Soil microbial carbon cycling parameters, necromass carbon content, and soil-environmental properties for two experimental systems over a 3.4 km elevation gradient in Peru

This dataset contains soil microbial carbon cycling parameters (growth, respiration, carbon use efficiency) using O18-incorporation into DNA method, microbial biomass by fumigation-extraction), bacterial and fungal necromass concentrations (by amino sugars), soil chemical properties (nutrients, pH), and soil extracellular enzyme activities and climate properties for two experimental soil systems. All measurements are made across two experimental systems over a 3.4 km elevation gradient in the Peruvian Andes (Manu National Park). The first system includes measurements for 14 x 1 ha permanent sampling plots situated across the 3.4 km elevation gradient. The second system includes measurements for a soil translocation experiment where soil cores were translocated reciprocally across 4 sites spanning the gradient; representing a temperature manipulation experiment. The measurements were collected after 11 years of temperature manipulation, in 2020-2021. This dataset was created to understand how temperature affects microbial carbon cycling process in soils, across two different time-frames (long-term vs 11-years of climate perturbation).