University of Tehran Press Desert 2008-0875 30 1 2025 06 01 Impacts of Using Amygdalus Scoparia and Ephedra Procera on Carbon Storage at Dryland Regions. 67 80 103478 10.22059/jdesert.2025.103478 EN Zahra Karimpour College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. Hossein Sadeghi Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. 0000-0001-5688-574X Sadegh Hosseini College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. Journal Article 2025 09 03 Amygdalus scoparia and Ephedra procera are two key rangeland species in Iran's southern province of Fars, significant for soil preservation, carbon sequestration, and providing nutrition for domesticated animals. This study aimed to investigate the impact of these shrubs on the carbon and organic matter content in various plant organs (rootstock, stem, and foliage), as well as the physiological and biochemical characteristics of the sub-canopy soil of the two species in two soil depths (0-15 cm and 15-30 cm) in the Dolatabad area of Fars province. Sampling of plant organs was conducted by isolating leaves, stems, and roots. In a plot of 30 base aerial parts, leaves, stems, and roots with saws and collected for weighing in plastic bags and sent to the lab. The results showed that the highest concentrations of nitrogen and chloride were observed at a depth of 0-15 cm. Soil type and depth significantly affected nitrogen and chloride content (P ≤0.05), but no significant impact was found on bulk density, moisture content, sodium, or potassium content. The effects of plant species on carbon and organic matter were significant (P ≤0.01). In general, the highest amounts of carbon and organic matter were found in the shoots (17.15 and 3.86 t/ha respectively) and roots (16.16 and 2.86 t/ha) of Amygdalus. Therefore, it can be concluded that Amygdalus scoparia have a greater ability to store carbon in their organs.

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