Data from: Shrub encroachment influences root traits and mycorrhization in subalpine grasslands

Data used for the paper Tello-García et al. (2026) accepted in Functional Ecology: Shrub encroachment influences root traits and mycorrhization in subalpine grasslands

This dataset from the Kaserstattalm LTER site (Stubai Valley, Austria; 1800–2080 m a.s.l.) documents root traits and mycorrhization in subalpine grasslands along two shrub-cover gradients, one dominated by deciduous shrubs and the other by evergreen shrubs, sampled in 2021–2022. Data include plot-level vegetation cover, root morphological traits, root-associated fungal communities from high-throughput sequencing, and microscopy-based AMF colonization metrics for the herbaceous community (i.e. herbaceous layer in shrub-encroached grassland) and for the plant community (i.e. including the herbaceous layer and shrub species). Community-weighted means are calculated from relative cover and summarize plant-community responses along the gradients.