2010 Pilot project - Experimental design

![media/hc_fieldsite.jpg?600|A schematic of the treatment and control plots and installed profiles in 2010] There are two 10 by ~60 meter plots in the Hidden Canyon forest that are parallel to each other and separated by a 5m corridor. One swath serves as the treatment plot and receives regular dust additions during the spring. The other is a control and receives only natural dust loading. Each plot is instrumented as follows:

  • One Apogee infrared radiometer to measure snow surface temperature
  • Two soil moisture profiles with Campbell CS-615/16 sensors at 5, 20, and 60cm depths. One is in an upslope position and one is in a dowslope position.
  • Two soil moisture AND temperature profiles, each with 3 Decagon EC-TM sensors at the same depths. Again, one of these profiles is high and one is low.
  • Additional measurements for the soil carbon cycling and water balance parts of the experiment (see project overview) are replicated in each each plot.`

2011 Experimental design

For the 2011 snowmelt season, the experiment has been scaled up to 3 dust treatment plots, and 3 controls, each around 10 x 70m. Additional soil moisture and temperature profile measurements have been added in two of these plots (3 & 4) and water balance and carbon cycle measurements will also be deployed within these new areas.