Evaluation of carbon sequestration potential in sagebrush stands on the road side (Case Study: Eyvanakey - Garmsar highway)

Carbon absorption by plant tissues and sequestration in soil is one of the ways to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The cultivation of plants and proper management lead to increased biomass of native plants, increased photosynthesis level and carbon adsorption as well as increasing the amount of carbon input to soil.Roadside is among the areas having the ability to absorb carbon with a high ecological potential. The aim of this research was to measure the carbon storage in the sagebrush stands of the Eyvanakey-Garmsar roadside. For this purpose, 10 plots of 120 square meters were randomly established along three transects of 1,000 meters. In each plot, soil profiles were dug at the foot of the plants and the space between them, and soil samples were taken at three depths of 0-10 cm, 10-30 cm, and 30-50 cm in five replications. According to the obtained results, the total carbon sequestration in the soil profile was calculated to be 59.518 tons per hectare, and the total organic carbon stored in the aboveground and underground biomass of sagebrush was equal to 340.8 kg per hectare. To increase carbon sequestration in rangelands, the applied ecosystem management options must be based on three criteria including soil, biomass, and litter. Overall, plant cultivation in the roadside will result in reduced erosion and noise pollution as well as creating ecological corridor, landscape, and microclimate.