Mechanisms underlying soil protein accumulation in response to increasing plant species diversity in a subtropical forest

Based on 45 plots covering a natural PSD gradient in a subtropical karst forest, we investigated the effect of plant species diversity on soil protein dynamics. The data included plant species diversity (Shannon index), fine root biomass, soil organic C (SOC), soil total N (TN), total P (TP), dissolved organic C (DOC), Total dissolved N (TDN), available P (AVP), exchangeable Ca (Caexc), exchangeable Mg (Mgexc), microbial biomass C (MBC), microbial biomass P (MBP), total phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), fungal PLFAs (fungi), bacterial PLFAs (Bacteria), protein depolymerization, microbial amino acid uptake, protease activity, protein abundance and protein accessibility (NaOH-extractable proteins), and has been used to the manuscription of "Mechanisms underlying soil protein accumulation in response to increasing plant species diversity in a subtropical forest". Corresponding findings highlighted the crucial role of plant species diversity in stimulating soil protein accumulation and provided a mechanistic understanding which can be integrated into earth system models to better predict soil C or N sequestration in response to PSD.