Evaluate the Carbon Sequestration Potential of Wild Barley (Psathyrostachysfragilis) in both Protected and Grazing Pastures in Fasham, Tehran Province

Pastures cover about 50% of earth area and contain one third of world’s carbon reservoirs. Consequently, these lands have enough capability to prepare carbon sequestration. This research is aimed to determine amount of carbon sequestration in Psathyrostachys fragilis pasture type and also compare it in its two form of enclosure and grazing areas. For this reason, after initial definition and determination of limits under survey, random-systematic sampling has been used to study the vegetation covering. Then, the biomass of vegetation and the amount of organic carbon existing in different organs of plants were determined. Finally, carbon sequestration was determined the weight and organic carbon content of overland and underground biomass. The non-coupling t-test was used in order to compare the carbon sequestration and the weight of vegetation biomass between two ways of enclosure and grazing. The results showed that there is one percent difference between the average biomass weights of overland and underground in two enclosures and grazed regions. In the grazed area this difference was more than enclosure region. There was no significant deference (P<0.05) between the replacement coefficients in two enclosure and grazing regions. Also between amount of carbon sequestration in overland, underground and vegetation biomass of P.fragilis type in two grazed and enclosure areas, there is no any important differences and in both enclosure (P<0.05) and grazed pastures amount of carbon in underground organs is more than overland organs. Generally, carbon sequestration in grazed areas is more than in enclosure regions which is due to the lighter grazing.