Carbon sequestration mitigates atmospheric CO₂. Rangelands play a key role in carbon storage, but anthropogenic disturbances have reduced their potential. Restoration using stress-tolerant species like Atriplex canescens can enhance carbon stocks. Noudahak rangeland in Qazvin, with specific climate and long shrub plantation history, was selected. Since assessed in 2009, this study monitored changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) and biomass carbon after fifteen years.
Soil and vegetation sampling compared A. canescens–planted and natural rangeland (control). Plant density, aboveground and belowground biomass were directly measured. Soil samples from 0–30 and 30–60 cm depths were analyzed for texture, bulk density, and SOC. Data were analyzed using t-test in SPSS.
Total SOC in planted rangeland was 46.07 t ha⁻¹ versus 31.15 t ha⁻¹ in control (48% increase). Aboveground biomass carbon was 2.8 times greater, and root carbon was 77% higher in planted area. Total organic carbon reached 47.36 t ha⁻¹ in planted rangeland versus 31.85 t ha⁻¹ in control.
From 2009 to 2024, planted rangeland showed 26.27% SOC increase across soil profile, while control decreased 4.41%. Plant biomass carbon declined 19.76% in planted rangeland versus 34.7% in control. Total carbon sequestration in planted rangeland increased 14%, from 41.6 to 47.3 t ha⁻¹, with no substantial change in control.
Increased sequestration in planted rangeland results from improved soil biological properties, enhanced root development, increased litter, and greater vegetation cover. Soil accounts for over 97% of total carbon, as dominant reservoir. A. canescens, with high biomass, deep roots, and drought-salinity tolerance, enhances carbon sequestration. Shrub plantation in arid regions effectively mitigates climate change, improves soil quality, and sustains rangelands.
Received: 2026/02/24
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