The multidimensional influences of environmental factors on carbon storage: Evidence from Zagros Forests of Iran

Abstract

Effective carbon storage in forests is crucial for mitigating climate change by capturing and holding carbon dioxide, aligning with the broader goals of ecosystem restoration and carbon neutrality central to Nature-based Solutions (NbS). Different forests have varying carbon storage capacities based on their unique characteristics and a range of multidimensional influences from environmental factors, necessitating region-specific management strategies. In this study, we explored the multidimensional influences on carbon storage among forests distributed across three provinces in the Zagros Forests of Iran: West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, and Lorestan. Data from 10 monitoring sites revealed significant variations in carbon storage between above-ground and below-ground components across the provinces. West Azerbaijan exhibited the highest overall carbon storage, while Lorestan and Kurdistan showed distinct patterns in specific carbon storage components. Organic carbon, total nitrogen, relative humidity, and precipitation emerged as the strongest positive influencers of carbon storage, whereas factors such as gravel content, temperature, and evaporation had negative impacts. Overall, our results suggested that the carbon storage capacity of a region is closely tied to the characteristics of a province, which is a critical consideration for NbS. Interestingly, provinces with higher density and larger trees were found to have superior carbon storage, underscoring the importance of targeted conservation efforts. These results align with the principles of NbS by highlighting the need for region-specific forest management and carbon sequestration strategies to maximize carbon storage and support ecosystem restoration.