This dataset contains litter and soil vertical accumulation estimates derived from lateral photos of microplots in a long-term experiment (2013-2017) of cross-scale interactions (CSIs) at the Jornada Basin LTER site in southern New Mexico, U.S.A. Experimental treatments were initiated in 2013 at 15 experimental blocks, each with 4 treatment plots: plant-scale herbicide of mesquite shrubs, patch-scale connectivity modifiers (ConMods), herbicide + ConMods, control without manipulations. Repeat, lateral (side-looking) photographs of ten "microplots" in each ConMods and herbicide+ConMods plot were taken for estimation of litter, soil, and vegetation cover in the experimental treatment and control plots over time. Photographs were analyzed with SigmaScan software to determine vertical accumulation of litter and soil withing the microplots. This study is complete and ended in 2017. These vertical accumulation estimates are derived from photos in EDI dataset knb-lter-jrn.210413006.