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Journals / Turkish Journal of Forest Science / 2026 / Cilt: 9 Sayı: 1

IMPACT OF CEDRUS LIBANI AFFORESTATION ON SOIL CARBON AND NITROGEN STOCKS IN THE UPPER MEDITERRANEAN BASIN

CEDRUS LIBANI AĞAÇLANDIRMASININ YUKARI AKDENİZ HAVZASINDA TOPRAK KARBON VE AZOT STOKLARI ÜZERINDEKİ ETKİSİ

Emre Babur(KAHRAMANMARAS SUTCU IMAM UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF FOREST, DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY ENGINEERING, FOREST ENGINEERING PR.)0000-0002-1776-3018
Burak Yalçıntaş0009-0004-5253-9494
Yasin Taha Ünsal0009-0009-5118-1634
Pages
75–88
Publication Date
2025-04-30
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

This study demonstrates that age-protected cedar afforestation significantly enhances carbon and nitrogen sequestration in previously bare soils, highlighting its importance for soil conservation and ecosystem sustainability.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Soils, as the most dynamic and complex components of terrestrial ecosystems, serve as crucial sinks for atmospheric carbon storage and retention.
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Key Findings & Data:Human interventions in soil management significantly influence the amount of carbon and nitrogen stored or sequestered.
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Conclusion & Impact:This study demonstrates that age-protected cedar afforestation significantly enhances carbon and nitrogen sequestration in previously bare soils, highlighting its importance for soil conservation and ecosystem sustainability.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:2000 · 15 samples
⚙️Variables:Sedir · ağaçlandırma · Karst

Abstract

Soils, as the most dynamic and complex components of terrestrial ecosystems, serve as crucial sinks for atmospheric carbon storage and retention. Human interventions in soil management significantly influence the amount of carbon and nitrogen stored or sequestered. This study investigated the effects of afforestation using Cedrus libani A. Rich (Lebanese cedar or Taurus cedar) at two different ages (10 and 25 years) in the Upper Mediterranean basin on soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks. The afforestation was conducted on previously bare lands for soil conservation purposes. A total of 45 soil samples were collected from topsoil (0–10 cm): 15 samples were randomly taken from two different times (2000 and 2015) afforested areas and 15 from non-afforested (control) land. Soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and bulk density (BD) analyses were performed on these samples. To calculate soil organic carbon stocks in tons per hectare, bulk density (BD) was estimated using the SOC and soil mass equation. The results revealed a substantial increase in carbon and nitrogen storage in the afforested areas, depending on tree age. Specifically, organic carbon and nitrogen stocks in the topsoil of 25-year-old and 10-year-old afforestation sites were 65% and 48% higher, respectively, than in control soils. Carbon and nitrogen storage followed the trend: 25-year > 10-year > 0-control. The highest total nitrogen content (0.78%) was observed in 10-year-old cedar afforestation sites. While BD values did not differ significantly among afforested areas, the control areas showed distinct differences from the afforested sites. This study demonstrates that age-protected cedar afforestation significantly enhances carbon and nitrogen sequestration in previously bare soils, highlighting its importance for soil conservation and ecosystem sustainability.

Özet

Karasal ekosistemlerin en dinamik ve karmaşık yapıtaşı olan topraklar atmosferik karbonun tutularak depo edildiği en önemli yutakların başında gelmektedir. Topraklara yapılan müdahaleler depo edilen veya edilecek olan bu karbon ve azot miktarlarını değiştirmektedir. Bu çalışmada, toprak koruma amacıyla yukarı Akdeniz havzasındaki çıplak arazilerde 25 ve 10 yıllık Cedrus libani A. Rich (Lübnan sediri veya Toros sediri) kullanılarak yapılan ağaçlandırmaların toprakların organik karbon ve azot stoklarına olan etkileri araştırılmıştır. İki farklı zamanda (2000 ve 2015) ağaçlandırma yapılan alanlardan rastgele olarak 15 er adet ve ağaçlandırma yapılmayan çıplak bir araziden de 15 adet toprak alınmak suretiyle toplamda 45 adet toprak numunesi 0-10 cm derinliğinden alınmıştır. Toprak örneklerinde organik karbon (TOK), toplam azot (TA) ve hacim ağırlığı (HA) analizleri yapılmıştır. TOK ve TA stoklarını hektar başına ton cinsinden hesaplamak için HA, TOK veya TA ve toprak kütlesi eşitliğinden yararlanılarak tahmin edilmiştir. Elde edilen veriler sonucunda yaşa bağlı olarak çok ciddi miktarda sedir ağaçlandırma sahalarında karbon ve azot depolandığı, özellikle 25 ve 10 yaşlarındaki ağaçlandırma sahasındaki üst topraklarda depolanan karbon ve azot miktarının kontrol topraklarına nispeten sırasıyla %65 ve %48 daha fazla olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bu alanlardaki karbon ve azot depolama yaşa göre 25>10>0 şeklinde sıralanmıştır. Buna karşın toprakların toplam azot miktarlarında en yüksek değer 0.78 ile 10 yaşındaki sedir ağaçlandırma sahalarında bulunmuştur. İstatistiksel olarak ağaçlandırma yapılan alanlardaki hacim ağırlıkları birbirlerinden farklı olmadığı halde kontrol alanlarının hacim ağırlıkları ağaçlandırma yapılan alanlardan farklı bulunmuştur. Bu çalışma, yaşa bağlı olarak korunan sedir ağaçlandırma çalışmalarının çıplak topraklarındaki karbon ve azot miktarının önemli derecede arttırdığını göstermiştir.

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Cite This Article

Babur, E., Yalçıntaş, B., Ünsal, Y. T. (2025). IMPACT OF CEDRUS LIBANI AFFORESTATION ON SOIL CARBON AND NITROGEN STOCKS IN THE UPPER MEDITERRANEAN BASIN. Turkish Journal of Forest Science, Cilt: 9 Sayı: 1, 75–88. https://doi.org/10.32328/turkjforsci.1653150

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