Cloud forests of the Orinoco River Basin (Colombia): Variation in vegetation and soil macrofauna composition along the hydrometeorological gradient

We present vegetation, soil macrofauna, soil, hydrometeorological and topographical data collected from Tropical Montane Cloud Forests in the Orinoco River basin. Specifically, from the municipality of Chámeza, department of Casanare, Colombia. These data sets were used to evaluate how vegetation and soil macrofauna diversity vary along the 1700–2200 m a.s.l. elevation range. Within this elevation range, we have previously described a hydrometeorological gradient largely driven by a fog incidence increase with elevation. Vegetation data were collected for all individuals with a diameter at breast height (DBH) > 5 cm in four vegetation plots (5 x 50 m; total: 0.1 ha) every 100 m in altitude between 1700–2200 m a.s.l. From each plot, we obtained three soil monoliths from the organic layer and three from the mineral horizon, and manually extracted their soil macrofauna, and soil samples for determining pH, organic matter content, and soil texture, among others in a soil laboratory. Topographical data was inferred from Digital Elevation Models. Hydrometeorological data was collected in a previous study, but it was interpolated to the sampling plots. Here we present the interpolated hydrometeorological data.