Data from: The local impact of macrofauna and land-use intensity on soil nutrient concentration and exchangeability in lowland tropical Peru

Agricultural expansion is a major driver of deforestation which has
negative consequences for biodiversity and stability. While sustainable
farming is known to be beneficial for biodiversity and crop resilience,
little is known about the impact of macrofauna and land-use intensity on
soil quality. In this study, we examine the relative effects of (1) soil
macrofauna and (2) land-use (primary forest, agroforestry, annual crop) on
element depletion rates, concentration, and exchangeability in
standardised soil. We used microcosms with two different mesh sizes,
0.25mm and 5mm, to exclude and include macrofauna, respectively. The
microcosms were incubated for up to a year throughout which samples were
collected without replacement. Macrofauna did not have a significant
impact on any of the soil parameters which is likely due to the low
diversity of termites in the sites. Land-use intensity significantly
affected cation depletion rates whose effects increased in order of
primary forest