Data from two laboratory-based studies, both investigating the interactive effects of abiotic and biotic controls on peatland carbon cycling. Data comprise carbon dioxide and methane fluxes in peat, litter mass remaining and respiration rate data from litter bags on peat mesocosms, and biochemical and physical properties of peat. Data was collected in from the first laboratory study, which focused on identifying the interactive effects of small-scale temperature change, water table level and plant functional type legacy effects in peat on carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes from peat collected from Black Law Wind Farm, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Data includes CO2 and CH4 fluxes from peat mesocosms (sampled in May 2011), measured six times from October 2011 to September 2012. Data collected from the second laboratory study between October 2012 and October 2013 focused on identifying the interactive effects of small-scale temperature change and plant functional type legacy effects in peat and litter on decomposition in peatlands, and included litter mass remaining (% of initial litter mass) and respiration rate data from litter bags on peat mesocosms. Peat and litter used in this laboratory study were collected from blanket bog peatland at Black Law Wind Farm, Lanarkshire, Scotland in October 2012. Peat and litter used in both studies were analysed for their biochemical and physical properties. Biochemical and physical properties data for the first laboratory study includes bulk density, pH, total carbon (C) content, total nitrogen (N) content, ratio of C to N, C stock, N stock, total phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), total fungal PLFAs, total bacterial PLFAs, ratio of fungal to bacterial PLFAs, total gram-positive bacterial PLFAs, total gram-negative bacterial PLFAs and ratio of gram-positive to gram-negative bacterial PLFAs of peat. Biochemical and physical properties data for the second laboratory study include total carbon (C) content, total nitrogen (N) content and the ratio of C to N for peat and litter. Biochemical and physical data properties for peat and litter were used to better understand the effects of plant functional type legacy on greenhouse gas fluxes and litter decomposition. Full details about this nonGeographicDataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/e15fbbab-1cdd-4509-81a3-aa050e927dd0

Data from a field-based investigation into the spatio-temporal variability of abiotic and biotic controls on peatland carbon cycling. Data was collected between February 2011 and April 2013, across an area of blanket bog peatland at Black Law Wind Farm, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Plant-soil properties data includes total carbon content, total nitrogen content and carbon to nitrogen ratio of vegetation, litter and peat, carbon and nitrogen stock for litter and peat, bulk density, soil moisture content, pH and soil microbial community composition of peat (Phospholipid Fatty Acids). Peatland carbon cycling data includes measures of litter decomposition, dissolved organic carbon concentration, methane fluxes, net ecosystem exchange, photosynthesis and ecosystem respiration. Physical parameters measured includes below ground temperature from April 2011 to June 2012 and soil moisture content from May 2011 to April 2013. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/99416ba1-b670-4a82-8225-9644293fb4de