Rostam Moslempour; Samira Hossein Jafari; Reza Yari
Volume 33, Issue 2 , July 2026, , Pages 101-121
Abstract
Extended Abstract Background and objectives: Iran has a high potential in carbon storage due to the large extent of rangelands. Rangeland ecosystems are atmospheric carbon sinks. Soil is an important source of carbon storage and it has been proved that carbon storage in soil is more than three times ...
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Extended Abstract Background and objectives: Iran has a high potential in carbon storage due to the large extent of rangelands. Rangeland ecosystems are atmospheric carbon sinks. Soil is an important source of carbon storage and it has been proved that carbon storage in soil is more than three times the storage in the atmosphere and vegetation. Knowing the amount of soil carbon sequestration and storage can be used as a useful and practical tool to better understand soil carbon cycle. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate and determine the most important soil factors affecting the amount of soil carbon storage in Zirkouh and Ferdows habitats in South Khorasan with different plant types.Methodology: The present research was carried out in South Khorasan province in rangeland habitats of Zirkouh, including Artemisia sieberi, Zygophyllum eurypterum, and Tamarix stricta plant types, and in the desert areas of Ferdows, including Calligonum polygonoides, Seidlitzia rosmarinus, Stipagrostis pennata, and Zygophyllum eurypterum types. 60 squares of 4×4 meters were established in the representative area of each habitat by random-systematic method, and, canopy cover percentage and plant density was estimated in each plot. Then, 10 plants were randomly selected. Soil samples were taken to a depth of 70 cm in the plots, under the canopy cover of the plant. Soil physical and chemical properties were determined in the laboratory. The correlation diagram (Pearson correlation coefficient) between environmental characteristics and carbon storage was drawn. First, ordinary multiple linear regression (OLS) analysis was used to examine the relationships, and the multiple collinearity between environmental characteristics and organic carbon storage was examined by the variance inflation factor (VIF) criterion. Since normality and multiple collinearity are assumptions of ordinary regression, two regression models: Partial Least Squares (PLS) and Principal Component Regression (PCR), were used in the present study.Results: The results of descriptive statistics showed that in Zirkouh habitat, the highest and lowest changes in soil carbon storage are in Tamarix habitat (Mean=20.77, SD=11.66) and Artemisia habitat (Mean=13.83, SD=1.81), respectively. In Ferdows region, the highest and lowest changes in the amount of soil carbon storage were observed in Calligonum (Mean=6.96, SD=1.57) and Zygophyllum (Mean=5.36, SD=0.80) habitats, respectively. In Zirkouh habitat, carbon storage had a significant negative correlation with sand (p≤0.05) and a significant positive correlation with canopy cover percentage, N, P, silt, EC (p≤0.01), lime and K (p≤0.05). Interestingly, sand percentage had a significant negative correlation with all measured soil properties in this diagram. In Ferdows region, carbon storage had a significant negative correlation with gypsum and potassium (p≤0.05) and a significant positive correlation with N. In the present study, two models of partial least square regression (PLS) and principal component regression (PCR) were used. In PLS regression method as the best model, in Zirkouh habitat, the parameters such as sand, silt, phosphorus and canopy cover percentages remained as significant variables in the model and among them, silt percentage had the most impact in predicting carbon storage. In Ferdows habitat, the parameters including organic carbon, silt, nitrogen, potassium and gypsum remained as significant variables in the model.Conclusion: Investigating the effective factors on carbon storage can help managers and decision makers in choosing management methods and modifying existing methods in order to reduce atmospheric carbon density. The results of this research showed that among the two models of partial least square regression (PLS) and principal component regression (PCR), PLS model is the best model to determine the factors affecting carbon storage. There was a positive relationship between vegetation cover and soil nutrients (N, P, K) and carbon storage in the Zirkouh habitat, which emphasizes the role factors related to fertility in carbon storage. By implementing appropriate range management strategies—such as protection, improvement, and restoration of vegetation cover—we can increase soil organic carbon storage. This approach can help prevent air pollution, reduce vegetation degradation, and ultimately mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.
Jalil Farzadmehr; Yaser Ghasemi Aryan; Reza Yari
Volume 29, Issue 2 , July 2022, , Pages 156-165
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effect of restoration projects on soil surface indicators and performance characteristics in Taherabad rangelands of Ferdows. The Landscape Function Analysis method was used to determine soil surface properties and yield potentials. In this regard, in the representative ...
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This study aimed to investigate the effect of restoration projects on soil surface indicators and performance characteristics in Taherabad rangelands of Ferdows. The Landscape Function Analysis method was used to determine soil surface properties and yield potentials. In this regard, in the representative area of each treatment, three transects (each for 100-meter) were settled at specified distances along the main slope. Along each transect the length and width of plant spots and the length of the inter-spot distance were measured. Excel and LFA (Landscape Function Analysis) instructions were used to calculate the performance potentials. To examine the significance of the performance potentials, SAS software was used in this study. According to the results, there is a significant difference between the treatments. The highest percentage of stability was estimated in the arc basin + exclusion and the lowest was in the treatment of the control area; also, soil infiltration of different restorative treatments, significant differences, and the highest and lowest percentages of soil infiltration was estimated in the arc basin + exclusion and control projects, respectively. The results showed no significant difference in the Nutrient Cycling Index and soil mineral elements in different rangeland restoration projects. Landscape Organization Index for arc basin + exclusion, planting + exclusion, exclusion and control were estimated to be 0.33, 0.22, 0.18 and 0.14, respectively. The Kruskal–Wallis test showed a significant difference (at a 5% level) between the soil surface indicators at different rangeland restoration projects. It is concluded that there are significant differences among soil surface indicators, collar and canopy, litter, soil surface fragility, erosion type and intensity, eroded materials, nature of soil surface and wetting test at 5%, and texture at 1% in different restoration treatments. Different treatments have caused differences in these indicators. Also, there is no significant difference between cryptogam and microtopography indicators. In general, arc basin +exclusion construction in arid and semi-arid regions is a useful restoration activity and increases soil stability and infiltration.
Hosein Bashari; Amrali Shahmoradi
Volume 11, Issue 3 , August 2019, , Pages 287-308
Somayeh Dehdari; Masoomeh Movaghari Rodposhti; Zohreh Khorsandi Koohanestani; Ali Ehsani
Volume 25, Issue 1 , April 2018, , Pages 227-234
Abstract
The reduced biomass in forests and rangelands ecosystems for any reason can affect the process of carbon sequestration and as a result of global warming. This study was conducted to assess carbon storage under different grazing intensities in rangeland of Chah Mary dominated with Artemisia ...
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The reduced biomass in forests and rangelands ecosystems for any reason can affect the process of carbon sequestration and as a result of global warming. This study was conducted to assess carbon storage under different grazing intensities in rangeland of Chah Mary dominated with Artemisia siberi in Khuzestan province. Three sites under heavy, moderate and low grazing intensities were selected based on similar topographic features (slope, aspect and elevation), rainfall, soil and climate. Plant sampling was done in key areas by random-systematic method along three transects of 100m and 60 plots of 1m2. Then, aerial and underground biomass parameters were evaluated in each plot and carbon was determined by ash method. The data were analyzed by SPSS v.16 software. According to the results, carbon sequestration decreased from 5704/3 in the low-grazing region to 3470/1 in the high-grazing region. Also, under low-grazing intensity, the carbon stored in aerial biomass and underground biomass was 4360/9 and 2180/5, respectively.