Data describe the activity of soil extracellular enzymes collected approximately every month in 2015 from the Belowground Plot Experiment. The measured enzymes depolymerize soil organic matter to release labile carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Soil carbon and nitrogen were measured in July 2015 only, since these soil variables are not expected to change monthly.
Research purpose: To assess enzyme-mediated feedbacks to increases in nutrient availability from long-term fertilization. Location of sampling: Belowground Plot Experiment Frequency of sampling: Monthly for soil extracellular enzyme activities. variable measured: Activities of extracellular enzymes: Beta-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, N-acetylglucoaminidase, leucyl aminopeptidase, acid phosphatase, and phenol oxidase. Soil chemistry: Total carbon and nitrogen and gravimetric water content. laboratory methods: Soil samples from each plot were collected as composites of four 2 cm diamter, 15 cm deep soil cores. form of data output: Extracellular enzyme activities were measured using short-term, room temperature assays with fluorometric organic substrates (Saiya-Cork et al. 2002, SBB 34(9): 1309-1315.; Zeglin et al. 2013, Ecology 94(10): 2334-2345.). Total carbon and nitrogen were quantified using thermal conductivity. Gravimetric water content was measured by drying soil samples overnight at 105 Celsius and weighing water mass loss.P quality assurance: -999 or NA were used for quality control / quality assurance. instrumentation: FilterMax F5 Multimode Microplate Reader; Flash EA 1112 NC Analyzer
