Vegetation cover data in PASTFORWARD experiment from 2016 to 2023. Data used for the analysis in 'Forest floor environment overrules global change treatment effects on understorey communities in a mesocosm experiment' (Lorer et al., Global Change Biology, 2024).

This dataset contains the vegetation cover data collected in mesocosm plant communities subjected to experimental microclimate warming, illumination and nitrogen deposition in ancient and post-agricultural forest soils in the PASTFORWARD experiment, set in the Aelmoeseneie forest in Belgium (50°58′30″N, 3°48′16″E). The data were collected from 2016 to 2023. Metadata explaining different columns is provided on the second tab of the excel file.<br>Species characteristics data (CCI, thermal niche optimum, Ellenberg L and N) can be found in Table S1 of the supplementary information of the publication.<br>Data used for the analysis in 'Forest floor environment overrules global change treatment effects on understorey communities in a mesocosm experiment' (Lorer et al., Global Change Biology, 2024).