Effects of Winter Pulsed Warming and Snowmelt on Soil Nitrogen Cycling in Agricultural Soils: A Lysimeter Study

A lysimeter study assessing the impacts of freeze-thaw cycling on nitrogen cycling in agricultural soils. Data was generated using four lysimeter systems at the University of Guelph's Elora Research Station. Two of the lysimeters contained loamy sand soil and two contained silt loam soil. One lysimeter of each soil type was exposed to cold winter temperatures by using ceramic infrared heaters to melt the insulating snow layer throughout the winter. Nitrogen species were then analyzed for and compared in the four lysimeters to determine the effects of soil and type and freeze thaw cycling on nitrogen cycling in agricultural soils.