Skip to main content

Educational materials

Open Educational Curriculum

Wetland & Peatland Research Protocols

A standardized video-based training curriculum developed by the LiWeFor consortium. These visual protocols guide students, researchers, and field specialists through cutting-edge sampling techniques, environmental monitoring, and molecular laboratory methods across tropical and hemiboreal wetland ecosystems.

Module 01 • Field Campaign

Field Campaign & Peatland Monitoring in the Peruvian Amazon

Partners: University of Tartu • University of Helsinki • KIT • IIAP (Peru)
Location: Iquitos, Loreto Region, Peruvian Amazon

An immersive documentary overview of the international field campaign across Amazonian peatlands. Demonstrates environmental sensor installation, eddy covariance flux tower operations, peat coring logistics, and hands-on training under tropical wetland conditions.

Eddy Covariance
Peat Coring
Tropical Hydrology
Module 02 • Field Protocol

Soil & Peat Sampling for DNA-Based Microbial Analyses

Instructor: Laura Kuusemets (PhD Researcher, University of Tartu)
Application: Microbial Community Profiling (16S/18S Amplicon & Metagenomics)

Standardized visual protocol demonstrating sterile collection techniques for soil and peat samples. Highlights aseptic decontamination routines, depth-stratified horizon coring, sample homogenization, and strict cold-chain preservation protocols to ensure nucleic acid integrity.

Aseptic Technique
Horizon Subsampling
Cold Chain Storage
Module 03 • Field Protocol

Soil & Plant Sampling for RNA-Based Analyses

Instructor: Fahad Ali Kazmi (Junior Researcher, University of Tartu)
Application: Active Microbial Gene Expression (Metatranscriptomics)

Specialized methodology addressing the extreme sensitivity of environmental RNA. Guides researchers through RNase-free decontamination routines, rapid root-rhizosphere isolation, and immediate field fixation via flash-freezing to capture in-situ microbial metabolic activity.

RNase Prevention
Rhizosphere Separation
Flash-Freezing
Module 04 • Laboratory Analytics

Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qPCR) for Functional Genes

Instructor: Kärt Kanger (Specialist, Environmental Microbiology Lab, UT)
Application: Gene Copy Quantification (Carbon & Nitrogen Cycles)

Detailed laboratory walkthrough of the qPCR workflow at the University of Tartu. Explains master mix preparation, primer selection, multi-well plate loading, standard curve creation, melt curve verification, and gene copy calculations per gram of soil.

Master Mix Setup
Standard Curves
Melt Curves

Curriculum Roadmap • Upcoming Modules

Module 05 • Coming Soon
RNA Extraction & Downstream Sequencing

Laboratory bench protocols for high-yield RNA extraction from challenging, humic-rich peat soils.

Module 06 • Coming Soon
Bioinformatics Pipelines for Metagenomics

Bioinformatic processing workflows for raw sequencing data, taxonomic classification, and functional profiling.