Effect of runoff harvesting trough crescent shaped bounds on oak dieback curtailing and increasing soil organic carbon in the Zagros Forest, Kermanshah, Iran

Forest and its soil play an important role on sustainable live, while most of them are suffering from climate change driven dieback phenomenon, particularly in the Zagros forest. Consequently, runoff harvesting through short-term measures is necessary for curtailing severity of forest mortality. This research was conducted in the Kalezard forest, Kermanshah, Iran to evaluate the effects of crescent shaped bounds on enhancement of soil organic carbon (SOC) and reduction of forest tree dieback. The treatments include a Crescent Shaped Bound Preservation (CSB), Preservation treatment (PT), Crescent Shaped Bound without Preservation CSB-P and Control treatment (CT), resulting in a total of 12 plots. Each plot measured 50×30 meters performed in September 2012. Soil moisture was measured in three layers (10, 30 and 50 cm) using time domain reflectometry (TDR). Finally all data statistically were analyzed using SAS6.12 software. Results revealed that in first year was 2.33, 2.40, 1.90 and 1.95 % in CSB,PT, CSB-P and CT, respectively and indicating no significant differences among them. However, after three years, the respective level of SOC was 3.24, 2.90, 2.10 and 1.70 percent demonstrating significant increase (p