Tropical Forest Soil Respiration and Microbial Carbon Assimilation Measurements

Measurements from ten tropical soils in the Peruvian Andes incubated for seven days with 13C-labeled substrates. The dataset includes microbial community composition via PLFA analysis, soil respiration (CO2), soil physico-chemical properties, and 13C enrichment in CO2 and microbial PLFAs.

Use Cases

• Analyze the relationship between soil physico-chemical properties and microbial community composition (PLFA) across ten tropical soil samples.
• Model soil respiration (CO2) dynamics in response to additions of specific 13C-labeled substrates like xylose, glycine, vanillin, and hemicellulose.
• Investigate priming of soil organic matter mineralisation by comparing 13C enrichment patterns in CO2 samples and microbial Phospholipid Fatty Acids.
• Compare carbon cycling processes and microbial assimilation between lowland and montane forest soil ecosystems using the experimental measurements.

Strengths

• Data derived from a controlled seven-day incubation experiment with four distinct 13C-labeled substrates.
• Covers ten distinct tropical soil samples from both lowland and montane forest ecosystems in the Peruvian Andes.
• Includes multiple measurement types: microbial PLFA, soil CO2 respiration, physico-chemical properties, and isotopic enrichment.

Limitations

• Sample size is limited to ten soil samples, which may restrict statistical power for broad ecological generalizations.
• Temporal coverage is confined to a short-term, seven-day laboratory incubation, not reflecting long-term field dynamics.

Provenance

Source

Environmental Information Data Centre

Collection Method

Soils were amended with 13C labeled substrates and incubated under controlled conditions; measurements include PLFA analysis and CO2 sampling.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

Peruvian Andes, covering tropical lowland and montane forest soils.