Monitoring of soil variables across contrasting site and groundwater conditions in Kopcany, western Slowakia, 2018-2022

This dataset contains measurements of soil moisture, soil matric potential, soil temperature, groundwater depth, and throughfall from the study area of the project Dendromass4Europe. Three poplar SRC stands were selected according to a gradient of groundwater accessibility: S5-N (higher groundwater level), S4-D (low groundwater level), and S2-F (fluctuating groundwater level). On each of the selected sites one soil profile was excavated and prepared for the installation of soil sensors. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of meteorological and soil-related site conditions on tree transpiration rates in poplar SRC stands. Soil moisture was measured with frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) sensors, with 51 mm rods. Soil matric potential and soil temperature were measured with Tensiomark sensors of a length of 125 mm, with a ceramic head. The soil profiles were excavated on May 2018 and sensors were installed as follows: four pairs of sensors of soil moisture and matric potential at 0.3 m soil depth, three pairs at 0.6 m soil depth, and two pairs at 0.9 m soil depth. In the horizontal plane, the distance between sensors was 0.15 m; the distance between pairs was 0.3 m. At the site with fluctuating groundwater level (S2-F), at 0.9 m soil depth, high gravel content prevented the installation of matric potential sensors. On each site, a groundwater well was excavated at a distance of three meters from the soil pit. The fluctuations in groundwater level were recorded with a KELLER pressure sensor. Throughfall collectors were built at 1 m height above ground. The measurements started in June 2018 (in the case of fluctuations of groundwater level: December 2018) with a resolution of 15 minutes until middle of March 2020 (16.03.2020) and after that with a resolution of 60 minutes until end of May 2022 (31.05.2022)