Naturally occurring peat soils in Western NY contain anomalously high concentrations of S, Zn and Cd. Under reducing conditions these trace metals are not readily available, but when the peat soils are drained for agriculture availability increases and areas of phytotoxicity are observed. The availability and cycling of these metals is driven primarily by shifting microbial populations as a result of the changing soil environment when the soils are drained. Spatial variations across a field and temporal variations as the field is drained in preparation for spring planting exhibit patterns in both the groundwater and soil chemistry as well as soil microbial communities that may help explain the mechanisms involved in metal cycling.