The supernatural characters and powers of sacred trees in the Holy Land

This article surveys the beliefs concerning the supernatural characteristics and powers of sacred trees in Israel; it is based on a field study as well as a survey of the literature and includes 118 interviews with Muslims and Druze. Both the Muslims and Druze in this study attribute supernatural dimensions to sacred trees which are directly related to ancient, deep-rooted pagan traditions. The Muslims attribute similar divine powers to sacred trees as they do to the graves of their saints; the graves and the trees are both considered to be the abode of the soul of a saint which is the source of their miraculous powers. Any violation of a sacred tree would be strictly punished while leaving the opportunity for atonement and forgiveness. The Druze, who believe in the transmigration of souls, have similar traditions concerning sacred trees but with a different religious background. In polytheistic religions the sacred grove/forest is a centre of the community's official worship; any violation of the trees is regarded as a threat to the well being of the community. Punishments may thus be collective. In the monotheistic world (including Christianity, Islam and Druze) the pagan worship of trees was converted into the worship/adoration of saints/prophets; it is not a part of the official religion but rather a personal act and the punishments are exerted only on the violating individual

Litter and fine root dynamics of a relict sacred grove forest at Cherrapunji in North-Eastern India

In a sacred grove climax forest (protected by the local Khasi tribe for religious reasons) at Cherrapunji in north-eastern India (mean annual rainfall, 10 372 mm), litter dynamics and related fine root dynamics were studied. Litterfall and its decomposition were very pronounced during the monsoon season, unlike in other rain forests in the region. High levels of nitrogen (2.13-3.58%) phosphorus (0.62-0.91%) and potassium (1.45-1.98%) in the leaf litter of four dominant tree species - Englehardtia spicata Bl., Echinocarpus dasycarpus Benth, Sysygium cuminii (L.) Skeels and Drimycarpus racemosus Hk.f. - suggest that these species help in conserving nutrient elements, thus ensuring their rapid recycling. Different species have different nutrient release patterns which are related to litter quality and seasonal environmental factors. The highly developed fine root system (14 000 kg ha-1) of which about 48% is located in the 0-10 cm soil depth, is important for nutrient storage and rapid recycling of nutrients. With a productivity of 3200 kg ha-1 per year, the fine root component of the climax sacred grove ecosystem has a key role to play in tight nutrient cycling. It is concluded that these results are important in understanding the fragility of rainforest ecosystems and their management