Two subarctic fens (one nutrient-poor, one nutrient-rich) were sampled from October, 1984 to July, 1985 near Schefferville, northern Quebec. The changes in concentations of chemicals (pH, conductance, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, dissolved organic carbon, P, NH4+-N and N03−-N) dissolved in the peat water were identified during the freeze-thaw cycle. The highest chemical concentrations were in the winter (associated with the ice formation process), followed by the spring-summer, then fall. Four main processes influenced the concentration of dissolved chemicals in subarctic fens: 1) Snowmelt diluted the peat water; 2) Freezing of the peat increased concentrations of dissolved nutrients and other chemicals, believed to originate from biological sources; 3) Further increases in concentrations over the winter were caused by the incorporation of peat water, which migrated into the frozen peat; 4) Thawing of peat influenced the water chemistry by combining the release of the above 3 processes, along with biotic utilization. The freeze-thaw cycle in the subarctic fens appeared to increase the availability of important nutrients (such as phosphorus) during the spring.
Analysis of Ice Formation Process in Cathode Catalyst Layer of PEFC at Cold Start