Assessment of Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Sequestration in Haloxylon plantation Sequences (Case study: Sandy desertified land of Taybad, Eastern of Iran)

ABSTRACT: Soil carbon sequestration is the process in which carbon dioxide (CO2) is taken from the atmosphere by trees, plants and crops through photosynthesis process, and stored as carbon in biomass and soil. The agriculture and forestry activities can also release CO2 into the atmosphere. In this study, carbon sequestration by different successions of Haloxylon (stabilized sand areas) of Taybad was measured. For this purpose, five different sites (treatments) were selected as: 11, 19, 28 and 41 years old of Haloxylon and one control site (without any plantation program). The results indicated that the amount of organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations are significantly increased by age of Haloxylon plantation. Moreover, carbon and nitrogen sequestrations in the younger sites were significantly lower than that observed in older sites. The highest value of carbon sequestration (equal to 15/5 ton/ha) was observed in 41 years old Haloxylon afforestation area.