrar.org 434 © 2018 IJRAR December 2018, Volume 5, Issue 4 www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138) Sacred groves are the treasure house of rare and Amongst them forest biodiversity is a part of our daily life endangered species of animals and abode of many medicinal, and livelihood and constitutes the resources upon which endemic, endangered and economically important plants. society, nations and future generations depend. Yet by our The ponds and streams adjoining groves are perennial heedless actions we are eroding this biological capital at an sources of water. Many animals and birds resort to them for alarming rate (Kushwah and Kumar, 2000). their water requirements during summer. Traditionally, some Human activity has accelerated the extinction of gender issues were associated with the sacred groves, species in recent centuries. Between 1600 and 1950, the rate especially with respect to collection and use of resources. of extinction went one species every 10 years. Currently it Before entering the sacred grove women were adviced to is perhaps one species every year. So although these trends take bath. During monthly menstruation women were strictly are useful indicators, they may not reflect what is happening prohibited going inside the sacred groves, as there was a to diversity as a whole. There is now an agreement among strong belief that it might defiled her or the deities living in scientists that species are disappearing at rate for than the sacred grove. The villagers generally performed the previously believed and that reduction of the richest habitats purifying ritual of deceased family at tenth days of the death is putting the world on the threshold of another mass of the person. People strictly followed these customary extinction, this time created by man (Meyers, 1986). norms in view of their own welfare as well as their deities and society. The most important of all vegetation on earth, the tropical forest cover only 11% of the land surface, yet hold The present study aims at least half of the world’s species, most of them neither named not studied. Tropical forest originally covered 16 1. To analyse the species diversity of trees, shrubs million km2 of intact primary forests (Lanly, 1982). This and Herbs in of 0.1 ha area. rate is alarming and we need to focus our attention at the 2. Important value index analysis of the plant species level assessing biodiversity for conservation species observed in this sacred grove along planning. In some communities biodiversity measures may with relative frequency, density and be expressed by the number of species, but in others by the abundance. number of genera and families, However, William et al., REVIEW OF LITERATURE (1994) found a very close relationship between the number of species present in 0.1 ha plots and the number of species Human beings depend on biological resources of present. These authors point out that complete count of food, energy, construction materials, medicine, inspiration organisms are impractical at present and that solutions are and besides much else, biological