Phytosociological Patterns Along a Soil Nutrient Gradient in Sacred Groves of Haryana

Aman Mahla; Himanshi Dhiman; Harikesh Saharan; Anita Rarni Sehrawat

doi:10.3986/hacq-2025-0024

Avtorji

Aman Mahla Department of Botany, Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2326-1740
Himanshi Dhiman Department of Botany, Vivek University, Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6774-1231
Harikesh Saharan Department of Botany, Vivek University, Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2102-8091
Anita Rarni Sehrawat Department of Botany, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0594-1929

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3986/hacq-2025-0024

Ključne besede:

Sacred Groves, IVI, soil nutrients, phytodiversity, vegetation composition

Povzetek

Sacred groves (SGs) are patches of natural vegetation traditionally protected by local communities for religious, cultural, or spiritual reasons. This study evaluated the phytodiversity and soil nutrient profile of four SGs in semi-arid Western Haryana, outside the protected area network. Quadrat sampling recorded floristic composition, species richness, dominance, evenness, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′). Soil parameters included pH, electrical conductivity (EC), bulk density (BD), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and organic carbon (OC). Tree, shrub, and herb density was highest in Bidola SG, while basal area was greater in Sultanpur (19.77 m²/ha) and Dhingsara (15.51 m²/ha) than in Makrana Johra (7.69) and Bidola (4.49). Dominant species were Acacia tortilis (Bidola), Salvadora oleoides (Sultanpur), and invasive Prosopis juliflora (Dhingsara). H′ ranged 0.61–3.26 for trees, 0.05–0.58 for shrubs, 0.39–0.88 for herbs, and 0.32–4.59 for climbers. Soils showed highest EC, N, P, K, and OC in Makrana Johra, maximum BD in Dhingsara, and highest pH in Bidola. Findings highlight that SGs of Western Haryana sustain notable biodiversity and soil fertility, but agricultural expansion threatens their integrity, requiring urgent conservation and community–scientist collaboration.

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