Microbial carbon use efficiency and soil organic carbon stocks across an elevational gradient in the Peruvian Andes

Soils of mountain ecosystems are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems to climate change, while the ecosystem services they produce are significant and currently at risk. High altitude soils contain high C stocks, but due to difficult access to sites these areas are understudied. Moreover, how the C and N cycling is changing in response to climate change in these ecosystems, is still unclear. Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) and its dependency on the environmental constraints along the altitudinal gradients is one important unknown factor. Here we present results from an altitudinal gradient study (3500 to 4500 m a.s.l.) from a Polylepis forest in the Peruvian Andes. We measured the soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and microbial metabolic CUE by 13C glucose tracing and microbial resource use efficiency (CUEC:N) based on enzyme activity measurements. We expected to find an increase in SOC stock, microbial nutrient limitations, and lower CUE with elevation. SOC stocks depended on soi..., , , # Microbial carbon use efficiency and soil organic carbon stocks across an elevational gradient in the Peruvian Andes

 
**General information:**

Data are related to the manuscript “Microbial carbon use efficiency and soil organic carbon stocks across an elevational gradient in the Peruvian Andes”

By Angela Martin Vivanco, Outi-Maaria Sietiö, Nele Meyer, Kevin Zowe Mganga, Subin Kalu, Sylwia Adamczyk, Susan Celis Huayllasco, Julio Alegre Orihuela and Kristiina Karhu.

Corresponding authors:
Angela Martin Vivanco ()
Kristiina Karhu ()

The methods are described in detail in the paper.

The dataset contains 1 Excel file with the data of the following soil parameters (concentrations of different elements, enzyme activities, and respiration are given per g of dry soil):

ID: ID Code of each point. This indicates the Valley Name (e.g. U: Ulta, P: Paron, L: llanganuco ); the elevation (#1 is 4500 and #5 is 3500 m); plot number (R: 1,2,3). e.g: U1R1 = Ulta valley at 4500 m 1st plot
ELEVATIO...