In situ soil warming and hydrothermal monitoring data from an alpine grassland in the Hulugou catchment, Qilianshan Mountains (2021–2024)

This dataset contains long-term observations from an in situ soil profile warming experiment conducted in an alpine grassland of the Hulugou catchment, northeastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, China. The experiment was designed to simulate climate warming under natural field conditions using a self-developed habitat control device that actively warms an intact soil column (60 cm depth) via semiconductor heating modules. It covers the period from October 2021 to September 2024 and includes continuous daily measurements of soil temperature and volumetric water content at multiple depths (10, 20, 40, and 50 cm) within the warmed soil column, as well as corresponding field reference measurements collected approximately 2 m from the device. Additional temperature measurements along radial and wall directions were used to assess spatial uniformity and directional consistency of warming. The device operates under a dynamic control strategy targeting a +2 °C temperature difference between the soil column center and the adjacent field soil at corresponding depths. The dataset therefore captures not only seasonal and interannual warming performance, but also variability associated with environmental boundary conditions, including soil moisture dynamics, freeze-thaw processes, and precipitation-driven disturbances. From October 2023 onward, a rainout module was activated to intercept 50% of natural precipitation, enabling investigation of coupled warming–drying effects. It is intended to support studies on and the development and evaluation of field-based climate manipulation experiments in cold and arid regions.