Snowmelt periods as hot moments for soil N dynamics: a case study in Maine, USA

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Kaizad F PatelIvan J Fernandez

Abstract

The vernal transition represents the seasonal transition to spring, occurring as temperatures rise at the end of winter. With rapid snowmelt, microbial community turnover, and accelerated nutrient cycling, this is a critical but relatively under-studied period of ecosystem function. We conducted a study over two consecutive winters (2015-2016) at the Bear Brook Watershed in Maine to examine how changing winter conditions (warming winters, reduced snow accumulation) altered soil nitrogen availability and stream N export during winter and the vernal transition, and how these patterns were influenced by ecosystem N status (N-enriched vs. N-limited). Of the two study years, 2016 had a warmer winter with substantially less snow accumulation and a discontinuous snowpack-and as a result, had a longer vernal transition and a snowpack that thawed before the vernal transition began. Across both years, snowmelt triggered a transition, signaled by increased ammonium concentrations in soil, decreased soil nitrate concentrations due to flushing by meltwater, and increased stream nitrate exports. Despite the contrasting winter conditions, both years showed similar patterns in N availability and export, differing only in the timing of these tr...Continue Reading

References

Dec 7, 2005·FEMS Microbiology Ecology·Janna PietikäinenErland Bååth
Jun 19, 2010·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·Michael D SanClementsStephen A Norton
Aug 30, 2011·Ecology·Steven S Perakis, Emily R Sinkhorn
Nov 4, 2016·Global Change Biology·Alexandra R ContostaWilfred Wollheim
Aug 1, 2018·Scientific Data·Kaizad F PatelIvan J Fernandez
Sep 1, 2018·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·Kaizad F Patel, Ivan J Fernandez
Jul 17, 2019·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Alexandra R ContostaCasey Thornbrugh

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