Data for assessment of leached dissolved organic carbon in watersheds

Abstract

(“Dissolved organic carbon leaching flux in a mixed agriculture and forest watershed in Rwanda” [1]).This article presents data of leached dissolved organic carbon (LDOC), stream water dissolved organic carbon), rainfall amount (Ra), rainfall intensity (Ri), rainfall soil storage (S), runoff (Q), and soil properties such as total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and soil texture data collected in the Rukarara River Watershed (RRW), a tropical watershed. All these data were used to analyze leached dissolved organic carbon (LDOC) fluxes in the watershed and their relationship with stream DOC. LDOC and soil properties data were collected at three sites in multiple plots per site located in natural forest (NF), tea plantations (TP), plantation forests (PF), and croplands (CL). Twenty-three plots in total were sampled to collect LDOC data. Soil properties data were analyzed from soil samples collected nearby the plots. Soil texture elements data were used to calculate soil porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks).Data of stream DOC were analyzed from water samples collected and analyzed in the laboratory using a TOC analyzer. Rainfall data were recorded within the RRW using tipping bucket rain gauges installed at three sites. These rainfall data were used to calculate rainfall intensity, potential surface runoff, and rainfall soil storage.

Keywords

• Watershed
• Leached dissolved organic carbon
• Stream dissolved organic carbon
• Land use/land cover
• Soil properties
• Rainfall