scholarly journals CONSERVATION OF SACRED GROVES, CULTURAL CONNECTIONS AND CONTROLLING CLIMATE CHANGE

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-51
Author(s):  
Ramanujam M.P
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Dead Wood ◽  
East Coast ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Original Form ◽  
Sacred Grove ◽  
Sacred Groves ◽  
C Storage ◽  
Cultural Connections ◽  
And Storage

Sacred groves signify the practice of conserving biodiversity with strong beliefs, customs and taboos and are treasure house of rare and endemic species. Everything within these groves is under the protection of the reigning deity of the grove and the removal of any material, even dead wood or twig is a taboo (Gadgil and Vartak, 1976). Such groves still exist in many parts of the world and represent relict vegetation of the locality, preserved in its original form with minimal disturbance. Preservation of these groves, though on the pretext of religious beliefs, is of importance for conserving germ plasm that is otherwise under threat from human interference (Khiewtan and Ramakrishnan, 1989). Among the sacred groves along the coastal sector centering Pondicherry (90km x 50 km) on the east coast of India, Puthupet (28ha), Senthirankillai (15ha), Thoppaiyankulam (10.5ha), Kotthatai (6.15ha) and Karukkai (5.2ha.) were larger groves, the smaller being Sedrapet, Ramanathapuram and Kumalam, each measuring ca.0.2 ha. Of late, ecologists evince interest in the potential of biodiversity in carbon -‘C’ sequestration and storage. In some selected groves, the biosequestered atmospheric carbon (C) values ranged from 47.7 to 120.5 Mg ha-1. The quantum of C-storage in a sacred grove, however small it may be, and its implied role in mitigating the climate change, is now confirmed. These groves which have rich, varied and valuable biodiversity conserved in them can also contribute to tackling climate change, which is another most serious environmental problem facing the humankind.

scholarly journals Sacred Groves: A Pattern of Zagros Forests for Carbon Sequestration and Climate Change Reduction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aiuob moradi ◽  
Nagi Shabanian
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Carbon Content ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Carbon Pools ◽  
Sacred Grove ◽  
Sacred Groves

Abstract Background Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide has led to the global consequences of climate change. Biological carbon sequestration through vegetation and soils is one of the cost-effective ways to reduce this gas. Forests ecosystems are the most important carbon pools among terrestrial ecosystems and play a sustainable and long-term role in reducing climate change. Among forest ecosystems, sacred groves are less-disturbed and they can be a pattern of successful forest management for carbon sequestration and climate change reduction. In the present study, for the first time, the amount of carbon content in sacred grove and silvopastoral lands were investigated to determine the capacity of Zagros oak forests in carbon sequestration and climate change reduction. The aim of this study was to estimate the amount of carbon reserves in mentioned land-uses in order to obtain a systematic attitude towards management of these different land-use types and attain a suitable solution to counter the climate change crisis and ultimately sustainable environmental development. Results The results showed that each of the studied variables in the two studied land use is significantly different from each other. The mean of each of these biomass or carbon pools in silvopastoral is significantly lower than sacred groves. The results indicate that the common utilizations in the forests of the study area cause a significant reduction (P ≤ 0.01) in the forest biomass value and respective carbon content. Sacred grove currently absorbs 826.96 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare more than silvopastoral lands and this is a sign of high degradation in the forests of the study area. Conclusions According to the results obtained in this study, forest ecosystems that are protected against human intervention play a significant role in long-term carbon storage. Any interference with the natural conditions of the ecosystem has a significant negative impact on carbon reserves. Therefore, by selecting appropriate measures, local communities should be empowered to reduce their dependence on low incomes obtained from deforestation and conversion.

scholarly journals Plant diversity and carbon stock in sacred groves of semi-arid areas of Cameroon: case study of Mandara Mountains

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 308-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
VA Kemeuze ◽  
PM Mapongmetsem ◽  
DJ Sonwa ◽  
E Fongnzossie ◽  
BA Nkongmeneck
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Carbon Stock ◽  
Small Diameter ◽  
Sacred Grove ◽  
Sacred Groves ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Acacia Senegal ◽  
Land Use Types

The Mandara Mountain eco-region is one of the most important mountain areas of Cameroon. It is often considered as a refuge for several plant and wildlife species. This area is fragile and vulnerable, and faces severe threats from land use change, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, desertification and climate change. Recent studies in sacred groves portrayed these land use types as indigenous strategies which can help to address these environmental problems. Understanding the plant diversity and carbon storage of these land use types in Mandara Mountain can be a good step towards their sustainable management for the delivery of diverse ecosystem services. In this perspective, we established a total of 10 nested circular plots of 1257 m2 each, in the sacred grove of the Mouhour village in Mandara Mountain, and all trees and shrubs with average diameter at breast height (dbh) ≥ 2.5 cm were counted. Tree biomass was estimated on the basis of DBH and understory biomass using destructive method. A total of 182 woody plants were measured, belonging to 21 species, 18 genera and 12 families. The richest family is Combretaceae with 5 species, followed by Caesalpiniaceae and Mimosaceae (3 species each). The analysis of species diversity indexes shows a relative important biodiversity and the vegetation structure showed a high occurrence of small-diameter of plant species. Mean aboveground carbon stock of 31.13 ± 10.8 tC/ha was obtained in the study area. Isoberlinia doka showed the greatest carbon stock (5.7 tC/ha) followed by Boswellia dalzielii (3.9 tC/ha), Acacia senegal (3.5 tC/ha), Anogeissus leiocarpus (3.3 tC/ha) and Terminalia laxiflora (3.1 tC/ha). These results suggest that the sacred groves of Cameroon dry lands need to be taken into account in national environment protection policies as an alternative to respond to international agreements related to biodiversity conservation, combatting desertification and climate change. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i2.12659 International Journal of Environment Vol.4(2) 2015: 308-318

scholarly journals The role of temperate treed swamps as a carbon sink in southwestern Nova Scotia

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-88
Author(s):  
Rachel A. Kendall ◽  
Karen A. Harper ◽  
David Burton ◽  
Kevin Hamdan
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Forested Wetlands ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Soil C ◽  
C Storage ◽  
C Cycle

Forested wetlands may represent important ecosystems for mitigating climate change effects through carbon (C) sequestration because of their slow decomposition and C storage by trees. Despite this potential importance, few studies have acknowledged the role of temperate treed swamps in the C cycle. In southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada, we examined the role of treed swamps in the soil C cycle by determining C inputs through litterfall, assessing decomposition rates and soil C pools, and quantifying C outputs through soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The treed swamps were found to represent large supplies of C inputs through litterfall to the forest floor. The swamp soils had substantially greater C stores than the swamp–upland edge or upland soils. We found growing season C inputs via litterfall to exceed C outputs via GHG emissions in the swamps by a factor of about 2.5. Our findings indicate that temperate treed swamps can remain a C sink even if soil GHG emissions were to double, supporting conservation efforts to preserve temperate treed swamps as a measure to mitigate climate change.

Impact of global change and forest management on carbon sequestration in northern forested peatlands

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 199-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Lavoie ◽  
David Paré ◽  
Yves Bergeron
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Forest Management ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Average Rate ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Short Time Scale ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
C Storage ◽  
Central Canada ◽  
Northern Peatlands

Northern peatlands occupy approximately 4% of the global land surface and store about 30% of the global soil carbon (C). A compilation of C accumulation rates in northern peatlands indicated a long-term average rate of C accumulation of 24.1 g m–2 year–1. However, several studies have indicated that on a short-time scale and given the proper conditions, these ecosystems can exhibit very high rates of C accumulation (up to 425 g m–2 year–1). Peatland development is related to precipitation and temperature, and climate change is expected to have an important impact on the C balance of this ecosystem. Given the expected climate change, we suggest that most of the northern forested peatlands located in areas where precipitation is expected to increase (eastern Canada, Alaska, FSU, and Fennoscandia) will continue to act as a C sink in the future. In contrast, forested peatlands of western and central Canada, where precipitation is predicted to decrease, should have a reduction in their C sequestration rates and (or) could become a C source. These trends could be affected by forest management in forested peatlands and by changes in fire cycles. Careful logging, as opposed to wildfire, will facilitate C sequestration in forested peatlands and boreal forest stands prone to paludification while silvicultural treatments (e.g., drainage, site preparation) recommended to increase site productivity will enhance C losses from the soil, but this loss could be compensated by an increase in C storage in tree biomass.Key words: C sequestration, forested peatland, paludification, greenhouse gases, climate change, forest management.

scholarly journals Managing rain-filled wetlands for carbon sequestration: a synthesis

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne C. Watkins ◽  
Darren S. Baldwin ◽  
Helen P. Waudby ◽  
Sarah E. M. A. Ning
Keyword(s):  
Wetland Management ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Unit Surface Area ◽  
Agricultural Activities ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
C Storage ◽  
And Storage

Global acknowledgement of climate change and its predicted environmental consequences has created a need for practical management techniques that increase a landscape’s ability to capture and store atmospheric carbon (C). Globally, wetlands sequester disproportionally more C per unit surface area than many other components of the landscape. However, wetlands vary in their capacity to store C and regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrology, in particular, is a critical driver of wetland C capture and storage. Rain-filled wetlands offer a challenge for the management of C sequestration and storage because the hydrology of these systems is almost entirely driven by rainfall. We present a conceptual model of how management options, including weed and pest control, grazing and crop management and revegetation, will affect C sequestration and storage in rain-filled wetlands. Given the intensive nature of agricultural activities in areas where rain-filled wetlands are common, further work is needed to increase our understanding of the effects of these activities on wetland C capture and storage. Key knowledge gaps relating to the effect of management actions on wetland C sequestration include: (a) the benefits of integrated wetland management; (b) the appropriateness of different grazing regimes and the effect of total grazing pressure; (c) the effects of fire; and (d) the extent to which wetland function (C storage) can be restored following agricultural activities, such as cropping.

scholarly journals Defining Climate-Smart Forestry

2021 ◽  
pp. 35-58
Author(s):  
Andrew Weatherall ◽  
Gert-Jan Nabuurs ◽  
Violeta Velikova ◽  
Giovanni Santopuoli ◽  
Bożydar Neroj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Forestry Practices ◽  
C Storage ◽  
The Social ◽  
Mitigate Climate Change

AbstractClimate-Smart Forestry (CSF) is a developing concept to help policymakers and practitioners develop focused forestry governance and management to adapt to and mitigate climate change. Within the EU COST Action CA15226, CLIMO (Climate-Smart Forestry in Mountain Regions), a CSF definition was developed considering three main pillars: (1) adaptation to climate change, (2) mitigation of climate change, and (3) the social dimension. Climate mitigation occurs through carbon (C) sequestration by trees, C storage in vegetation and soils, and C substitution by wood. However, present and future climate mitigation depends on the adaptation of trees, woods, and forests to adapt to climate change, which is also driven by societal change.Criteria and Indicators (C & I) can be used to assess the climate smartness of forestry in different conditions, and over time. A suite of C & I that quantify the climate smartness of forestry practices has been developed by experts as guidelines for CSF. This chapter charts the development of this definition, presents initial feedback from forest managers across Europe, and discusses other gaps and uncertainties, as well as potential future perspectives for the further evolution of this concept.

scholarly journals Sacred Groves: A Pattern of Zagros Forests for Carbon Sequestration and Climate Change Reduction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aioub Moradi ◽  
Naghi Shabanian
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Carbon Content ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Carbon Pools ◽  
Sacred Grove ◽  
Sacred Groves

Abstract Background Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide has led to the global consequences of climate change. Biological carbon sequestration through vegetation and soils is one of the cost-effective ways to reduce this gas. Forest's ecosystems are the most important carbon pools among terrestrial ecosystems and play a sustainable and long-term role in reducing climate change. Among forest ecosystems, sacred groves are less-disturbed and they can be a pattern of successful forest management for carbon sequestration and climate change reduction. In the present study, for the first time, the amount of carbon content in sacred grove and silvopastoral lands were investigated to determine the capacity of Zagros oak forests in carbon sequestration and climate change reduction. The aim of this study was to estimate the amount of carbon reserves in mentioned land-uses in order to obtain a systematic attitude towards management of these different land-use types and attain a suitable solution to counter the climate change crisis and ultimately sustainable environmental development. Results The results showed that each of the studied variables in the two studied land use is significantly different from each other. The mean of each of these biomass or carbon pools in silvopastoral is significantly lower than sacred groves. The results indicate that the common utilizations in the forests of the study area cause a significant reduction (P ≤ 0.01) in the forest biomass value and respective carbon content. Sacred grove currently absorbs 826.96 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare more than silvopastoral lands and this is a sign of high degradation in the forests of the study area. Conclusions According to the results obtained in this study, forest ecosystems that are protected against human intervention play a significant role in long-term carbon storage. Any interference with the natural conditions of the ecosystem has a significant negative impact on carbon reserves. Therefore, by selecting appropriate measures, local communities should be empowered to reduce their dependence on low incomes obtained from deforestation and conversion.

Tree Diversity Conservation Initiatives in Sacred Groves of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-68
Author(s):  
Laxmi Joshi Shrestha ◽  
Mohan Devkota ◽  
Bhuvan Keshar Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Management System ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Kathmandu Valley ◽  
Sacred Grove ◽  
Sacred Groves ◽  
The Government

 The study was conducted in two sacred groves of Kathmandu Valley, Pashupati Sacred Grove, and Bajrabarahi Sacred Grove, aiming to analyze the diversity of tree species and their role in conserving biodiversity. Parallel transects with concentric circular plot survey methods were applied for data collection. During the study, 23 tree species belonging to 22 genera and 15 families were recorded in Pashupati sacred grove, whereas only 19 tree species belonging to 16 genera and 13 families were recorded from Bajrabarahi Sacred Grove. The Shannon-Weiner diversity indices were higher (H=1.91) in Pashupati Sacred Grove compared to Bajrabarahi Sacred Grove, with 1.80 Shanon-Weiner Indices. Three types of forest were recorded from Pashupati Sacred Grove, namely the Schima-Pyrus forest, Myrsine-Persea forest, and Quercus-Myrsine forest, and only one Neolitsiacuipala forest from Bajrabarahi Sacred Grove. The sacred grove is one of the pioneers and community-based management regimes of the forest resource management system. It plays a decisive role in biodiversity conservation as it associated with many taboos and belief systems, thus providing a better opportunity for conservation compared to that of the government management system.

scholarly journals Economic damages from Hurricane Sandy attributable to sea level rise caused by anthropogenic climate change

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin H. Strauss ◽  
Philip M. Orton ◽  
Klaus Bittermann ◽  
Maya K. Buchanan ◽  
Daniel M. Gilford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
East Coast ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Anthropogenic Climate Change ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
Sea Levels

AbstractIn 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast of the United States, creating widespread coastal flooding and over $60 billion in reported economic damage. The potential influence of climate change on the storm itself has been debated, but sea level rise driven by anthropogenic climate change more clearly contributed to damages. To quantify this effect, here we simulate water levels and damage both as they occurred and as they would have occurred across a range of lower sea levels corresponding to different estimates of attributable sea level rise. We find that approximately $8.1B ($4.7B–$14.0B, 5th–95th percentiles) of Sandy’s damages are attributable to climate-mediated anthropogenic sea level rise, as is extension of the flood area to affect 71 (40–131) thousand additional people. The same general approach demonstrated here may be applied to impact assessments for other past and future coastal storms.

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