Soil volumetric water content from dominant land covers in the montane cloud forest belt of central Veracruz, Mexico (May09-Oct10)

Data packages available consist of soil volumetric water content (VWC) data collected continuously from May 2009 to October 2010. Data are available at 10 min resolution. VWC probes were installed at five depths into the soil of different land covers within a montane cloud belt in central Veracruz, Mexico. The investigated land covers were: i) an old-growth lower montane cloud forest catchment (MAT), ii) a 20-year old regenerating lower montane cloud forest catchment (SEC), iii) a slope grazing pasture (PASs), iv) a flat grazing pasture (PASf), v) a 10-year old Pinus patula reforestation (YREF), and vi) a mature P. patula plantation under selective logging (MREF). As recommended for volcanic soils, VWC probes were individually calibrated with gravimetric measurements conducted after the measuring period using the surrounding soil where the probes were installed. Standard and routine soil characterization of each horizon to a depth of 1.5 m were conducted at the time of probe installation and are also available as part of these packages. Data were collected for the purpose of studying ecohydrological processes across land covers in a seasonally dry cloud forest zone.