This page is dedicated to describe at high level the scientific methods used by the Care-Peat partners as the project was designed with the idea that all the different test sites would be surveyed the same way and with identical instrumentation as it was not necessarilly the case in previous studies.
Prior to restoration, soil core samples measuring between 15 and 60 cm were extracted from each of the test sites and they underwent physical and chemical examination to establish a base line for the soils. Also before restoration, each sites had vegetation maps generated using satellites and drone data that can be found under the map section of this site as well as baseline vegetation survey to assess its evolution throughout the project.
The Care-Peat partners agreed on which equipments each test site should have:
To avoid time consumming monitoring of carbon fluxes before restoration of each sites (which may take years), it was decided that they will be divided into two distinct areas: a Restored section that would actually be restored and a Control section that would not. This would allow to assess both sections under similar conditions.
The monitoring of the carbon fluxes is done by putting the measuremnt chamber over a measurement collar insuring an air tight seal space for measurements. The measurement chamber is connected to the Los Gatos microportable GHG analyser which measures the methane and carbon dioxide fluxes as well as the air temperature inside the chamber while sensors outside the chamber measure soil temperature and moisture content as well as photosynthetically active radiation. For each collar, those measurements are taken under three light conditions: full light, simulated overcast using a thin cover on the chamber and finally no light simulated with an heavy cover. The results of this monitoring coupled with the output from the water level data logger are used to calculate three essential variables: net ecosystem exchange, ecosystem respiration and methane flux.
Carbon Flux Monitoring Set Up
At the conclusion of the project, the variables obtained from the monitoring will be used to calculate a carbon budget for the restored sections of the test sites by comparing them with the control sections. Also, further satellite, drone and vegetation surveys will be taking place at this stage to assess the hydrolgical and vegetation of each of the sites.
Fore more information please consult the technical documentation that can found HERE and HERE