Volume 16, Issue 2 (Journal of Soil and Plant Interactions 2025)
2025, 16(2): 21-38 |
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1- Department of Soil Science and Engineering and Research Group of Drought and Climate Change, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran , farhadazarmi@birjand.ac.ir
2- Department of Rangeland and Watershed Management and Research Group of Drought and Climate Change, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
2- Department of Rangeland and Watershed Management and Research Group of Drought and Climate Change, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
Abstract: (684 Views)
Background and Objective: Evaluation of soil properties around plants in rangelands plays an important role in understanding the effect of vegetation on soil properties and consequently rangeland management. The carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio is a key factor in regulating the efficiency of nutrient use in plants. Besides, the C/N ratio has a direct effect on the rate of decomposition of organic compounds, and consequently the persistence of carbon in the soil. The aim of the present study is to determine and compare the soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and C/N ratio in different habitats and different life forms of plants native to arid and desert areas and cultivated in the rehabilitated rangelands of South Khorasan province.
Methods: Soil samples were collected from the root zone at depth of 0–60 cm for five distinct habitats, and their organic carbon, total nitrogen, and C/N ratio were determined.
Results: The results showed that the soil organic carbon content in the studied habitats varied in the range of 0.07‒0.97 %. The highest mean of soil organic carbon was obtained for the soil of Nitraria schoberi habitat and its lowest mean was obtained for the soil of Hymenocrater calycinus habitat. The total nitrogen content of the soil varied between 0.006 and 0.14 %. The soil C/N ratio varied from 3.61 to 71.50 with a mean of 15.02. The highest soil total nitrogen and organic carbon were observed in the habitat of shrub and bush species with the phanerophyte life form.
Conclusion: It seems that shrub species with a higher canopy cover and biomass percentage and, as a result, more litter fall, contribute more to the recycling of nutrients than herbaceous species. Cultivation of Nitraria schoberi in rehabilitated rangelands increased soil carbon and nitrogen, therefore, the cultivation of this species is recommended in rangeland restoration programs and carbon sequestration projects.
Methods: Soil samples were collected from the root zone at depth of 0–60 cm for five distinct habitats, and their organic carbon, total nitrogen, and C/N ratio were determined.
Results: The results showed that the soil organic carbon content in the studied habitats varied in the range of 0.07‒0.97 %. The highest mean of soil organic carbon was obtained for the soil of Nitraria schoberi habitat and its lowest mean was obtained for the soil of Hymenocrater calycinus habitat. The total nitrogen content of the soil varied between 0.006 and 0.14 %. The soil C/N ratio varied from 3.61 to 71.50 with a mean of 15.02. The highest soil total nitrogen and organic carbon were observed in the habitat of shrub and bush species with the phanerophyte life form.
Conclusion: It seems that shrub species with a higher canopy cover and biomass percentage and, as a result, more litter fall, contribute more to the recycling of nutrients than herbaceous species. Cultivation of Nitraria schoberi in rehabilitated rangelands increased soil carbon and nitrogen, therefore, the cultivation of this species is recommended in rangeland restoration programs and carbon sequestration projects.
Keywords: Carbon sequestration, Life form, Organic matter, Rangeland restoration, Soil quality, Vegetation.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Carbon sequestration and soil structure in the root zone and rhizosphere
Received: 2025/02/12 | Accepted: 2025/07/17 | Published: 2025/09/22
Received: 2025/02/12 | Accepted: 2025/07/17 | Published: 2025/09/22
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Journal of Soil and Plant Interactions by http://jspi.iut.ac.ir is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License which allows users to read, copy, distribute and make derivative works for non-commercial purposes from the material, as long as the author of the original work is cited properly.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License which allows users to read, copy, distribute and make derivative works for non-commercial purposes from the material, as long as the author of the original work is cited properly.
