As a high school or introductory undergraduate Ecology or Biological Sciences or Environmental Sciences or Earth Sciences teacher, you can use this lesson plan to explain carbon content of trees, carbon sequestration, and their direct and indirect impact on climate mitigation and adaptation.
In this lesson plan, students will be introduced to the various methodologies used to calculate tree carbon density (TCD), biomass density, growing-stock volume density (GSVD), diameter at breast height (DBH), and tree height. The students will also learn indirect approaches to estimate biomass sampling using allometry and trigonometry. Thus, the use of this lesson plan allows you to integrate the teaching of a climate science topic with a core topic in the Biological Sciences or Environmental Sciences or Earth Sciences.The tools in this lesson plan will enable students to:
Discuss carbon sequestration in trees and sequestration as a climate mitigation and adaptation strategy
Teacher-contributed lesson plan by Dr. Abhishek Chandra (Department of Environmental Studies, Swami Shraddhanand College, University of Delhi, New Delhi), Dr. J. Dinakaran (Department of Botany, Dyal Singh College, University of Delhi, New Delhi), and Dr. Kavita Singh (Mata Sundri College For Women, University of Delhi, New Delhi)
Want to know more about how to contribute? Contact us.Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
Calculate Above Ground Biomass Density (AGBD) with the following equation
AGBD (t/ha) = GSVD (m3/ha) * Biomass Extension Factor (BEF) (t/m)
Growing stock Volume density (GSVD) = BEF * B * H
BEF of Indian Himalayan Species = 0.42
BGBD= exp {−1.059 + 0.884×ln (AGBD) + 0.284}
Add the values of AGBD and BGBD to get the total biomass density (TBD).
Calculate the total tree carbon density (TCD) using the following formula:
TCD (Mg ha−1) = B (Mg ha−1) × Carbon fraction
Where, Carbon fraction = Carbon percentage/100
Compare your results with the data of the past year and more. The net change in the carbon stock is assessed as carbon sequestration in the tree.
Reading (10 mins)
This introductory reading titled, “carbon sequestration” by Selin, N. Eckley (2023), Encyclopedia Britannica. From the reading, emphasize what is carbon sequestration to your students as the long-term carbon storage in plants, soils, geologic formations, and the ocean. Draw your students’ attention to the possibility of changes in the rate of carbon sequestration linked to the changes in land use and forestry.
Classroom/Laboratory Activity (20 mins)
Use the reading titled, “Assessment of Tree Carbon Stocks of Forests: A Case Study of the Sarwari Khad Watershed, Western Himalaya, India” by Ghoshal, S. and Samant, S. S. (2015), Society for Environment and Development, to xonduct a classroom/laboratory activity on how to assess the carbon stock of forests. In this case study of the Western Himalaya, India, the authors calculate biomass change through the use of the following methodology:
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
| 1 | Reading “carbon sequestration” | by Selin, N. Eckley (2019), Encyclopedia Britannica. |
| 2 | Reading “Assessment of Tree Carbon Stocks of Forests: A Case Study of the Sarwari Khad Watershed, Western Himalaya, India” | by Ghoshal, S. and Samant, S. S. (2015), Society for Environment and Development. |
| 3 | Video “Truck Diameter: Learn to measure” | by Kiran Goldman, Vimeo. |
| 4 | Video “How to measure the height of a tree” | by Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. |
| 1 | Video lecture-1 “Dissolved Oxygen” | Massachusetts Institute of Technology, You Tube |
| 2 | Video lecture-2 “Dissolved Oxygen” | Natalya Gallo at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, you tube |
| 3 | Reading (PDF) | https://www.carbonbrief.org/ |
| 4 | Laboratory Experiment | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| 5 | Additional Resources | 1. Article at Scientific American magazine 2. UNESCO 3. Kilroy Academy, you tube 4. of IOC-UNESCO Global Ocean Oxygen Network (GO2NE) 5. The International Union for Conservation of Nature |
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
1. Introduce the topic through a reading
Reading (10 mins)
This introductory reading titled, “carbon sequestration” by Selin, N. Eckley (2023), Encyclopedia Britannica. From the reading, emphasize what is carbon sequestration to your students as the long-term carbon storage in plants, soils, geologic formations, and the ocean. Draw your students’ attention to the possibility of changes in the rate of carbon sequestration linked to the changes in land use and forestry.
2. Assess the net change in carbon stock in trees
Classroom/Laboratory Activity (20 mins)
Use the reading titled, “Assessment of Tree Carbon Stocks of Forests: A Case Study of the Sarwari Khad Watershed, Western Himalaya, India” by Ghoshal, S. and Samant, S. S. (2015), Society for Environment and Development, to xonduct a classroom/laboratory activity on how to assess the carbon stock of forests. In this case study of the Western Himalaya, India, the authors calculate biomass change through the use of the following methodology:
Calculate Above Ground Biomass Density (AGBD) with the following equation
AGBD (t/ha) = GSVD (m3/ha) * Biomass Extension Factor (BEF) (t/m)
Growing stock Volume density (GSVD) = BEF * B * H
BEF of Indian Himalayan Species = 0.42
BGBD= exp {−1.059 + 0.884×ln (AGBD) + 0.284}
Add the values of AGBD and BGBD to get the total biomass density (TBD).
Calculate the total tree carbon density (TCD) using the following formula:
TCD (Mg ha−1) = B (Mg ha−1) × Carbon fraction
Where, Carbon fraction = Carbon percentage/100
Compare your results with the data of the past year and more. The net change in the carbon stock is assessed as carbon sequestration in the tree.
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
| 1 | Reading “carbon sequestration” | by Selin, N. Eckley (2019), Encyclopedia Britannica. |
| 2 | Reading “Assessment of Tree Carbon Stocks of Forests: A Case Study of the Sarwari Khad Watershed, Western Himalaya, India” | by Ghoshal, S. and Samant, S. S. (2015), Society for Environment and Development. |
| 3 | Video “Truck Diameter: Learn to measure” | by Kiran Goldman, Vimeo. |
| 4 | Video “How to measure the height of a tree” | by Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. |
