Moss community dynamics and canopy-mediated environmental influences during primary succession in a glacier retreat zone

This dataset contains field and experimental data on moss community dynamics, biomass, cover, and physiological functions (photosynthesis and N₂-fixation) along a 129-year primary successional chronosequence on the glacial retreat area of Hailuogou Glacier, eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The dataset integrates:

Successional surveys of moss biomass and cover across stages S0 to S6;

Reciprocal moss transplantation experiments among three representative successional sites with varying canopy cover;

Canopy tree litter addition experiments, testing effects of different litter types on moss function;

Functional trait measurements, including photosynthetic rates and nitrogen fixation (via acetylene reduction assay), across treatments and years (2018–2019);

Statistical analyses such as linear regression and redundancy analysis (RDA), linking environmental drivers (e.g., canopy cover, litter, throughfall NH₄⁺, daylight) to moss functional responses;

Conceptual modeling to summarize interactions between canopy-mediated environmental factors and moss productivity.

The data support the conclusion that moss biomass and function are tightly regulated by canopy structure and nutrient inputs, with notable trade-offs between photosynthesis and N₂-fixation across successional stages. This dataset provides valuable insight into moss ecological roles during primary succession following glacial retreat.