Plantation forests are the most effective and ecologically friendly way of absorbing CO2 and increasing carbon sinks in terrestrial ecosystems; mitigating global warming and beginning ecological restoration. This study was done in Chah Nimeh region located in Sistan and Baluchistan province, the southeastern part of Iran, near the Afghanistan border. In this study, soil samples were collected at depths of 0-15 cm and 16-30 cm in 10 replications. This study was done based on a completely randomized design in a factorial experiment in planted forests stands with bare lands surrounding (control areas). The obtained data were entered to SPSS software and were analyzed using One-way ANOVA and the effectiveness of species of Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Tamarix aphylla, Olea europaea and Pinus eldarica on soil carbon sequestration rate was calculated. The results showed that the carbon sequestration in soils under different species of afforestations in this area has significant difference at the 5% level in both depths. As, in the upper soil depth, carbon sequestration in Pine species (12.66 tons per hectare) is higher than Tamarisk (9.22 t/ha), Eucalyptus (8.18 t/ha), Olive (5.70 t/ha) species and the control area (6.30 t/ha). Also in the second depth of soil, carbon sequestration in Pine (11.61 t/ha) is higher than Olive (6.27 t/ha) species. There are no significant differences among Eucalyptus (10.41 t/ha), Tamarisk (9.77 t/ha) plantations and bare land (7.05 t/ha) in this soil depth. In this arid region, afforestation of Eucalyptus, Tamarisk and Pine species has increased the amount of carbon sequestration in soil.

Keywords