Soil Aggregate Stability and Freeze Thaw Cycles

Freeze-thaw cycles vary within and between winters, yet we know little about how freeze-thaw characteristics (duration, minimum temperatures, and number of cycles) affect different soil processes. It is likely that distinct soil biophysical and biogeochemical process respond to different freeze-thaw cycles differently. We are exploring methods to identify “effective freeze-thaw cycles”—those that have the greatest influence on distinct soil processes.