Data from a throughfall exclusion experiment: Fine root dynamics, morphology, chemistry, and AMF colonization across four lowland Panamanian forests

Fine roots regulate forest nutrient, carbon, and water cycling, yet their variation within and among tropical forests remains under-characterized. We quantified root productivity, disappearance, and stocks to 1 m using minirhizotron imaging, and we measured morphology, elemental composition [root carbon (C), root nitrogen (N), root phosphorus (P)], and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization to 20 cm using ingrowth cores and sequential coring. Sampling took place in four distinct lowland Panamanian forests (32 plots; 8 per forest) from 2018 through 2022 under control and throughfall-exclusion (drought) treatments in the Panama Rainforest Changes with Experimental Drying (PARCHED) experiment.The dataset is presented as an Excel workbook with six tabs. The first tab is the data dictionary. Tab S1 contains ingrowth-core production and mortality, morphology and soil moisture. Tab S2 contains sequential-coring standing stocks with associated morphology and soil moisture. Tab S3 contains minirhizotron row data records to 1 m depth, including per-frame root length and diameter, normalized length metrics, and session timing. Tab S4 contains AMF colonization. Tab S5 contains fine-root chemistry at 0–10 cm, reporting %P, %C, %N, and C:N for samples collected via ingrowth cores and sequential-coring standing stocks. CSV mirrors for each tab are provided, and a KML file supplies coordinates for all 32 plots.Key variables span live and dead fine-root biomass (and coarse fractions where applicable), specific root length (SRL) and area (SRA), diameter, root tissue density (RTD), soil moisture, AMF colonization, root %N, %C, %P, and C:N, along with minirhizotron root length and diameter. Depth, season, treatment, and plot/site identifiers are included to support cross-tab integration and analysis from 0–100 cm (minirhizotron) and 0–20 cm (cores).Units are reported in-column and missing values are coded as NA. No special software is required to open or use the files (Excel, CSV, and KML compatible).

细根调控森林养分、碳与水循环，但目前学界对热带森林内部及不同热带森林间的细根变异仍缺乏充分表征。本研究采用微根窗成像（Minirhizotron）技术对1米深度内的根系生产力、消亡量与现存生物量进行了定量测定，并通过生长芯（Ingrowth core）与连续钻取采样（Sequential coring）方法，测定了20厘米深度内的根系形态、元素组成[根系碳（C）、根系氮（N）、根系磷（P）]以及丛枝菌根真菌（Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, AMF）定殖率。采样于2018至2022年间在巴拿马的4处典型低地森林中开展（共32个样地，每片森林8个样地），实验设置了对照组与穿透雨排除（干旱）处理，隶属于巴拿马雨林随实验性干燥变化（Panama Rainforest Changes with Experimental Drying, PARCHED）项目。本数据集以Excel工作簿形式存储，包含6个工作表。首个工作表为数据字典。工作表S1收录了生长芯的根系生产与死亡率、根系形态及土壤湿度数据。工作表S2收录了连续钻取采样的现存根系生物量及其配套的根系形态与土壤湿度数据。工作表S3收录了1米深度内的微根窗成像逐行原始数据记录，包含每帧的根系长度、直径、归一化长度指标以及扫描会话时间信息。工作表S4收录了丛枝菌根真菌定殖率数据。工作表S5收录了0–10厘米深度的细根化学组成数据，涵盖通过生长芯与连续钻取采样获取的样品的全磷（%P）、全碳（%C）、全氮（%N）含量及碳氮比（C:N）。每个工作表均提供CSV格式镜像文件，另有KML文件用于提供全部32个样地的坐标信息。核心变量涵盖活、死细根生物量（若适用则包含粗根组分）、比根长（Specific Root Length, SRL）与比根面积（Specific Root Area, SRA）、根系直径、根系组织密度（Root Tissue Density, RTD）、土壤湿度、丛枝菌根真菌定殖率、根系全氮（%N）、全碳（%C）、全磷（%P）及碳氮比（C:N），同时包含微根窗成像测得的根系长度与直径。数据集包含样地深度、采样季节、处理组别以及样地/站点标识符，以支持0–100厘米（微根窗成像）与0–20厘米（钻芯采样）深度范围的跨表整合与分析。各列已标注单位，缺失值以NA编码。本数据集文件（Excel、CSV及KML格式）无需专用软件即可打开与使用。