Potential of Carbon Sequestration of Hammada salicornica Vegetation Type in Desert Areas (Case Study: South Khorasan, Iran)

Abstract

Climate change due to increasing the level of greenhouse gases including CO2 is the main environmental issue of the world in the new century. One of the effective way for reducing atmospheric CO2 is carbon sequestration by plants and soils. A vast area of Iran has desert condition with special adapted plant species in which can be devoted for carbon sequestration. Hammada salicornica as a shrub plant of chenopodiaceae grows as dominant or key species of vegetation types in many parts of desert areas in south of country. So, potentials of carbon sequestration of H. salicornica vegetation types were estimated in seven sites in South Khorasan provice, Iran. For this purpose, 113 individual plants were measured for height, and long and short diameters of plant crown area and then were cut from ground level. To estimate underground biomass, roots of 10 individual plants were pulled from soil by digging the root zone. Dry matter production of shoots and roots were weighted and some samples were burned for determination of organic carbon. Organic carbon of soil of three sites were measured by soil sampling. Results showed that carbon has been sequestered between 133 to 3293 kg/ha in different sites in which James and Sefarsakh had the highest and the lowest amount of organic carbon in plant vegetation parts. Soil organic carbon obtained about 6313 kg/ha on average. The best linear regression equation (R2=0.90) for estimating aerial biomass of H. salicornica obtained by using crown area in the equation. It seems that conservation of natural vegetation of H. salicornica and or restoration of degraded lands by this plant, have good potentials for carbon sequestration for globally action commitment and providing benefits such as forage and fuel for local people.