Red oak (Quercus rubra) and red maple (Acer rubrum) are two dominant tree species in central Massachusetts that contribute significantly to regional carbon storage. At the Harvard Forest’s Hurricane Manipulation Experiment, researchers simulated a wind disturbance by manually pulling down trees, creating treefall pits that vary in size and structure. These pits reshape forest floor microtopography, forming depressions that collect water and organic matter. Such conditions reduce oxygen diffusion and foster the development of anoxic microsites, localized zones where oxygen is limited and microbial processes shift to alternative electron acceptors such as nitrate and ferric iron. These redox shifts lead to the accumulation of reduced compounds like ammonium (NH??) and ferrous iron (Fe²?), which serve as indicators of anoxic pore presence and sustained reducing conditions. These anoxic zones can alter nitrogen cycling by promoting ammonium retention, with potential consequences for nutrient availability and ecosystem recovery following disturbance. This research investigates how pit structure influences redox dynamics and anoxic microsite formation. We pair field collections of soil and gas samples with laboratory analyses to assess redox status in treefall pits and adjacent flat areas. Soil samples were analyzed for moisture, organic matter, ammonium, and ferrous iron concentrations across pits formed by red oak and red maple, as well as hurricane-affected flat transects. Preliminary results show that red oak pits retain more moisture and organic matter than both red maple pits and flat areas. However, flat transects exhibited higher ferrous iron ratios, suggesting that anoxic conditions do not always correspond directly to physical structure. These findings highlight the complexity of belowground environments where interactions among litter inputs, drainage, and microbial activity challenge conventional assumptions and underscore the need for further investigation into how microsite-scale processes influence soil recovery after disturbance.