FAIR-Compliant Database for Soil Erosion Studies: The Marganai Forest Experiment

The ‘2018 Marganai Forest Soil Erosion Experiment Database’ is a comprehensive collection of measures taken during scientific experiment trials designed to investigate the effects of forest canopy coverage on soil erosion under intense artificial rainfall, four years after coppicing. The investigation involved the establishment of eight paired plots with and without forest canopy coverage, subjected to artificial rainfall simulation aimed to measure the amount of sediment transported by runoff. The work represents a valuable resource for researchers interested in understanding the complex implications of forest management practices on soil erosion. The paper, produced using Quarto in a Gitlab-based RStudio project, is an example of ‘reproducible research’ documenting that the database provides detailed information on the experimental setup as well as on the range of different measurements that have been collected. The database, produced using NFS-DataDocumentationProcedure, is stored in an SQLite file, extensively exploiting the relational properties of the engine, enhancing data accessibility, interoperability and reusability.