Data for: Differential structure and function of phosphorus-cycling microbial communities in organic and upper mineral soil horizons across a temperate rainforest chronosequence

Dunes with approximate ages of 300, 800 and 4000 yBP (i.e., corresponding to earthquake events in the years 1717, 1220 and ~4000 years ago; also referred as BBX1717, BBX1220 and BBX04) were chosen for detailed soil sampling. We paired analysis of soil properties with chemical and microbial analysis.

We quantified P-cycling microbial communities using qPCR to estimate bacterial and fungal abundance and p-cycling genes and used high-throughput sequencing to estimate microbial community diversity. Data are from 3 dunes with four representative sampling locations. Each sampling point consisted of the removal of a block of soil 25 x 25 cm to a depth of ~25 cm to obtain both the organic horizon and mineral soil immediately beneath: n = 24.