552977d4-b9aa-4932-a055-5ea3bdf16d56 English ISO/IEC 8859-1 (also known as Latin 1) dataset dataset NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg Lancaster LA1 4AP UK info@eidc.ac.uk https://eidc.ac.uk/ EIDC website The Environmental Information Data Centre (EIDC) is the UK's national data centre for terrestrial and freshwater sciences. information pointOfContact 2025-11-13T16:15:13 UK GEMINI 2.3 WGS 84 Insect and plant data from calcareous grassland restoration sites in southern England, 2021 2024-11-05 publication 2024-08-16 creation https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/552977d4-b9aa-4932-a055-5ea3bdf16d56 10.5285/552977d4-b9aa-4932-a055-5ea3bdf16d56 doi: Woodcock, B.A., Weites, M.G., Freeman, M., Bullock, J.M. (2024). Insect and plant data from calcareous grassland restoration sites in southern England, 2021. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre 10.5285/552977d4-b9aa-4932-a055-5ea3bdf16d56 The dataset contains monitoring data for plants (surveyed using quadrats), sward insects (surveyed using suction samplers), insect pollinators (surveyed using transects) and sward structure (surveyed using drop disk height) across 60 calcareous grassland restoration sites from southern England and a further six wildcard sites made up of ancient grasslands and rewilding sites in 2021. Information on site management during the sampling year are also included as well as the historic age of the restoration site. Data were collected with the goal of understanding changes in the complexity of plant and invertebrate communities during grasslands restoration with a focus on the effects of duration of restoration. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/552977d4-b9aa-4932-a055-5ea3bdf16d56 Woodcock, B.A. UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0300-9951 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Weites, M.G. UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk author Freeman, M. UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk author Bullock, J.M. UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk author NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre info@eidc.ac.uk custodian Woodcock, B.A. UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0300-9951 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information pointOfContact NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre info@eidc.ac.uk publisher UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk owner Species Distribution theme GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 publication insect butterfly bee GEMET - Concepts, version 4.1.3 2019-01-28 creation Biodiversity Pollinators environmental restoration permanent grassland England RestREco recreation calcareous otherRestrictions no limitations otherRestrictions This resource is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence otherRestrictions If you reuse this data, you should cite: Woodcock, B.A., Weites, M.G., Freeman, M., Bullock, J.M. (2024). Insect and plant data from calcareous grassland restoration sites in southern England, 2021. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre https://doi.org/10.5285/552977d4-b9aa-4932-a055-5ea3bdf16d56 textTable 1 English utf8 biota 2021-01-01 2021-12-31 -6.452 1.768 49.864 55.812 Comma-separated values (CSV) NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre info@eidc.ac.uk distributor https://data-package.ceh.ac.uk/data/552977d4-b9aa-4932-a055-5ea3bdf16d56 Download the data Download a copy of this data download https://data-package.ceh.ac.uk/sd/552977d4-b9aa-4932-a055-5ea3bdf16d56.zip Supporting information Supporting information available to assist in re-use of this dataset information dataset dataset Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services 2010-12-08 On each site a sampling area was established of c. 100 x 100 m in the centre of the restoration field. All sampling occurred in 2021. Data processing and lab-based identification continued into 2023. For plant monitoring, thirteen 0.5 X 0.5 m quadrats were undertaken. The presence or absence of all plant species found within the quadrat was recorded (All dicotyledons and monocots will be recorded). Bryophytes were recorded as a whole group. Sward height was measured in 40 locations using a drop disk. This was repeated in June and August. A vortis suction sampler was used to sample sward active invertebrates on two sample dates. Invertebrates were identified to the highest taxonomic resolution practical with a focus on beetles, plant hoppers, true bugs and spiders. This was repeated in June and August. To monitor pollinators, a 50 x 2 m transect was walked in June and August. Transects were assessed in dry and calm weather conditions during between 10:00 and 16:00 with temperatures above 15 C. Pollinators were identified to species were practical. Associations with foraging plants were recorded. Site location was recorded using GPS. Information on site management and history (including site age) was recorded based on management agreements for agri-environment schemes. Surrounding land use cover was recorded based on the UKCEH Landcover Map. Nature and units of recorded variables can be found within supporting documentation. All field workers were either experts with a long track record of pollinator identification or underwent extensive training. Questionable specimens were collected for subsequent identification under laboratory conditions. Data was collected in the field using pre-prepared data sheets. Data sheets were checked both visually and following data entry into digital format by confirming where outlier abundances (>2SD from mean) were found that these were consistent with raw field data sheets. Not all identifications are to species level with this varying depending on taxonomic expertise.