PLOS One study finds sacred groves aid regeneration of giant-tree species in Western Ghats

A study published in PLOS One reports that sacred groves in the Western Ghats hold nearly twice the giant-tree species found in nearby villages and support higher survival and regeneration of bird-dispersed, large-seeded trees. Fieldwork in and around Vanzole village measured 82 giant trees across 20 species and compared sapling presence under giant trees in groves versus villages, finding substantially higher sapling occurrence in groves for Caryota urens and Strychnos nux-vomica.