| Snow dynamics, water quantity and quality relationships have been well studied, whereas snow dynamics relationship to soils and ecosystems have not. Physical parameters including snow depth, density and water equivalence, soil temperature, stream discharge and groundwater height were measured during the 2007-2008 winter in two small watersheds in the Adirondack Mountains, New York State. Snowpack persisted from mid-December to mid-April, insulating the soils from freezing. During this period no major "rain-on-snow" or thermal events occurred until late March when a relatively continuous melt began. Final spring snowmelt and several "minor-melt" events caused ≥0.12°C decreases in soil temperature compared to the previous 3-day average and water level increases over 0.5 cm in wells and streams. These physical responses can be linked to geochemical soil dynamics during winter and snowmelt events, which included increased NO3- export. Increased NO3- export can contribute to surface water acidification and also affect downstream water quality.;Keywords: Huntington Wildlife Forest, soil temperature, nitrification, climate change, winter hydrology, nitrate... |
