Coarse woody debris inventory and traits (density and chemical traits) of novel forest stands of moist Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria

This dataset contains inventory, wood density, and nutrient analysis data for Coarse Woody Debris (CWD) from 21 novel forest stands in the subtropical moist forest life zone of north-central and western Puerto Rico. The study sites feature soils derived from alluvial, karst, and volcanic geological substrates and are dominated by non-native tree species, including members of the Fabaceae family and Spathodea campanulata.Data was collected between December 2019 and July 2020. CWD (minimum diameter 7.6 cm, minimum length 91.4 cm) was sampled on a per-area basis (Mg ha⁻¹) using the line-intersect sampling (LIS) method. The inventory includes measurements of CWD dimensions, species identification, and decay class (1-5). From this, CWD volume, biomass, and elemental stocks (Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus) were calculated.The dataset also includes wood density measurements for various CWD species and decay classes, determined from oven-dried mass and fresh volume. Nutrient profiles for CWD were determined by a laboratory for total carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations (%) via combustion analysis.