Economic valuation of carbon sequestration in Haloxylon aphyllum(Minkw) Iljin. shrubs (Case study: Bahman Abarkuh district, Yazd province)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Student, Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Desert Studies, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Desert Studies, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.

3 Professor, Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Desert Studies, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.

4 Researcher, Forest and Rangeland Research Department, Yazd Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Yazd, Iran.

10.29252/aridbiom.2026.4188

Abstract

The economic and social valuation of non-market forest ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, is highly important, because management in this area, in addition to increasing economic benefits, will prevent the social damages caused by ecosystem degradation. this research was conducted within the area of the carbon sequestration project in the Bahman Abarkuh district of Yazd province in the 160-hectare Haloxylon aphyllum plantation forests. The aim of this research was to estimate the economic value of carbon sequestration in the aerial and underground organs of Haloxylon aphyllum stands. After measuring the percentage of vegetation cover, density, fresh and dry weight of plant organs, and the amount of raw ash in the laboratory in the leaf, stem, and root organs of the black alder shrub, the amount of organic carbon stored in five representative stands of Haloxylon aphyllum was calculated using the combustion method in an electric furnace. The results showed that the average amount of carbon stored in the leaf organs was 35.33 kg/ha and the rate of carbon dioxide absorption was 25.94 kg/ha/year, the average amount of carbon stored in the stem organs was 63.22 kg/ha and the rate of carbon dioxide absorption was 46.40 kg/ha/year, and the average amount of carbon stored in the root organs was 24.02 kg/ha and the rate of carbon dioxide absorption was 17.63 kg/ha/year. The avoided damage cost method was used to value this stand. With this calculation, the economic value of carbon sequestration for the entire area was 627,551.59 million rials. Therefore, quantifying atmospheric carbon sequestration for forest and rangeland species in natural ecosystems will be very important in order to maintain and enhance the provision of non-market services from both a human and economic perspective.

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References

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Journal of Arid Biome
Volume 15, Issue 2
September 2025
Pages 77-85

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