Tea @ the Park is a citizens science project. In this project, visitors of Store Mosse National Park help the research team gather data on decomposition, soil properties and climatic conditions. Participants learn how to conduct scientific research on soil ecology, and discover first-hand how decomposition in their garden, local park or the flowerpot on their balcony compares to decomposition in natural ecosystems in Store Mosse National Park.
Tea @ the Park is a project run by researchers from Radboud University (The Netherlands), Utrecht University (The Netherlands) and managers of National Park Store Mosse (Sweden), and is funded by the British Ecological Society and the Tea Tales project.
Tea @ the Park is supported by
Tea @ the Park aims to
Participants of the project join the research team in collecting data on the decomposition of plant litter and soil properties. The data the participants collect at home will be compared to the data the researchers collect in Store Mosse National Park. The research team will combine all the data with data on climatic conditions. Together we will answers these questions:
- What is the role of soil properties and climate in decomposition?
- How does decomposition in Store Mosse National Park compare to decomposition in urban ecosystems?
- Does a new type of green tea work just as well for the Tea Bag Index, compared to the old type of green tea?
Do you want to join? You can pick-up your science kit at the visitors center of Store Mosse National Park. In the science kit you find a step-by-step explanation in English of how to conduct the research. Prefer a different language? You can access the pdf’s here:
Meet the Team
Science is a team effort. Who is collecting the data for Tea @ the Park?
You! The research team needs your help collecting data. Come visit Store Mosse National Park this summer and pick-up the science kit at naturum. In the science kit you find everything you need to collect data for this project.
Janna Barel – project leader
Assistant Professor at Utrecht University
Nienke van Delft – MSc student
I research decomposition in the different peatland types in Store Mosse National Park. My research involves burying various litter types, including pine needles, peat moss and the tea found in the science kits. By examining enzymatic activity and decomposition rates, I aim to better understand how these processes are affected by the different environments in these fascinating landscapes.
Inés van Bavel Sell and I am a Spanish Bachelor’s student thrilled to be a part of this project for my internship. My role in the team is testing the accuracy of the methods used by the citizens by comparing them to protocols used by scientists in labs, specifically measuring soil pH, moisture content, texture and bulk density.