Differential Antioxidant Responses to Heatwaves Drive Variation in Short-term Photosynthetic Stress Memory between Schima superba and Phoebe bournei

The dataset supporting this study originates from manipulative experiments conducted in a subtropical maritime monsoon climate region at the experimental site of the Fujian Academy of Forestry Sciences in Fujian Province, China. The experimental plant materials consisted of two-year-old seedlings of Schima superba and Phoebe bournei, which were selected for uniform growth, intact root systems, and absence of disease. The dataset includes measurements of gas exchange parameters (Pn,Tr,Gs,WUE), chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (PIABS,Fv/Fm,ABS/RC,DIo/RC,TRo/RC,ETo/RC,REo/RC, ABS/CSm, DIo/CSm, TRo/CSm,ETo/CSm,REo/CSm), antioxidant system and oxidative damage parameters (SOD, POD, CAT, MDA), and microclimatic variables (air temperature, soil temperature, VPD and SWC). These data were collected before, during, and after simulated heatwave events, under conditions of varying recovery intervals and frequencies. The main purpose of the dataset is to compare the responses of two subtropical tree species—Schima superba and Phoebe bournei—to heatwaves with different recovery intervals (7, 15, and 23 days), integrating analyses of photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, and the antioxidant system to reveal that recovery interval is a key factor regulating the dynamics of stress memory. Statistical analyses were performed using R software (version 4.3.1), including partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) conducted with the plspm package, structural equation modeling (SEM), and Pearson correlation and Mantel tests.