Quantitative evaluation of the effects of watershed management operations on carbon sequestration and storage in order to reduce climate change (Case study: Parood Watershed- One of the sub basins of Shahrood Basin)

In order to evaluate the effects of watershed management practices on carbon sequestration and storage, Vegetation, litter and soil samples in each treatment were taken by systematic-randomly method from 10 areas of the basin that represents the variation of soil and vegetation along 10 transects and 100 plots (Except for small earth dams and biomechanical treatments which there were 2 small earth dams and 3 biomechanical treatments in this basin so samples were taken from all of them respectively along three and one transects). Also soil samples were taken at each transects randomly in two depths (0-10 cm and 10-50 cm), soil samples were tested in soil laboratory. Results indicate that in all treatments most amount of sequestered carbon was occurred in the soil (about 99% of whole carbon stocks in the ecosystem). Finally the results showed natural rangeland that have good conditions in terms of vegetation and soil have the most carbon stock in two soil depths and overall (soil biomass litter) with 647.84 ton/ha up to a depth of 50 cm from the soil surface and mortar stone dams with 169.35 ton/ha have the lowest carbon stock in this basin.