Artemisia
spp. is widespread Iranian rangelands,
covering more than 50 % of land cover. The present
study was conducted to estimate the amount of carbon
sequestration in soil containing
Artemisia aucheri
at different
soil depths (0–15 and 15–30 cm), as well as its
organs (root, shoot and leaves) and some soil chemical and
physical characteristics in the SalehAbad region, 41 km
north of HajiAbad, Hormozgan, Iran. The results showed
that soil with 0–15 cm depth had higher soil pH and
moisture percentage, as well as lower nitrogen percentage
and organic carbon percentage than soil at deeper depths.
Soil samples from 0 to 15 cm depth had higher clay percentage.
Multiple regression showed that nitrogen percentage
and moisture percentage were the most effective
traits contributing to carbon sequestration. Root and leaf
plant tissues had higher and lower stored organic carbon,
respectively. Overall, the results of this study indicated that
the highest carbon sequestration was obtained at a soil
depth of 0–15 cm and in the roots of
A. aucheri in the
SalehAbad region. Therefore, by recognizing the species
that have more potential for carbon sequestration, as well
as more resistance to environmental limits such as salinity
and drought, and also to investigate the management factors
affecting the sequestration process, regeneration and
rehabilitation of rangeland can be followed in terms of
carbon sequestration.
