Snow depth, soil frost depth and snow water content along an elevation gradient at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest.

Snow depth, soil frost depth and snow water content
have been measured at several locations at the Hubbard Brook
Experimental Forest (HBEF). In October 2010, as part of a
study of the relationships between snow depth, soil freezing
and nutrient cycling
(http://www.ecostudies.org/people_sci_groffman_snow_summary.html),
we established 6 20 x 20-m plots (intensive plots) and 14 10
x 10-m plots (extensive plots) following an elevation
gradient, with eight of the plots facing north and twelve
facing south. Snow depth, soil frost and snow water content
were measured at approximately biweekly intervals on these
plots from the first snowfall through the end of the
snowmelt. Snow and frost depth, and snow water content
sampling started in December 2010 and is ongoing. These data were gathered as part of the Hubbard Brook
Ecosystem Study (HBES). The HBES is a collaborative effort at
the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is operated and
maintained by the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research
Station.