A dataset of decomposition at different needles ages in a Chinese fir plantation (Cunninghamia lanceolata) （2013-2016）

Chinese fir is one of the main afforestation tree species in subtropical regions of China. Therefore, scientific understanding of the decomposition process of different types of logging residues provides a basis for addressing global climate change, ensuring the healthy development of artificial forests, and making sustainable management decisions.

According to the unified specifications of the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN), this dataset compiled the dynamic decomposition of different age coniferous leaves and litter properties of Chinese fir plantations in Huitong County, Hunan Province from 2013 to 2016 through long-term observation of different leaf age coniferous leaves in fixed field plots. The establishment and sharing of dynamic datasets for the decomposition of different age coniferous leaves in Chinese fir plantations provide basic data support for the dynamic research of logging residue decomposition under the background of global change, and provide reference for the scientific and rational management and development of subtropical plantations.