The Ability of Different Vegetative Forms to Carbon Sequestration in Plain Rangeland of Miankaleh

The atmospheric CO2 has increased by population increase and fuel utilization and land use changing. Thus, CO2 increased from 288 ppm to 387 ppm during 1850-1998. Atmospheric CO2 should decrease and sequester in different forms. Carbon sequestration is changing atmospheric CO2 to organic carbon by plants and soil. Hence, carbon sequestration by plants and soil is the easiest and cheapest way for pollution reduction. Carbon sequestration potential is different in different biological forms of plants. Rangelands are among the most important ecosystems that have high capacity for carbon sequestration. This study investigates the plant forms ability for carbon sequestration in Miankaleh rangelands.The study area is located in north and northeast of Behshahr, which is surrounded by the Caspian Sea (north), Ashooradeh (east), Gorgan gulf (south) and Zaghmarz (west). This region has an area of about 14000 ha. The mean annual temperature and rainfall are 17°C and 1700mm, respectively.At first, plants types were determined and dominant species were identified in each type. The number and sizes of plots were obtained by statistical and minimal area methods in each type, respectively. Organic carbon of the upper and lower organs of the dominant species was calculated by burning method in laboratory. The soil sampling was carried out for OC, EC, pH, texture, and bulk density with plant sampling. The total carbon sequestrated from plant organs in each plot and hectare were calculated by organic carbon conversion coefficient multiplies plant biomass. Also, the soil carbon sequestration value was determined by 10000*OC*Bulk density*soil depth formula. Finally, the data was analyzed by the analysis of variance and mean comparison (Duncan test) method. Significant differences between the soil parameters under species canopy and out of this condition were determined by t-Test. The relation between plant cover and soil parameters was obtained by a step by step regression in SPSS 16 Software.