The aim of the study was to determine the effect of belowground plant-derived carbohydrates on P uptake, P concentrations and enzymes activities related to P mobilization in roots, ectomycorrhizas and soil and on the abundances of P-related genes in soil bacteria.

We report data from a girdling experiment in two temperate beech forest with contrasting soil phosphorus concentrations. We used soil cores and the fractions of the organic layer and mineral topsoil separately one and eight weeks after the girdling treatment. We collected bulk soil, rhizosphere and root. We provide data on soil for pH, water extractable organic carbon mineral elements in soil, and soil enzyme activities. Enzyme activities are shown for the bulk soil and the rhizosphere We provide data for microbial P, microbial biomass, gene abundances of P-related genes for soil bacteria, and phospholipid fatty acids. We provide data on root biomass, carbohydrates, total P, soluble, other root mineral nutrients, and phopphatase and enzyme activities. The data set further contain 33P labelling data for P uptake into roots.

Girdling plots were installed in beech (F. sylvatica L.) forests in two areas that differ in soil properties: Bad Brückenau (BBR), a high-P (HP) and Luess (LUE), a low-P (LP) site. For this study, three plots were installed in the HP and four in the LP forests in May 2017 (HP: 12.05, LP: 05.05). Each plot had an area of 4 m² and was separated from the forest floor by a 0.25 m deep trench. Each plot was divided by a lawn edge into two equal subplots.