Estimation and Comparison of Carbon Sequestration by Zygophyllum atriplicoides and Gymnocarpus decander

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of plant organs (root, stem, and leaf) of two plants, Zygophyllum atriplicoides and Gymnocarpus decander, on carbon sequestration and some soil characteristics in the Saleh–Abad region, 41 km north of Haji–Abad, Bandar–Abbas, in 2012. This study was carried out by two separate factorial experiments. The first factor was the type of plant species in both experiments. The second factor was the plant organs in experiment I and different soil depths in experiment II. The results showed that the soil with Z. atriplicoides had a higher soil saturation percentage, moisture percentage, nitrogen percentage, and organic carbon percentage; the soil with G. decander had a higher electrical conductivity. Soil at 0–15 cm depth had a higher electrical conductivity, nitrogen percentage and organic carbon, as well as a lower moisture percentage, compared with 15–30 cm depth, which was similar for both plants. Soil with Z. atriplicoides and at a 0–15 cm depth had higher clay and silt percentages, and a lower sand percentage. Multiple regression showed that nitrogen and moisture percentage were the most effective traits contributing to carbon sequestration. Furthermore, Z. atriplicoides, compared to G. decander, had the higher stored organic carbon level in tissues; stems and leaves had higher and lower levels of stored organic carbon, respectively, in both plants. Overall, the results of this study indicated that the highest carbon sequestration was obtained in soils with Z. atriplicoides at 0–15 cm depth. Zygophyllum atriplicoides and Gymnocarpos decander are two of the most important rangeland species of the Hormozgan Province, South Iran. Soils with Z. atriplicoides show a higher carbon sequestration. By recognizing the species with a higher potential for carbon sequestration and also investigating the management factors affecting the sequestration process, regeneration, and rehabilitation of rangeland can have a major impact in terms of carbon sequestration.