Dataset: Nutrient dynamics of peatland forests after water-level drawdown

Data from a study (Westman and Laiho 2003) investigating post-drainage dynamics of soil properties (top 30-cm) and tree stand biomass in drained peatland forests in Finland. The aims of the study were to evaluate the sufficiency of soil nutrient pools for production forestry, and the ability of a floristic-ecological peatland site type classification for estimating soil nutrient status. The nutrient dynamics were assessed by comparing the nutrient pools in a large number (572) of peatland sites representing six drained peatland forest site types and differing in drainage age. The article Westman and Laiho (2003) is included as a reference below. Sampling and methods are described there. Variable lists with explanations are provided in specific sheets of the Excel files, while the csv files are identical to the data sheets in the Excel files. Ground vegetation data from the same sites were used in the TWINSPAN and DCA analyses by Reinikainen (1988; also included as reference) but were not available for sharing.