Abstract: As a critical carrier of the material cycle and energy exchange of forest ecosystem, soil moisture plays an important role in the hydrological processes, water balance, nutrient circulation, forest productivity, and ecological function maintenance of forest ecosystems. It was thus listed by Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) as a fundamental indicator for the water environment of the terrestrial ecosystems. According to the CERN observation and quality control protocols, Dinghu Mountain (DHS) Forest Ecosystem Research Station set up standard observation plots, and carried out long-term monitoring of soil moisture at different forest types of this region, so as to support research, education, and outreach. Here we present a dataset of soil moisture from 2002 to 2016 in three typical forest types of DHS, that is, Pinus massoniana coniferous forest, mixed Pinus massoniana/broad-leaved forest and monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest. This project aims to aid studies in forest ecosystem structure and function under the scenarios of global warming and regional vegetation change, thereby contributing to local forest management and ecosystem service evaluations.
Keywords: Dinghu Mountain; soil moisture; Neutron Probe; long-term observation