A 2-year study assessed the soil carbon dioxide (CO₂) balance of drained and undrained hemiboreal peatland forests across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The study sites included a wide variety of nutrient-rich organic soils, ranging from those near the threshold of organic soil definition to deep peat soils. The soils varied in pH, nutrient levels, and C : N ratio, which contributed to the observed behavior of the soils, demonstrating CO₂ sink and source dynamics under both drained and undrained conditions.

We offer pairwise observed datasets that compare the characteristics of tropical ecosystems, specifically pristine forests, regrowth forests, and cashew plantations. Our findings uncover some key differences in their characteristics, emphasizing the influence of human activities on these ecosystems. By sharing our unique datasets, we hope to improve the knowledge of tropical forest ecosystems in Southeast Asia, advancing tropical research and tackling global environmental challenges.

Ultrasonication followed by density fractionation is a frequently used method to determine soil structural stability and the amount of occluded particulate organic matter. Our analyses of three soils (sandy, silty and loamy) showed that air drying and gentle rewetting change SOM (soil organic matter) fractions depending on the subsequent time of re-incubation compared to field-fresh samples. This is important, since, e.g., the measurement of archived soils requires the handling of air-dried samples.