This study was conducted on seventeen fields (old fields and Lawrence strips) near the old field survey study sites (E014) and three forest stands.
The center of each field was approximately located, then a point was located randomly from the center. A twenty five meter long transect was chosen starting from the previous point. The transects run North to South. At each 5 meter interval, three soil cores were pooled, and then mixed to form a composite. Samples were taken to soil science laboratory in St. Paul. Microbial biomass, Carbon and Nitrogen contents, Net Nitrogen Mineralization and Nitrification, Organic Carbon and H2O soluble carbon were determined.