Data from a throughfall exclusion experiment: Fine root dynamics, morphology, chemistry, and AMF colonization across four lowland Panamanian forests
Document Type
Other
Role
Author
Publication Date
2025
Abstract
Fine roots regulate forest nutrient, carbon, and water cycling, yet their variation within and among tropical forests remains under-characterized. We quantified root productivity, disappearance, and stocks to 1 m using minirhizotron imaging, and we measured morphology, elemental composition [root carbon (C), root nitrogen (N), root phosphorus (P)], and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization to 20 cm using ingrowth cores and sequential coring. Sampling took place in four distinct lowland Panamanian forests (32 plots; 8 per forest) from 2018 through 2022 under control and throughfall-exclusion (drought) treatments in the Panama Rainforest Changes with Experimental Drying (PARCHED) experiment.
The dataset is presented as an Excel workbook with six tabs. The first tab is the data dictionary. Tab S1 contains ingrowth-core production and mortality, morphology and soil moisture. Tab S2 contains sequential-coring standing stocks with associated morphology and soil moisture. Tab S3 contains minirhizotron row data records to 1 m depth, including per-frame root length and diameter, normalized length metrics, and session timing. Tab S4 contains AMF colonization. Tab S5 contains fine-root chemistry at 0–10 cm, reporting %P, %C, %N, and C:N for samples collected via ingrowth cores and sequential-coring standing stocks. CSV mirrors for each tab are provided, and a KML file supplies coordinates for all 32 plots.
Key variables span live and dead fine-root biomass (and coarse fractions where applicable), specific root length (SRL) and area (SRA), diameter, root tissue density (RTD), soil moisture, AMF colonization, root %N, %C, %P, and C:N, along with minirhizotron root length and diameter. Depth, season, treatment, and plot/site identifiers are included to support cross-tab integration and analysis from 0–100 cm (minirhizotron) and 0–20 cm (cores).
Units are reported in-column and missing values are coded as NA. No special software is required to open or use the files (Excel, CSV, and KML compatible).
Repository Citation
Cordeiro A L ; Cusack D F ; Dietterich L H ; Valdes E ; Gonçalves N B ; Oliveira M ; Quesada-Ávila G ; Wright S J (2025): Data from a throughfall exclusion experiment: Fine root dynamics, morphology, chemistry, and AMF colonization across four lowland Panamanian forests. Consequences of Plant Nutrient Uptake for Soil Carbon Stabilization, ESS-DIVE repository. Dataset. https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/datasets/doi:10.15485/2999588