Soil plays a fundamental role in maintaining the health of ecosystems, especially in semi-arid mountainous regions, which are known as sensitive environments. These areas, consisting of forests, shrublands, and grasslands, are influenced by changes in vegetation cover that alter the soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties. Such changes impact soil microorganisms, enzymes, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem stability. However, the influence of different types of vegetation on soil characteristics in this type of landscape is not yet fully understood. To resolve this gap, the current study examined the influence of different land cover types (including forests, shrublands, and grasslands) on soil functional indicators, with a particular focus on fertility and biological properties, in northern Iran. It was proposed that (i) the existence of tree cover improves soil fertility and biological properties, creating concentrated areas (zones) of soil functional indicators, and (ii) the forest ecosystem, in comparison to shrubland and grassland vegetation types, exhibits superior storage of soil carbon and nitrogen. Therefore, three plots with a surface of one-hectare (quadrat area 100 m x 100 m; at a distance of 3-5 km from each other) were selected in each vegetation type, for a total of 36 soil samples (3 types of vegetation x 3 plots within each vegetation types x 4 soil samples). Based on principal component analysis (PCA), distinct differences were observed in the soil factors across the various vegetation types. Soil functional indicators followed a decreasing trend from forest to grassland to shrubland. The results indicated no significant variation in carbon stocks among the vegetation types (42-52 Mg ha- 1), while nitrogen stock was nearly twice in the forest (7.40 Mg ha- 1) compared to grassland (3.90 Mg ha- 1) and shrubland (3.62 Mg ha- 1). Our results revealed that earthworm populations, especially Lumbricus terrestris, are crucial in the accumulation of soil nitrogen across different vegetation types. Based on the results, it can be stated that in a semi-arid landscape, woody vegetation, particularly tree forests, can improve soil functional indicators that are also involved in soil functions (e.g., C and N stocks). Therefore, the sustainability of these ecosystems can be achieved through the presence of appropriate vegetation types.