Large variability of soil microbial diversity and functions in an over 20-year old Eucalyptus grandis plantation

These data were collected as part of the DIVTROP project (What biological mechanisms link biodiversity to tropical forest functioning? A tree experiment in Brazil) funded by the Labex Cemeb, in the MataDIV experiment area (just before the planting). The spatial heterogeneity in soil properties as well as in molecular and catabolic diversities of the soil microbial community were investigated by soil analyses, Illumina MiSeq sequencing and MicroResp™ profiling, respectively, in 51 plots (each caracterized by its X an Y coordinates) of a 20 year-old eucalyptus plantation in south Brazil obtained from a sampling performed in March 2018. The relationships between these parameters were assessed to test whether small scale variation in soil properties and understory vegetation generated heterogeneity in the soil microbial community.