The impact of snowpack change by climate change on biogeochemical cycles in forest soil

为了解冬季积雪变化对森林生态系统土壤氮素动态的影响，我们利用日本群岛的自然环境梯度进行了野外试验。我们发现，积雪和土壤隔热能力的降低导致土壤冻融循环的放大，增加了土壤微生物对氮素的矿化作用。这表明，生物休眠季节的冬季过程对生物地球化学循环和生长季水质形成的影响是不可忽视的。

We conducted the field experiments using natural environmental gradient in Japanese archipelago to clarify the impact of snowpack changes in winter on soil nitrogen dynamics in forest ecosystem. We found that nitrogen mineralization by soil microbe increased by the amplification of soil freeze-thaw cycles induced by the decrease of snowpack and its heat insulation ability. It was suggested that winter processes in biologically dormant season were not negligible for biogeochemical cycles and water quality formation in the growing season.