Multi-scale networked observation is the basic means to obtain regional ecological information, and it is the source of data for comprehensively and deeply understanding the dynamics of ecosystems and assessing the interrelationships between ecosystems, global changes and human activities. The Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN), based on the field observation stations of important ecosystem types in China, adopts unified protocols to carry out long-term positional observation and research on typical ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, deserts and marshes in China, so as to provide scientific data support for the construction of the national ecological environment. This dataset covers the background, plant community species richness, biomass and habitat information of 84 biological long-term observation plots from 10 forest, 6 desert, 2 grassland and 1 marsh stations of CERN from 1998 to 2010. The dataset has gone through a strict three-tier audit and quality control process, and constructed a biological and habitat dataset with the annual observation data of the biological long-term observation samples as the basic unit. The dataset can provide data support for the distribution of biological resources, the relationship between biological and environmental changes and human activities.

Ailao Mountain is located in the central Yunnan region, affected by the southwest monsoon, there are mid-mountain moist evergreen broad-leaved forest vegetation in the altitude range of 2000-2600m. In this area, set on the long-term monitoring data of mid-mountain moist evergreen broad-leaved forest in Ailao Mountain comprehensive monitoring field(ALFZH01AC0_01) for long-term ecological monitoring, it has important scientific value. This dataset uses monitoring data in 2005 and 2010 in samples, by integrating the monitoring data of species composition and community characteristics of forest plant communities in tree layer, shrub layer, herbaceous layer, inter-layer epiphyte (/parasitic) and interlayer vines, a total of 174 species were obtained, belonging to 70 families and 129 genera. The top 5 families with the largest number of species were Liliaceae (10 species), Rosaceae (9 species), Hydrosauridae (9 species), lauraceae (6 species) and theaceae (6 species). The first five genera are Ilex (5 species), Symplocos (5 species), Elatostema (4 species), Impatiens (3 species) and Carex (3 species). The main plant life forms were herbaceous (56 species), accounting for 32.36%; there were 41 species of shrubs, accounting for 23.69%; there were 28 species of trees, accounting for 16.18%. The floristic components of the plot species were mainly tropical Asian species, accounting for 52.02%. According to the Chinese vegetation classification system, the plant alliance in the plot were classified as Castanopsis wattii + Schima noronhae + Machilus gamblei - Fargesia wuliangshanensis - Plagiogyria pycnophylla Evergreen Broadleaf Forest Alliance

The composition of plant species and community characteristics are critical indicators of biodiversity, structural composition, service functions, stability, maintenance mechanisms, and successional dynamics in forest ecosystems. These factors form the basis of forest ecosystem research and are essential metrics for long-term monitoring of biological components within the China Ecosystem Research Network (CERN). The monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest, a zonal vegetation type in southern subtropical China, serves as the primary observation and research site at the Dinghushan Forest Ecosystem Research Station. In accordance with CERN monitoring standards, Dinghushan Station conducts surveys on long-term observation plots every five years, examining plants from the tree, shrub, herbaceous, epiphyte, and interlayer strata. This dataset includes data on plant composition and community characteristics from four surveys conducted between 1999 and 2015 in the monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest of Dinghushan. The establishment and dissemination of this dataset contribute valuable local data for advancing research on forest ecosystem biodiversity, community structure, stability, maintenance mechanisms, carbon sequestration, successional dynamics, and related topics. It also provides essential information for forest management, ecosystem function assessments, and ecological restoration efforts.

Plant species composition and community characteristics are the basis for the structure, function and dynamics of forest ecosystems, which determines forest ecosystem services such as productivity, carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. Plant species composition and community characteristics are important indicators for long-term positional observation of biological elements in terrestrial ecosystems by the China Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) and the National Ecosystem Observation and Research Network (CNERN). Mixed evergreen and deciduous broadleaf forest is a zonal vegetation type in northern subtropical China, and is one of the vegetation types that responds sensitively to environmental change. Subalpine coniferous forest is a typical vegetation type in the upper part of the vertical belt spectrum of the Shennongjia mountainous area, preserving a large area of natural primary forests that are the only remaining ones in Central China, and it is an important ecological barrier in the Qinba mountainous area. Two 100 m × 100 m long-term monitoring sample plots of subalpine coniferous forest and mixed evergreen and deciduous broadleaf forest have been set up in 2001 and in 2008, respectively, by the Shennongjia Forest Ecosystem Research Station (National Field Station for Forest Ecosystems in Shennongjia, also known as Shennongjia Biodiversity Research Station of CAS). Plant community inventories were conducted in 2010 in accordance with CERN and CNERN monitoring specifications. Tree layer surveys were conducted in 100 10 m × 10 m sub-samples, and shrub and herb layer surveys were conducted in 13 10 m × 10 m sub-samples. In the tree layer, all woody plants with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 1 cm were surveyed, and the indicators included plant species name, diameter at breast height (DBH), height, etc. In the shrub layer, woody plants with DBH < 1 cm were monitored, and the indicators included species name, multiplicity, average basal diameter, average height, and cover, etc. In the herb layer, herbaceous plants were monitored, and the indicators included species name, multiplicity, average height, and cover. Six data tables for this dataset were formed through statistical organization: (1) species name, abundance, average diameter at breast height (DBH), average height, coverage, and life form of the tree layer, (2) dominant species, number of species, density, average height of dominant species, and canopy density of the sub-sample plots of trees, (3) species name, abundance, average base diameter, average height, coverage, and life form of the shrub layer, (4) dominant species, number of species, density, average height of dominant species, and total coverage of the shrub sample plot, (5) species name, abundance, average height, coverage, and life form of the herbaceous layer, and (6) dominant species, number of species, density, average height of dominant species, and total coverage of the herbaceous sample plot. The establishment and sharing of this dataset can provide background data for in-depth investigation of the impact of environmental changes on the community structure and productivity of subtropical forest ecosystems, and provide basic data support for the evaluation of ecosystem service functions, biodiversity conservation and ecological quality monitoring in the region.

The warm temperate deciduous broad-leaf forest is a zonal vegetation type in warm temperate regions. The natural secondary forests of this forest type are well-preserved in Dongling mountain area. Species composition and community characteristics are the basis for studying the structural and functional dynamics of forest ecosystems and have significant impacts on biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services functions, and thus being recognized as vital indicators for long-term fixed-point observation of biological elements in terrestrial ecosystems. According to the unified observation specifications of the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN), community surveys were conducted in 2007, 2010, and 2015 in the comprehensive observation field of the warm-temperate deciduous broad-leaf forest at the Beijing Forest Ecosystem Research Station of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Information such as the scientific names, numbers of individuals (clumps), mean DBH (diameters at breast height for trees) or mean BD (basal diameters for shrubs), mean heights, and life forms of trees (with a diameter at breast height ≥1 cm) , shrubs and herbaceous plants were recorded. Through the collation, quality control, and statistical analysis of the plot data, a dataset including dominant species and their heights, the number of species, density, canopy closure (for trees), total coverage (for shrubs and herbaceous plants) was obtained. The dataset contains detailed information of a total of 56 plant species ( belonging to 44 genera and 25 families), through which the community characteristics of the warm-temperate deciduous broad-leaf forests and the development trend towards mature forests were well reflected. The establishment and sharing of this dataset provide important support for understanding the structural and functional dynamics, as well as the mechanisms of biodiversity maintenance of warm-temperate forest ecosystems under global climate change.

The Changbai Mountain broad-leaved Korean pine forest is a zonal vegetation in Northeast China. As one of the largest and most well-known protected forest ecosystems, the species composition and community characteristics of this forest are vital for the studies of ecosystem structure and dynamics. To monitor plant community, National scientific observation and research field station of Changbai Mountain forest ecosystem in Jilin has established a 1600 m2 (40 m × 40 m) permanent plot in the broad-leaved Korean pine forest in 1998 based on the unified standards of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN). This dataset integrates the raw data of species composition and community characteristics of tree layer, shrub layer and herb layer from two surveys in this monitoring plot in 2005 and 2010. It also includes detailed information on the process of dataset construction. This dataset provides a valuable foundation for forest ecosystem and management research.

With the rapid development of society, the scale of plantation is continuously expanding. How to effectively carry out the management of plantation and evaluate the functions of the ecosystem is a long-term research topic. Heshan Hilly Comprehensive Open Experimental Station of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereafter referred to as Heshan Station) was established in 1984, focusing on "plantation ecosystems" as the research object, adhering to the long-term observation standards of CERN, and conducting long-term community dynamics observation of the main plantation types in the South China region, accumulating long-term data. This dataset includes the species composition and community characteristics data of the long-term monitoring plot of Acacia mangium plantation at Heshan Station from 2005 to 2015, as well as detailed information on the construction process of the dataset., It is expected to provide important data support for plantation management and ecosystem function evaluation.

Montane coniferous plantations in southwest China, as a crucial ecological barrier of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, have multiple ecological service functions, including soil and water conservation and maintenance of biodiversity. These plantations play key roles in maintaining regional ecological security and promoting sustainable development in western China. Plant species composition and community characteristics are vital indicators for studying the structure and functioning of forest ecosystems. They hold utmost significance for monitoring and assessing the dynamics of community structure succession, biodiversity, ecosystem health and sustainability. Following the monitoring specifications for terrestrial ecosystem biological elements, we have conducted three census surveys in a 50 m×50 m permanent plot of montane coniferous plantation in 2005, 2007 and 2010 in Maoxian Mountain Ecosystem Observation and Research Station of Chinese Academy of Sciences. The dataset provided detailed information on plant species composition and community characteristics of tree layer, bush layer, herb layer and interlayer vines. Indexes of plant species composition was species names, Latin names, individual number, average diameter at breast height, average height, coverage and life form. Community characteristics included dominant species, density, average height of dominant species and coverage. Species number (mainly native plants) increased with community succession. However, density in tree and bush layers decreased, which was caused by the high mortal rate of planted trees of bushes by the lack of sunlight under the forest, and native saplings entering into tree layer. The dataset would provide data support for the studies and practices of vegetation restoration, community succession and sustainable management of montane coniferous plantations in southwest China.

The Lower Liaohe Plain is an important grain-producing area in Liaoning, and the Shenyang National Field Scientific Observatory of Agricultural Ecosystems in Liaoning (hereinafter referred to as the Shenyang Station) is located in the center of the Lower Liaohe Plain, which is at the crossroads of two sample zones of the East-West Moisture Driver and the North-South Heat Driver of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) in China. Shenyang Station is located in the center of the Lower Liaohe Plain, at the crossroads of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) east-west moisture driver and the north-south heat driver in China.Therefore, the long-term observation data of farmland at Shenyang Station can well represent the traits of the main crops in farmland in the region, which is of great significance in guiding the agricultural production in the region, and at the same time provide data reference for national food security.Since 1998, the Shenyang Station has established 10 biological long-term monitoring sample plots in farmland ecosystems to carry out continuous observation of biological indicators such as crop growth dynamics, harvest traits and yields, as well as soil, water and atmospheric environmental elements, accumulating a large amount of continuous observation data.This dataset is derived from the continuous observation data of crop harvest traits and yields from 2005 to 2015 in 10 farmland long-term observation sample plots at Shenyang Station, and consists of eight parts, namely, the table of crop rotation system, the table of major pesticides, herbicides and other uses, the table of farmland irrigation system, the table of plant traits at the harvest time of rice, the table of plant traits at the harvest time of corn, the table of plant traits at the harvest time of soybeans, the table of crop harvest traits and yield measurement, and the worksheet of fertilizer inputs of the sample plots. Yield Measurement Sheet and Fertilizer Inputs in Sample Plots Worksheet. The long-term observation of the station was carried out in strict accordance with the observation specifications of the China Ecosystem Research Network (hereinafter referred to as “CERN”), and quality control was carried out in the whole process, from the preparation of the survey to the process of the survey, as well as the data sorting and recording after the completion of the survey, in order to ensure that the data were relatively accurate and reliable. This dataset provides a data set of harvest-time traits and yield dynamics of major crops in farmland in the Lower Liaohe Plain, which can be used to assess inter-annual yield fluctuations and provide scientific guidance and decision-making basis for optimizing the regional agricultural planting structure and realizing high and stable yields of major crops in the region, so as to provide a strong guarantee for the national food security.

Rice and winter wheat are the primary crops cultivated in the farmland ecosystem of the Taihu Plain in the Yangtze River Delta. The 1000-grain weight, grains per panicle, and spike per plant are agronomic traits of crops, which significantly influence yield, it is of great significance to understand the changes of agronomic traits and yield during the harvest period of crops in this region, and to ensure regional food security and ecological security. The agronomic traits and yield datasets of crops during the harvest period also directly provide long-term data verification for global climate change, such as temperature increase. The Jiangsu Changshu National Agro-Ecosystem Observation and Research Station (Changshu Station) is the only national farmland ecosystem scientific observation and research station in the Yangtze River Delta, representing the semi-artificial wetland farmland ecosystem dominated by rice cultivation in the northern subtropical Taihu Lake Plain.This dataset contains agronomic traits and yield data of rice and winter wheat harvest plots in the past 17 years (2004-2020), derived from long-term biological monitoring at Changshu station. This dataset can provide data support for crop growth model, remote sensing yield estimation, regional crop growth dynamics, agriculture responds to and adapts to climate change mitigation research.

The Horqin Sandy Land is located in the agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China and has the most favorable hydrothermal conditions among the ten major deserts in China. This region features a coexistence of farmland, grassland, and sandy ecosystems. Despite its fragile ecological environment and severe desertification issues, it is also a key corn (Zea mays) production area in Nei Mongol. Since the 1980s, advancements in agricultural technology have significantly improved corn yield and quality in this region. As the world’s leading cereal crop, corn production and quality remain key areas of agricultural research. This dataset compiles corn plant traits and yield data collected during the harvest period from 2005 to 2015 at the long-term agricultural observation plot of Naiman Desertification Research Station of Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with data on fertilizer inputs and irrigation practices. The establishment and sharing of this dataset will contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamic changes in corn growth under global climate change in Horqin Sandy Land, providing essential scientific evidence for optimizing agricultural management strategies and improving water resource utilization in semi-arid sandy regions.

The hilly and gully region is one of the most representative geomorphological units of the Loess Plateau. The complex and fragmented terrain, along with its fragile ecological environment, determines the unique characteristics of agricultural production in this region. The Fluvial Terraces, as an important agricultural cultivation area in this region, is characterized by its flat terrain and fertile soil, making it a typical agricultural ecosystem type of the region. Crop traits and yield, as fundamental elements in long-term monitoring of agricultural ecosystems, can directly reflect the productivity of farmland and are important indicators for assessing agricultural sustainability. Continuous multi-year observations of agricultural ecosystem elements in the Fluvial Terraces are crucial for a comprehensive of the dynamic changes in agricultural ecosystems and their interactions with environmental factors. The Ansai Farmland Ecosystem National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station (referred to as the Ansai Station) is a core research platform dedicated to the arid and semi-arid hilly regions of the Loess Plateau. It is affiliated with the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) and the National Ecosystem Observation and Research Network (CNERN). The Ansai Station serves as a crucial platform for long-term field observations of farmland ecosystems in the hilly and gully region of the Loess Plateau. This dataset integrates ecological observation data from three long-term monitoring fields on Fluvial terraces at Ansai Station (2018–2023) under typical cultivation systems, including long-term crop rotation systems, fertilizer inputs, applications of pesticides, herbicides, and growth regulators, harvest period traits, and yield measurements. This dataset provides valuable data support for evaluating the productivity and stability of regional farmland ecosystems, optimizing agricultural management practices, and formulating relevant agricultural policies.

The Hexi Corridor is an important agricultural and ecological area in Gansu Province and Northwest China. The oasis agriculture in Hexi Corridor relies on abundant light and heat resources, predominantly operates through irrigated farming, and exhibits a notably diverse planting structure. This region is not only an important economic area, but also has significant agricultural distinctiveness and advantages in terms of diversity. The study area is located in the middle part of the Hexi Corridor, within the midstream region of the Heihe River Basin. It is one of the typical representatives of the oasis agricultural ecological zone in the Hexi Corridor. This region is not only a major grain-producing area in Gansu, but also faces challenges such as water resource scarcity, the coexistence of desertification and oasis expansion. The Gansu Linze National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station of Farmland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as Linze Station), has been a part of the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) since 2003. According to the protocols for CERN long-term monitoring, Linze Station has conducted long-term investigations on a range of indicators of farmland ecosystems, including cultivation practices, farming systems, harvest characteristics, and yield measurements at harvest time. This dataset compiles and organizes data from the Linze Station covering the period from 2004 to 2010 across four agricultural observation sites, including the Comprehensive Observation Site of Desert-Oasis Farmland Ecosystem, the Auxiliary Observation Site of Desert-Oasis Farmland Ecosystem, the New Oasis Farmland Survey Point, and the Old Oasis Farmland Survey Point. It includes long-term sampling data on crop rotation systems, fertilizer inputs, pesticide/herbicide/growth regulator applications, irrigation practices, harvest traits, and yield measurements at harvest time. This dataset is regional representative and provides foundational data for researchers to understand the water and fertilizer utilization mechanisms in typical irrigated agricultural areas of the Hexi Corridor. It also has significant value for constructing water-saving oases and sustainable development management in this region.

Agriculture is the foundation for social-economic development in Xizang Pleteau, restricted by the plateau topgraphy and environments, it is mainly distributed in river valley areas such as the Yarlung Zangbo River, Nianchu River and Lhasa River, and mainly planting highland barley, wheat and rapeseed. The Lhasa Agro-ecosystem Research Station, CAS(Lhasa Station), located at Dagze district, Lhasa, Xizang Autonomous Region, where is the Lhasa River valley agricultural area in the hinterland on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and is a typical representative of plateau agricultural planting. Taking the long-term dynamic of the plateau farmland ecosystem as the research object, one comprehensive observation field, long-term experiment and two farmer survey points have been set up to carry out stationary observation for typical planting patterns of main crops in this region included the highland barley, wheat and rapeseed. This dataset is their observation data of the crop harvest traits and yield in Lhasa River valley collected by Lhasa Station from 2016 to 2020, including five parts: farmland multiple cropping index and crop rotation system, fertilizer input of farmland crops, farmland irrigation, crop harvest trait data, and crop yield data. This dataset will provide scientific basis and data support for the research of agricultural capacity assessment, sustainable agricultural production management and smart agricultural system development in this agricultural areas of Xizang plateau.

Oasis transition belt is the natural barrier of ecological security in the Taklimakan Desert, and it is also the most sensitive and vulnerable area affected by climate change. The long-term positioning observation of oasis farmland ecosystem plays a crucial role in the construction of ecological environment and the sustainable development of economy and society in this region. The Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems of Xinjiang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, located in the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert, has been carrying out long-term ecological observation of the characteristics and yields of local typical crops at harvest time since 2004. This dataset collected the biological observation data of Cele Station from 2005 to 2010, which mainly included the plot background (including crop types, rotation system, fertilizer input, pesticide input, and irrigation system) and crop traits and yield (including plant number, plant height, boll mass, lint percentage, density, and aboveground dry mass). The dataset could provide important scientific basis for the research on the stability of desert vegetation, the harmonious coexistence of human-sand relationship, and the healthy development of oasis farmland. It could also provide basic information for crop selection, cultivation system improvement, and crop trait changes during harvesting period in arid areas.