Assessmen s o O ganic Ca bon S ocks in
We lands by Ci izen Scien is s
Guideline and P o ocols
Ve sion 1.1
10.10.2025
Ci a ion: Weigelho e , G., Wij els, O., Rosenbe ge , C., Ramadan, H., Alpha , J., No ko ic, M.,
C ijano ić D. (2025) Assessmen s o O ganic Ca bon s ocks in We lands by Ci izen Scien is s.
Guideline and P o ocols. Ho izon Eu ope P ojec Res o e4Li e (101112736).
10.5281/zenodo.17328601
Con en
CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................................ 3
CHAPTER 2: WETLANDS AS ESSENTIAL CARBON STORES HELP REGULATE THE CLIMATE ................................. 4
CHAPTER 3: SOIL ORGANIC CARBON IN SOILS WITH SHALLOW ORGANIC LAYER (FLOODPLAIN FOREST,
MEADOWS) ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
3.1. PROTOCOL ............................................................................................................................................................................... 5
3.2. CALCULATIONS....................................................................................................................................................................... 8
3.3. FOR SCIENTISTS ....................................................................................................................................................................19
CHAPTER 4: SOIL ORGANIC CARBON IN SOILS WITH DEEP ORGANIC LAYER (PEATLANDS) .......................... 20
4.1. PROTOCOL ............................................................................................................................................................................ 20
4.2. FOR SCIENTISTS ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4
CHAPTER 5: ORGANIC CARBON IN TREE BIOMASS............................................................................................................. 5
5.1. PROTOCOL TREE HEIGHT AND CIRCUMFERENCE ................................................................................................... 5
5.2. FOR SCIENTISTS ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8
5.3. PROTOCOL BITTERLICH METHOD .................................................................................................................................. 11
CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND
Moni o ing Ecosys em Se ices (ES) p o ided by we lands is c ucial o assessing
he s a e o he we lands, hei changes o e ime, and he impac s o conse a ion
and es o a ion measu es. The engagemen o non-expe s as Ci izen Scien is s can
suppo his ES moni o ing by deli e ing la ge amoun s o da a o he wise no
(easily) a ailable. Addi ionally, Ci izen Science helps aise awa eness among local
people abou he signi icance o we lands o human well-being, he eby
enhancing ci izens’ s ewa dship.
In he Ho izon Eu ope P ojec RESTORE4LIFE, 101112736 (h ps:// es o e4li e.eu/ ),
we ha e c ea ed a oolbox o moni o ing ES o we lands (Deli e able D3.5),
co e ing bo h geospa ial and on- he-g ound me hods (publicly a ailable om Dec
2025on ou webpage and Zenodo). One ocus was on de eloping Ci izen Science
p o ocols o on- he-g ound measu emen s ha p o ide eliable and aluable da a
o we land assessmen s. Va ious Ci izen Scien is s helped us es he de eloped
p o ocols ega ding hei in elligibili y, use - iendliness, and applicabili y be o e
elease. To assess he quali y and explana o y powe o he da a collec ed by
Ci izen Scien is s, we compa ed hem wi h da a collec ed by scien is s using mo e
ad anced me hods. The esul s o hese quali y checks can be ound in ou oolbox
D3.5.
The ollowing opics we e co e ed and published sepa a ely: (1) wa e quali y, (2)
o ganic ca bon s o age in ee biomass and we land soils, (3) plan di e si y, and (4)
ec ea ional and educa ional se ices. Each published documen consis s o se e al
pa s: Ci izen Scien is s' p o ocol(s) o assessing da a in he ield; Ci izen Scien is s'
p o ocol(s) o indoo analyses (i applicable); Ci izen Scien is s' p o ocol(s) o
calcula ions (i applicable); and a guideline o scien is s on u he da a p ocessing.
The cu en documen add esses he Po en ial o we lands o s o e o ganic ca bon
in abo e- and below-g ound biomass.
CHAPTER 2: WETLANDS AS ESSENTIAL CARBON STORES HELP
REGULATE THE CLIMATE
We lands a e dynamic ecosys ems ha s o e signi ican amoun s o o ganic ca bon
in ee biomass and soils. This is due o he high p oduc i i y o he ege a ion and
he equen wa e sa u a ion o he soils, which slows he decomposi ion o
o ganic ma e ial, helping p ese e ca bon.
This s o age helps egula e a mosphe ic CO₂ le els and mi iga e global wa ming.
We land deg ada ion occu s due o d ainage o ag icul u e o de elopmen ,
damming o wa e di e sion, o e g azing, logging, o pea ex ac ion. These
ac i i ies dis u b wa e logged condi ions, which a e c ucial o s o ing ca bon. As a
consequence o we land deg ada ion, we lands change om ca bon sinks o
ca bon sou ces. D ainage o pea lands, o example, can elease up o 20–40
onnes o CO₂ pe hec a e pe yea .
This makes we land conse a ion and es o a ion essen ial s a egies in global
clima e mi iga ion e o s.
You con ibu ion o assessing he o ganic ca bon s o age in we lands signi ican ly
suppo s we land es o a ion.
Thank you
CHAPTER 3: SOIL ORGANIC CARBON IN SOILS WITH SHALLOW
ORGANIC LAYER (FLOODPLAIN FOREST, MEADOWS)
3.1. PROTOCOL
MATERIALS:
Soil sample (d ill) o sho el
Plas ic bags (1 L)
Spoons
Measu ing s ick
Small wa e bo le
i possible, small cool box
Fo indoo analyses: mason ja , balance, o en (o d y place); aluminum oil ( o
o en d ying), wo measu ing cylinde s;
Fo ad anced indoo analyses: balance, clean 500 mL plas ic beake s, co ee
il e s, unnel, pH es s ips, ni a e and phospha e es ki s
OUTDOOR TASKS:
1. Si e cha ac e is ics:
Use you sma phone's GPS o de e mine you loca ion's coo dina es
and eco d hem in he o m. Take a pic u e o he si e.
2. Sampling:
Remo e plan s and li e om he g ound. I you ha e a soil d ill,
d i e he d ill o a dep h o 15 cm and ca e ully d aw he soil sample.
I you ha e a sho el, dig a hole o app ox. 15 cm dep h and 20x20 cm
a ea in o he soil so ha you can see he e ical laye s.
3. Soil p o ile:
Measu e and eco d he dep h o he uppe da k (o ganic- ich) laye .
Take a pic u e o he soil p o ile oge he wi h he measu ing s ick.
4. Soil ype:
Ca e ully emo e a sample he size o a walnu om he lowe , b igh e laye . I
he sample is d y, we i sligh ly. Knead he sample be ween you inge s in o a
sphe e. Then, y o make a cylinde . Now, ub he sample ca e ully be ween you
inge s. Based on you obse a ions, de e mine he soil ype acco ding o he able
gi en below and eco d i in he soil o m.
5. Sampling o indoo analyses:
Place one esh sample om he uppe da k laye and one om he lowe ligh e
soil laye in sepa a e plas ic bags. The samples should be he size o an ap ico .
Label he bags wi h he loca ion's name, he da e, and he laye (uppe /lowe ).
S o e he samples in a cool, da k box o bag un il u he analysis in he lab.
INDOOR TASKS:
Always keep he label a ached o he sample so ha you can iden i y i !
6. Measu e he olume o he sample:
Place he closed plas ic bag wi h he sample in o he measu ing cylinde . Fill a
second cylinde wi h wa e and no e he s a ing olume. Now, pou wa e om
he second cylinde in o he i s cylinde un il he soil sample is en i ely co e ed.
Reco d he olume o wa e added and he o al olume (soil + wa e ). Sub ac he
wa e olume om he o al olume o es ima e he sample olume.
7. D y weigh and mois u e con en :
Remo e he soil om he bag and weigh i (we weigh ). D y he samples in an
o en (75°C o 24 hou s) o he sun ( o ou days) and weigh hem again (d y
weigh ).
8. O ganic con en – Ja expe imen
Fill he emaining soil sample in o a mason ja (lea e one spoon ul aside o he
ad anced analysis). Then, pou wa e in o he ja . Shake o 3 minu es and le he
soil pa icles se le o 1-2 days.
Obse e he laye s ha o m: The o ganic ma e
loa s on op o he wa e (da k colou ). A he
bo om, you can see he mine al pa icles: he lowes
is sand, ollowed by sil and hen clay (see pic u e).
Measu e he heigh o each laye wi h a ule .
Remo e he o ganic laye on op o he wa e
ca e ully using a spoon o o ceps, d y and weigh i .
Finally, d y he emaining sample in he ja and weigh i .
ADVANCED INDOOR TASKS:
9. Soil chemis y:
Add one spoon ul o soil o app oxima ely 50 mL o dis illed wa e and s i o 1
minu e. Fil e he mix u e h ough a co ee il e in o a clean beake . Wash he
unnel and use new co ee il e s o each new sample.
Use es s ips o measu e a ious pa ame e s such as pH, ni a e, and ha dness.
O ganic pa icles
Clay
Sil
Sand
3.2. CALCULATIONS
1. Calcula e soil mois u e con en SM (%):
Sub ac he d y weigh o he sample om he ini ial weigh o ge he wa e
weigh . Then, di ide he wa e weigh by he ini ial weigh and mul iply by 100 o
ge he soil mois u e (in %):
Soil mois u e SM (%) = (We weigh – d y weigh ) / we weigh x 100
2. Calcula e soil bulk densi y BD (g/dm³):
Impo an : You ha e p obably measu ed he olume in li es o millili es. Con e
olumes in o cubic decime e s (dm³) o he calcula ions (1L = 1 dm³). Then, di ide
he d y weigh (g) by he sample olume (dm³).
Soil bulk densi y BD (g/dm³) = D y weigh (g) / sample olume (dm³)
3. Calcula e pe cen age o soil componen s (%) – Ja expe imen :
In addi ion o he es ima ion in he ield, you can use he da a om he ja
expe imen o de e mine he soil ype. Di ide he heigh o each laye by he o al
heigh and mul iply i by 100:
Heigh o sand laye / o al heigh o soil laye s x100 = % sand
Heigh o sil laye / o al heigh o soil laye s x 100 = % sil
Heigh o clay / o al heigh o soil laye s x 100 = % clay
4. Calcula ing he O ganic ca bon con en OC (%) – Ja expe imen :
Calcula e he o al d y weigh TW o he sample in he ja by adding he d y weigh
o he o ganic ma e o he d y weigh o he es o he sample.
To al d y weigh TW (g) = D y weigh OM (g) + D y weigh es o sample (g)
Di ide he d y weigh o he o ganic ma e by 2 o ge he amoun o o ganic
ca bon OC. Mos o ganic ma e has a ca bon con en o a ound 50%.
O ganic ca bon OC (g) = D y weigh OM (g) / 2
Finally, di ide he o ganic ca bon OC by he o al d y weigh TW
Pe cen age o o ganic ca bon OC1 = d y weigh OC / o al d y weigh TW
5. Calcula ing he Soil O ganic Ca bon S o age (kg/m²)
Mul iply he soil bulk densi y (BD) by he pe cen age o o ganic ca bon OC o ge
he o ganic ca bon concen a ion (g/dm3).
O ganic ca bon concen a ion OCC (g/dm³) =
Soil bulk densi y BD (g/dm3) x Pe cen age o O ganic ca bon OC
1
The pe cen age is gi en as a dimensionless ac ion he e. So, 20% = 0.2, 50% = 0.5, 100% = 1.
Sand Loam Clay
0 - 10% clay 10 - 30% clay 50 - 100% clay
0 - 10% sil 30 – 50% sil 0 – 45% sil
80-100% sand 25 – 50% sand 0 – 45% sand
SOIL FORM
Name
Da e Time
Loca ion
GPS
Dep h o he pea (cm)
Deg ee o Humi ica ion (Van Pos -Scale)
Sample olume (L)
We weigh (g)
D y weigh (g)
3
4
4.2. FOR SCIENTISTS
The p ojec “T acking he Colo o Pea lands” (Uni e si y o Plymou h) moni o s
changes in pea land g een lea phenology (i.e. how he pea lands change colou
o e he cou se o he yea ) using sma phone pho og aphy and colou
ecogni ion. Thus, CS do no need o go on he pea land bu can ack changes
om walking pa hs.
h ps://www.plymou h.ac.uk/ esea ch/plymou h-pea land- esea ch-
g oup/ acking- he-colou -o -pea lands-p ojec 11.10.2025
5
CHAPTER 5: ORGANIC CARBON IN TREE BIOMASS
5.1. PROTOCOL TREE HEIGHT AND CIRCUMFERENCE
MATERIALS:
Flexible 2 m ape
Sma phone
S ick o a leas an a m's leng h
T ee biomass o m
OUTDOOR TASKS:
1. Si e Cha ac e isa ion:
Selec 3-5 si es wi hin you su ey a ea. The si es should be easily accessible and
ep esen a i e o he egion. Each si e should ha e an a ea o app oxima ely 20 m
in leng h and 10 m in wid h. Fo ee heigh es ima ions, you mus see he en i e
ee om app oxima ely 20 m. Thus, in dense o es s, selec a si e along a pa h.
Take a pic u e o each si e and no e he GPS da a and he da e and ime o he
su ey in he “T ee biomass” o m.
2. Ci cum e ence and ee species:
Measu e he ci cum e ence o each ee wi hin his si e ia he “Diame e -a -
B eas -Heigh me hod” (see below). Iden i y each ee species using he App "Flo a
incogni a”. No e bo h he species names and ci cum e ences in he “T ee biomass”
o m.
3. T ee heigh :
Selec 1-2 ees o a e age heigh . Es ima e he ee heigh using he “T iangle
me hod” (see below). Wi h he mean heigh and he exac ci cum e ence, we can
es ima e he ee's biomass.
6
"Diame e -a -B eas -Heigh " Me hod o de e mine he ci cum e ence o a ee
The "Diame e -a -B eas -Heigh " me hod is a simple p ocedu e ha quickly
p o ides in o ma ion abou a ee unk's mean ci cum e ence and diame e . I can
be used o bo h li ing and dead ees.
a. S and in on o he ee and ha e you measu ing ape eady. I he ee is on
a slope, s and be ween he uphill and he downhill side o he ee.
b. Measu e 1.37 me e s upwa d om he g ound. A heigh o 1.37 me e s
ep esen s he mean ee diame e . I he ee s ands on a slope, measu e
om he mid-poin be ween uphill and downhill (see pic u e).
c. Now place he measu ing ape a he measu ed heigh a ound he unk and
measu e he ci cum e ence o he ee unk. Ensu e he measu ing ape is
igh ly held agains he ba k and w aps as ci cula ly a ound he unk as
possible.
d. Calcula e he mean ee diame e by di iding he measu ed ci cum e ence by
3.14.
7
“T iangle Me hod" o de e mine he T ee Heigh
The Fo es e 's T iangle me hod allows you o quickly and easily de e mine he
heigh o ees.
a. Choose 2-3 ees ha a e easy o access. I is essen ial ha you can see he
en i e ee om bo om o op. Make su e ha he su ounding e ain is
le el.
b. To es ima e he ee heigh , you need a long, s aigh s ick. The leng h o he
s ick should equal he leng h o you ou s e ched a m.
c. Hold he s ick wi h you ou s e ched a m in a
e ical posi ion so ha a igh -angled iangle is
o med be ween you a m and he s ick (see
pic u e). S and in on o he chosen ee and
walk backwa d om he ee in a s aigh line
un il he leng h o you s ick oughly ma ches he
heigh o he ee. F om you posi ion, he base
o he s ick jus abo e you hand should be
app oxima ely he same heigh as he base o he
unk. The s ick's ip should be oughly he same
heigh as he ee op.
d. Once he s ick and ee a e equi alen , ma k he spo whe e you a e s anding
and measu e he dis ance o he ee. You can do his ei he wi h a long (20-
30 m) measu ing ape o by pacing he
dis ance be ween his spo and he ee.
Fo pacing, ake as la ge s eps as possible,
as hey oughly co espond o one me e ,
allowing you o es ima e he dis ance o
he ee be e .
e. The dis ance measu ed co esponds o
he heigh o he ee.
Dis ance
8
5.2. FOR SCIENTISTS
You can es ima e he ca bon s ock and seques a ion o a ee ia i s heigh ,
diame e , and densi y using he ollowing o mulas:
1. To al Volume V:
V (m3) = 3.14 x 2 x h x 1.4
Whe e = adius o he s em a 1.37 m heigh (m) and h= ee heigh (m). The ac o
1.4 accoun s o he oo and canopy biomass (Shadman e al. 2022).
2. To al Ca bon Con en (OC):
Fo he o al ca bon con en , mul iply he ee's o al olume by he wood densi y
and he o ganic ca bon con en . The densi y o d y wood depends on he ee
species (see lis below). Fo ough es ima ions, ake a mean o 530 kg/m3. The
ca bon con en is 50% o he d y mass.
OC (kg) = To al Volume x Densi y x 0.5
3. CO2 seques e ed:
The weigh o CO2 seques e ed in ees is de e mined by he a io o CO2 o C,
which is 44/12 = 3.67. Mul iply TC by 3.67 o es ima e he CO2 seques e ed.
CO2 sequ (kg) = OC × 3.67
No e ha his alue ep esen s he CO2 seques e ed in he en i e li e ime o he
ee. To asce ain he annual CO2 seques a ion a e, di ide he o al CO2
seques e ed by he ee’s age (i a ailable).
4. Ellenbe g’s indica o alues
These indica o s p o ide in o ma ion abou he ecological equi emen s o ee
species ega ding ligh , empe a u e, mois u e con en , soil acidi y, and Ni ogen
9
con en , o cha ac e ize he si e. Un o una ely, hese indica o s a e a ailable only
in Ge man and only o Cen al Eu ope a h ps://s a ed .boku.ac.a /zeige we e/.
The Flo a incogni a also o e s species ai s in he desc ip ions o he species.
REFERENCES
h ps://big ees. o es y.ubc.ca/measu ing- ees/. 27.06.2024
V ies, W. e al. (2003). In ensi e Moni o ing o Fo es Ecosys ems in Eu ope:
Technical Repo 2003.
Shadman, S, e al. (2022) The ca bon seques a ion po en ial o u ban public pa ks
o densely popula ed ci ies o imp o e en i onmen al sus ainabili y. Sus ainable
Ene gy Technologies and Assessmen s 52, 102064.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.se a.2022.102064.
10
Wood densi ies o common ees. F om V ies e al 2003
11
5.3. PROTOCOL BITTERLICH METHOD
The Bi e lich me hod (1984) is a o es measu emen echnique used o de e mine
he basal a ea o ees pe hec a e (m²/ha). This me hod in ol es selec ing mul iple
sys ema ically dis ibu ed poin s in he o es . The echnique can subs i u e he
measu emen o he ci cum e ence and be used o calcula e he exis ing imbe
olume i mul iplied by he a e age ee heigh .
MATERIALS:
Measu ing ape (100 cm)
Relascope: 50 cm ope and 2x4 cm pla e (o you use you a m leng h and you
humb)
Sma phone
OUTDOOR TASKS:
1. De e mine he basal a ea coun ac o CF:
CF = (W × 50 ÷ L)²
whe e W is he wid h o he elascope (o humb) and L is he leng h o he ope
(o a m). Example: Fo a s ick wi h a leng h o 50 cm and a pla e wid h o 2 cm, he
coun ac o is calcula ed as ollows (calcula e in he same way o a m and humb):
2. Selec he i s sampling poin in he o es . Hold one end o he ope o you
eye and a ach he o he end o he pla e in a ho izon al line. The ope is ully
s e ched.
L
W
