Morphometric-Based Biomass Distribution and Carbon Sequestration Capabilities of Native Perennial Plants in an Extremely Arid Environment in Eastern Saudi Arabia

Authors

• Mohamed I. Alzarah, Department of Environmental and Natural Resources, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, P. O. Box 420, Al-Hassa 31982, Saudi ArabiaFollow
• Mohammed M. Elgarawany, Visiting Prof., College of Agric. and Food Sci., KFU, KSA and Dept. of Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition, Institute of Soil, Water and Environment, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, EgyptFollow
• Majed A. Alotaibi, Ministry of Education, Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaFollow

Abstract

Understanding ecosystem functioning, the processes of land degradation, and the potential for climate mitigation in hyper-arid environments requires quantifying biomass, carbon sequestration, and the structural characteristics of desert vegetation. This study was done In a hyper-arid habitat such as the location of west of Al-Ahsa International Airport in Eastern Saudi Arabia to study the integrates morphometric characterization, non-destructive biomass modeling, physiological assessment, and carbon stock estimation for native perennial plant communities. Twelve dominant perennial species were assessed across a 5.5 ha site using systematic random sampling. Plant height (cm), canopy volume (m³), basal diameter, projected canopy cover (%), and SPAD chlorophyll content were measured, followed by destructive harvesting for above-ground biomass determination. Canopy volume, estimated using a hemispherical model, showed strong linear relationships with dry biomass (R² = 0.81–0.92), confirming its suitability as a robust non-destructive predictor. Above-ground carbon stock was estimated assuming a carbon fraction of 0.47 of dry biomass, and CO₂-equivalent sequestration was derived using a molecular conversion factor of 44/12. Species such as Leptadenia pyrotechnica, Lycium shawii, Haloxylon salicornicum, and Panicum turgidum exhibited the highest biomass accumulation and carbon sequestration potential. The findings showed that despite low overall productivity, native perennial vegetation functioned as a stable carbon sink and played a key role in soil stabilization, desertification control, and climate resilience. The integrated framework presented here provides a reproducible and policy-relevant baseline for biomass monitoring, nature-based climate solutions, and dryland restoration initiatives in hyper-arid environments.

First Page

91

Last Page

99

Recommended Citation

Alzarah, Mohamed I.; Elgarawany, Mohammed M.; and Alotaibi, Majed A. (2026) "Morphometric-Based Biomass Distribution and Carbon Sequestration Capabilities of Native Perennial Plants in an Extremely Arid Environment in Eastern Saudi Arabia," Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture: Vol. 35: Iss. 2, Article 6.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64064/1319-1039.1028

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.