Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 09:54
Forums
Tundra Nutrient Seasonality

Hi. My name is Isabel and I am from St. Mark Catholic school. I just wanted to know- What is the main thing that you will be studying on your expedition trip? Thank you for taking your time to read this. Sincerely, Isabel

Wed, 06/20/2012 - 06:49

Susan Steiner

On 6/18/2012 10:03 AM, webmaster@polartrec.com wrote:Hi Isabel,
Thanks for the question! The main thing our group is studying is the
effects of earlier snowmelt and increased warming on the ecosystem. We
are particularly interested in the relationships among the plants, their
roots, and the soil environment they live in. One of the key elements
needed for growth and decomposition is nitrogen (N), and we are focusing
on the cycling of N in the system, looking to see when during the season
it is most abundant, when it is least abundant, and why. The
relationship between the release of carbon (C) from the soil really
depends on N availability. This is a difficult relationship to study in
the field, but a very important one to figure out. Knowing more about
the nitrogen will help scientists better understand the effects of
earlier snowmelt and/or increased warming, both phenomena that are
currently occurring with climate change!